Fifth Avenue Mile - 2013

On Sunday, September 22nd 2013, Cheer New York had the pleasure of cheering on the racers at the 32^nd annual NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile.

photo credit: NYRR

As we walked towards the warm up area around 7:30am we were expecting to find tired, cranky morning people but to our surprise, everyone was so energized and excited for what the day had in store.  The weather was perfect for a fall morning: not to cool and not too warm, which was nice for the runners and spectators so they could comfortably stop to watch us in between their warm up. 

Not even five minutes into the start of the event you could already feel the high voltage energy our cheerleaders were exuding.

photo credit: NYRR

The runners themselves were so much fun to cheer for. It was so heartwarming to have them wave and smile back at us before speeding up for the finish line. Knowing that we played a part in motivating them to complete their run definitely made our day. 

We loved how responsive the crowd was as that’s what drives us as performers and cheerleaders. Great job to everyone who participated in the 5th Ave Mile. A shout-out to the adorable young runners who closed the race and Cheer New York’s own Katie M. who finished the race in 6 minutes and 54 seconds!

We can't wait for our next event this Wednesday (Oct. 2^nd from 7-10pm) THAT’S TOMORROW!! -- the "The Will Clark Show" Bingo Fundraiser at Uncle Charlie’s Bar (139 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017) Hope to see you there!

Sea Tea 2013

Sunday September 9th, Cheer New York embarked upon the Sea Tea Cruise Party on the Hudson, yet again.
For all of you who weren’t able to make it, here’s what you missed...  

Cheer New York set up in front of Pier 78 to get everyone pumped up before we all traveled down the Hudson on the Queen of Hearts with the Gay Men’s Chorus and the BOI Party.  

We had a great show with Madelynn Hatter, Pusse Couture and Jada Belenciaga, followed by a surprise performance by none other than Cheer New York themselves! 

But the highlight of the night is that Cheer New York was able to sell almost 150 tickets, which helped go towards our Cheer For Life Fund! Great job Cheerleaders!!

photo credit: Boi Party.com

GREAT news ladies and gents!!! Last night, the team voted for our 2013-2014 Cheer For Life recipients!! We will be announcing them to you all very shortly. 

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, THIS BLOG, and "like" us on Facebook! 

We're constantly updating our performance calendar and would love to see your shining face at our next event! 

Six Flags: Out At Night 2013

This year Cheer New York started off the 2013-2014 season with the 10th annual Gay Day "Out At Night" presented by Mark Nelson and Gage (Kris) in association with Six Flags Great Adventure. 

As the guests entered the park, we greeted them with stunts, cheers and dances to start their night off on a high spirited note. 

Gay Day "Out At Night" is the largest gay private event held annually in the U.S. It was an event filled with cute boys and girls, roller-coasters and a healthy dose of Jersey drama!

Cheer NY performed a few times for the LGBT Six Flag goers: At the entrance, at the water fountain and also at the main stage to the sounds of DJ's Eddie Baez, Steve Sidewalk and Hector Fonseca. Guests loved every moment of it! We even had a few record our performances and ask for pictures. 

After a few hours of performing all cheerleaders got the opportunity to enjoy the rides, play games and dance back at the main stage. 

Congratulations to all newbies who attended their very first event as an official Cheer New York member and thank you to all the veterans for warm welcoming love.

2013-2014 Newbies Announced!

Just a few weeks ago, we held tryouts for our upcoming season. This is anticipated to be a huge year for us with Gay Games just around the corner. We had a strong turnout this year, making choosing our new members very difficult, but we could not be happier with our selection. 
After much anticipation, Cheer New York is very thrilled to finally announce the new members of our 2013-2014 team!

Fans, please join us in congratulating eighteen fabulous new men and women to our cheer family-
Anthony M., Ashley C., Ashley Rose L., Christopher R., Destiny M., Jessica J., John G., Karen L., Kerry M., Kiran R., Lauren A., Lyndsay A., Malaea R., Milissa C., Rachel S., Theo B., Zaccary B., and Zavier C.

Thank you so much to each and every one of you that came to audition this year. If you didn't make the team this time around, please tryout again. We have a mid-season tryouts in the beginning of the year and again next summer. To the eighteen that did join us, CONGRATULATIONS! We are so happy to have you on the team... hope you're ready to WERQ!

Don't forget you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter and like us on Facebook!

Contact us at info@cheerny.org for any further information

Tryouts start THIS WEEK!

photo credit: Andre Photography

Have you been wanting to find a way to get back into cheerleading after all those years? Is cheerleading a sport you've always admired, but never knew how to get involved? Have you been searching for a way to work with charitable organizations within the local community? Well look no further! Dust off those pom poms folks! Cheer New York is looking for YOU!

photo credit: Andre Photography

It's hard to believe that with our season only having ended a few weeks ago, that tryouts are already here, but they are!

That's right! Our first clinic will be this Wednesday 7/31 from 6:45-10pm. We will have an additional/make-up clinic the following Sunday (this Sunday) 8/4 from 1:45-5pm. You must attend at least one of the two clinics to be eligible to tryout for the 2013-2014 season. We will hold the final tryout on Wednesday 8/7 from 6:45-10pm.

Cheer New York (Cheer NY) is an all-volunteer non-profit adult cheerleading organization by and for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight communities that combines cheers, gymnastics, dance and acrobatic stunts into a professional and exhilarating crowd-pleasing performance. Cheer New York is made up of adults from the NY/NJ area who are in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Our mission is to support the fight against AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses and conditions by raising money for small local charities through our "Cheer for Life" fund.

If this sounds like a group that you would like to be a part of, please contact us for more information about tryouts including exact locations, requirements, and any other questions you may have: info@cheerny.org

You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@cheernewyork)!

Queens Pride 2013

June 2, 2013 officially kicked off Pride season for us starting in Jackson Heights, Queens. All of Cheer New York arrived at the parade line up early to go over a few last minute details and to throw a few practice stunts before the parade got going. It was a warm, humid morning, but that wasn't going to stop us! The energy that goes along with this parade is incredible. 

Queens Pride promotes awareness and education among and of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning community of Queens, New York. The first Queens Pride march was held in 1993, now attracts more than 40,000 spectators and is the second largest Pride celebration in the New York metropolitan area.

 The Queens Pride parade route is a short one for us, but never short on enthusiasm, great energy and fun.  One of the things that we love most about Queens Pride is the opportunity to perform on stage in front of an audience during the multicultural festival. 

 It is such an honor for us, and always a great time. It's not often that we get the chance to perform for our fans in such a way, so we try to soak it up as much as we can.  

A HUGE thank you to Jason Russo from HeyMrJason Photography for providing many of the photos you see here in this post.

Cheer New York is taking the next couple of weeks off from our high flying stunts to gear up for Manhattan Pride on Sunday June 29th. But that doesn't mean you can't come hang out with us and donate to some of the greatest local NYC charities around! This Saturday 6/15, we will be at The Ritz Bar & Lounge from 10pm-3am. We'll be selling shots, go-go dancing, collecting donations and generally just making sure YOU have a good time. This is one of the last opportunities to meet up with us this season and donate to our Cheer For Life fund. Already have plans, but still want to donate to a good cause? No problem! You can donate on line: http://www.gofundme.com/36igwg. We are trying to raise $5,000 by the end of June and can't do it without your help! No amount is too big or too small!

We hope to see you soon! Have a great week and weekend everyone!

Chris = Fabulous!

June is by far and away our busiest month of our entire season. So it somewhat goes with the territory that not every member is able to perform with us at each event.  that being said, we still ask that everyone comes to each practice, because as the saying goes, "practice makes perfect" and we want to make sure we keep all of our skills as sharp as possible for all of our fans out there! This week, it was one of our members who won't be able to attend the weekend's events who really stood out at practice. Even though he wasn't placed in any of the stunt pods or set in any of the formations, Chris W. worked the entire practice long doing countless burpies, endless crunches, and push-ups until he just couldn't push anymore! It's that kind of dedication to the team that we love so much about our hard working members. Please join us in giving Chris a big congratulations as he is our Fabulous Award recipient for the week! 

 Name: Chris W.
Member since: August 2012
Position: Base
Why did you tryout for Cheer New York:  I wanted to give back to my community and get involved in a group of people in the city that enjoyed do the same things. And I wanted to do some stunting in the meantime!
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Masters of Arts in Art Education
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am a puppeteer! I was fascinated with puppets when I was a kid, but didn’t really start seriously working with them until grad school. Now I perform with a Latino children’s theater on the Lower East Side.
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? My favorite kind of ice cream is anything except mint chocolate chip. I do LOVE chocolate or vanilla ice cream with chocolate birthday cake and frosting mixed in with it.
What’s your favorite time of year? I really like the summer because I love swimming and getting my tan on, but fall is my absolute favorite because of the beautiful colors and pumpkin anything!
What is your favorite quote? "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -Eden Ahbez "Nature Boy" (song, recorded by Nat King Cole)

Looking to add a little spirit to your weekend? We will be super busy both Saturday and Sunday cheering through the streets of New York! Saturday, we will be alongside all of the walkers, runners, and racers as they make their way through Central Park for the YAI Central Park Challenge. Sunday, we will be out in Queens officially kicking off the start of our Pride season! The parade gets going at 12 noon followed immediately by the multicultural festival where we'll be performing on the main stage! Two great events that you will NOT want to miss. We can't wait to see you there!

Eli, You Are F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S!

Sorry we haven't been blogging about our events as much lately, but trust us, we've been BUSY! Don't worry, we'll tell you all about them very soon!

In the mean time, please join Cheer NY in congratulating Eli R. who won the Fabulous Award last week! We definitely pushed Eli to the max last week, but you wouldn't know by watching him that he was tackling stunts and pyramids that he had never done before. He was high-flying in the air like a pro! Way to go Eli!

Eli R. is a constant bundle of energy and we would love for you to get to know him a little better.

Name: Eli R.
Member Since: August 2012.
Position: Mid-Base Flyer.
Why on Cheer NY: I joined Cheer New York because I wanted to give back to the community, create new friendships, and pursue my passion for cheer & dance again.

Fun Facts About Eli:

• My celeb crushes are Adam Levine, Joel Madden, & Daniel Radcliffe
• Favorite bands are Green Day and Blink 182! Do Britney Spears & Madonna count too?
• Favorite meal is sushi. I'm Asian/Islander, I know! Typical. 
• Favorite dessert is red velvet cake.
• People might be surprised to know that I enjoy fishing. 
• In my free time, I roam the city looking for design inspirations, whether it's from browsing at flea markets, sketching at Central Park, or running in my neighborhood. This city is truly magical.
• Growing up I always thought I'd be a nurse or a doctor but as you grow up you learn more about yourself and discover your passion in life. For me, it's fashion design and that is how I ended up here in NYC. 
• I am so glad to be part of this amazing organization. The people on the team have become my closest friends. Everyone is genuinely passionate and kind, I definitely felt at home after the first practice. In cheerleading trust is important and I think that's what initially connects each and everyone of us immediately. 

  

Who's Fabulous? Cody!

As the workday winds down here on the East Coast, our Cheer New York members still have a long night ahead of them with another practice that will go into the night. These practices only get tougher and more grueling as we are fast approaching our Pride season (17 days 'till Queens Pride; 24 days 'till Brooklyn Pride; 25 days 'till Philly Pride and a short 45 days 'till NYC Pride)!!

As you (our loyal blog readers) may have noticed, we award a different team member each week for an exceptional job well done at practice. We hope that you've enjoyed getting to know a few of our team members, but now it's time to recognize one more! Last Wednesday, Cody W. really did an exceptional job filling in wherever we put him with a phenomenal attitude. Won't you please join us in congratulating Cody for winning this past week's Fabulous Award! 

Take a moment to get to know Cody W. a little better... 

Name: Cody W.

Member since: Fall 2010.

Position: Base.

Why did you join Cheer New York? I originally joined Cheer New York because I missed cheering so much. I've been cheering since I was 15, but after joining this amazing team, making some of my best friends and helping out the community the way that we do...the reasons are endless!

Age: 31 years old.

Occupation: Freelance dancer and choreographer.

Where are you originally from: Utica, upstate New York, it's about 4 hours away from NYC.

How long have you lived in NYC? I moved to NYC in 2010...the day I moved here, I tried out for Cheer NY!

How long have you been cheerleading? I started when I was 15.

What is your favorite stunt/trick? Basket tosses.

What is your favorite Cheer NY event? I have two favorites! The ING New York City Marathon and NYC (Manhattan) Pride.

What do you do with your free time outside of Cheer NY? I work as a dancer, hairdresser, makeup artist and costume designer. Although it's my work, that is what I do for fun!

List six things you couldn't live without: My family, my iPhone, dance, cheerleading, chocolate and love.

Tell us something interesting that you want our readers to know about you: When I grow up, wait...I'm 31 (HAHAHA). When I die, I want to be known worldwide for my passion for dance and the performing arts.

What is your favorite time of year? Spring.

Ember D. Is Fabulous!

In case you missed the memo...Pride season is just around the corner. Cheer New York's first Pride appearance will be in Queens, NY in less than a month and the "main event" (NYC Pride) is just a short 53 days away. So what does that mean for us? New tricks, new flips, new dances and practice, practice, practice! 

Someone that is a true pro when it comes to rolling with the punches, bumps, and bruises that go along with Pride preparation is none other than Ember D! We are so excited that she will be with us for her THIRD Pride season this summer. Ember truly is such an amazing asset to our team and we are lucky to have her. 

Take a moment to get to know Ember D. 
a little better!

Name: Ember D.
Member since: 2010.
Position: Flyer / Tumbler.
Why on Cheer New York: C-H-E-E-R-N-Why? Because cheering for charity is an inspiring and productive way for me to support the community. Also, my belly-baring uniform motivates me to stay in shape and my teammates are all wonderful friends who totally rock.
Occupation? Family Nurse Practitioner.
Where are you from originally? Sacramento, CA.
How long have you lived in NY? 4 years.
When did you start cheerleading? When I was 12 years old.
What’s your favorite Cheer NY event? Out at Night at Six Flags
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I'm 1/4 Chinese.
Who is your celebrity crush? Natalie Portman.
What’s your favorite meal? Sushi.
List 6 things you could never do without: Ketchup, earplugs, NYC MTA, Rainbow sandals, toothbrush, laughter.
What’s your silliest fear? Clowns.

Mikaela Is F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.!

Now that we are getting closer to Pride season, Cheer New York is working really hard to learn new and exciting stunt sequences to wow the crowds. Last week at practice, we tried something new that was a challenge to even the most experienced of flyers. Mikaela D., who is not only new to the team but also new to flying, took this challenge in stride and was able to successfully hit the stunt. That's why she's this week's Fabulous award winner! She listened to the advice of her bases with a smile and wasn't afraid to try something new. Great job Mikaela! Thank you for all of your hard work each week!

 

 Mikaela D. (right) pictured at The Original  GLBT Expo with her sister, Ember D. (left)

Here's a little more about Mikaela!

Name: Mikaela D.
Member since: February 2013.
Position: Flyer / Tumbler.
Why are you on Cheer New York: My sister Ember has been on Cheer NY for the past few years and I had always wished there was a similar organization where I was living. After visiting, I decided to stay and live in NYC just a couple weeks before tryouts. I jumped at the chance to join Cheer NY, get involved in the community and meet new friends. It is awesome to be able to make a difference while doing something I love with such a fantastic group of people. I am looking forward to the rest of the season!
Occupation? Commercial Real Estate.
Where are you from originally? California.
How long have you lived in NY? Since January 2013.
What’s your favorite stunt/trick? Anything new!
What do you do in your free time? I love to spend time with my sister and friends cooking, eating, and going on adventures.
What’s your favorite meal? Kimchi jjigae.
What’s the last book you loved? The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Jovani Is...FABULOUS!

Jovani P. is always a team player who is willing to step up whenever the team needs him. This past week, one cheerleader had to step out of stunting and couldn't do his part of the pyramid, and Jovani stepped in right away to make the stunt happen.

Way to go, Jovani! 

Here's what you need to know about this week's Fabulous Award winner...

Name: Jovani ("Jeo") P.
Member since: 2011.
Position: Base / Tumbler.
Age: 25.
Favorite stunt: 360 full-up high-to-high tick-tock bow-and-arrow double-down.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? That behind this tough exterior lives a quiet and innocent little boy.
Who is your celebrity crush? Prince Harry of Wales.
What do you do in your spare time? Cheerleading.

Cheer NY Fundraiser At The Ritz TOMORROW!

Tomorrow, Saturday April 20th Cheer New York will be at the Ritz Bar & Lounge fundraising for our Cheer For Life fund! 

Join the charitable cheerleaders of Cheer New York at the Ritz this Saturday (tomorrow)! We will be there from 10PM - 3AM. We ask that you pick up a FREE entry pass from one of our cheerleaders! For each pass the Ritz collects at the door, Cheer NY gets a $2 donation towards charity! We will be there collecting donations, selling shots, and go-go dancing!! There will be not one, but TWO DJ's (Jon Jon Battles and Xavier) there spinning some serious jams and making sure you're having a good time no matter where in the bar you might be. And you don't want to miss Dallas Dubois! 

The Ritz Bar & Lounge is located at 369 W. 46th St. 

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Please RSVP on our Facebook invite 

or contact us for more information, info@cheerny.org

Sing It On!

Last Sunday, April 14, Cheer New York hosted a karaoke fundraiser night with DJ Patrick Kuzara at the Time Out New York Lounge. Patrick took the stage at 8 o'clock sharp singing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" to get the night started.

The rest of the night, the stage was never empty. We had a great mix of performances from our own Cheer NY cheerleaders, as well as some really talented audience members. Adele, Shania Twain, Lady Gaga, Sister Act, Beyonce... you name it, we sang it.

A loud shout out to everyone who bought the raffle tickets too! Congratulations to all of the winners!

For everyone that was able to make it out on a school night to sing along with us, THANK YOU!! These charitable cheerleaders sure are proud of you! 

NEXT FUNDRAISER: If you missed us last weekend, we will be at The Ritz Bar & Lounge this Saturday (April 20th) night from 10pm-3am! Make sure you pick up a"TICKET" from a Cheer New York member as the Ritz will be donating TWO DOLLARS to Cheer NY on behalf of every person that walks in the door with a ticket. We will also be dancing, selling shots, drink specials.... all that good stuff, so please stop by! Get in touch with a member from our team, or contact us directly for more details. 

Don't forget to spread the word about our charitable cheerleading on your favorite social media site!
We are now on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  @CheerNewYork

Sing It On -- THIS Sunday!

This Sunday, April 14th @ 8 pm - 12 midnight, Cheer New York, along with DJ Patrick Kuzara, will be hosting  
"Sing It On: Cheeraoke for Charity" at Time Out NY Lounge
(downstairs at New World Stages)!!

We will be there singing and cheering on your performance, while Patrick drops some sick beats. This is an event not to be missed! Please help us spread the word: Join our event on Facebook (and invite all of your friends and co-workers), TWEET about it, and share! share! share! on your INSTAGRAM (make sure you tag us! @CheerNewYork)!

There is no cover charge, drinks are reasonable, and all the rah-rah and fun included is FREE! We are excited about Sunday's charity event and look forward seeing you there.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Brian, You're Fabulous! ~~*Kiss Noise*~~

Week after week, the farther we get into our season, and closer to Pride, Cheer NY members really start stepping up their game at practices and giving it their all, which makes it hard for our Coaches to decide who is most deserving of that night's Fabulous Award. This past week, it was one of our amazing Veterans who really inspired the team. Never one to let anything stop him, and always one of the firsts to help out behind the scenes -- this week's well-deserving recipient of the Fabulous Award was...Brian W! Coaches really appreciate the extra work that he puts into Cheer New York. Sidelined from stunting until next season due to medical issues, Brian doesn't let this stop him from taking on whatever extra conditioning he can squeeze in to make sure he's in shape for Pride season - that is of course if he's not spotting or helping other teammates perfect their dances.

Please help us congratulate Brian W. and take a moment to get to know him a little better!

 Photo compliments of Hey Mr. Jason Photography.

Name: Brian W.
Member since: 2006.
Position: Mid-Base / Tumbler.
Why joined Cheer NY: Where else can you give back to the community and look FIERCE while doing it? It's good for your muscles too.
Where are you from originally? Sidney, NY...A place with more cows than people.
When did you start cheerleading? When I joined Cheer NY in 2006. I came from a dance and acrobatics background which I had been doing since 1986.
What’s your favorite stunt/trick? "It's a Prep!!" - coach Mike V.
Who is your celebrity crush? Jason Statham.
What’s your silliest fear? Being in some type of "Saw" style situation.
What’s your favorite meal? Dessert.
What’s your favorite Cheer NY event? NYC PRIDE!!