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!

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.

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

Cheer NY Cheers Loud & Proud!

We know that all of our supporters cannot make it to every Cheer New York event so we want to share with you a video of what Cheer New York is about: from our stunting, tumbling, and dancing to the lifting of spirits at our charity events and fundraisers. As we approach this year’s NYC Pride season we aim to continue inspiring hope and encouragement in our audiences everywhere while continuing with our "Cheer for Life" mission.

ADD US on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

@CheerNewYork

Brooklyn Pride '12

Cheer New York just wrapped up at Brooklyn Pride in the beautiful Prospect Park/Park Slope area. Since 1996, "Brooklyn Pride has grown to become the largest and most prominent organization serving Brooklyn’s LGBT community."It was a perfectly warm night and we had such a blast. Thank you to all our fans who came out to support us along with all the new ones we made tonight. Your energy was so fabulous and uplifting - performing for you could not have been more fun! 

This was our second of four Pride parades that Cheer NY participates in during the Pride season. Tomorrow morning, we're off to Philadelphia to participate in Philly Pride! We cannot wait and hope to see you there! 

Come see us in Queens, Sunday June 7

Cheer New York helps kick of Gay Pride Month on this Sunday, June 7 by making a special appearance at Queens Gay Pride Parade. Starting at noon, more than 20 members of CNY will be stunting, cheering, dancing and tumbling down 37th Avenue of Jackson Heights, Queens. Afterward, we'll be checking out the Multicultural Festival on 37th rd from 73rd Street to 77th Street. Cheer Loud! Cheer Proud!