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!

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.

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!