All-Levels Placement Senior Open Level 3

North County Elite · Newbie

All-Levels Placement Senior Open Level 3

honestly · Veteran Member

I did not see all the teams in the senior open three division so Im not able to tell you where I think you should have placed. Things that may have affected your score however may have been the small things. I think a lot of people may forget that the small things add up in performances as far as execution. For example:

Timing on the flip flops in the opening was off as well as having a few frogged flip flops with flexed feet.
Timing on the clasps for the stunt set in was off
Timing on the grab for the scorpion was off
I dont know if cupies are worth more than extensions but they look cleaner so possibly ankles together in the extensions could have been executed better instead of apart
Motions and jumps there were some arms that werent exactly matched with the others wide high vs
Jump to flip flops ankles were apart
First row of round off tucks to the back timing was off
Pyramid in the back during running tumbling timing was off
The second stunt almost seems pointless because your points were earned in the first partner stunt sequence.
The dance almost seemed like a second jumps and motions sequence

Again, I did not watch the senior open three division or any videos from this division. While I think that this routine could have been a little more polished, I dont think a team that dropped a pyramid or stunt? Should have beat you. Im all for teams hitting a clean routine before anything else. It seems you guys would have maxed out with your routine.

cheerfan09 · Member

I know your a new program with only one team right by California allstars so that in itself is an accomplishment. I thought the routine was good with some innovative stunting. I would work on the dance portion. You really need to get away from jumps and motions in the dance and do a true dance. You also need more energy and showmanship get those kids to work it. Goodluck in the future your program looks promising.

xpressjag · Senior Member

I thought the stunts were great! The tumbling section was a bit crowded and had timing errors.

The motions in all sections need to be shaper and need to be done correctly, especially those high V's.

Their wasn't really a dance, more like fast motions.

Overall the routine was exciting , but you had a very tough divison to compete in. Knight Time and CA Bullets both have very strong routines so it would take a lot to beat them.

cheeeer · Veteran Member

I actually thought you guys were going to win. I was at the comp and saw you and was wowed by your routine. I loved it! After watching it again, I still feel it was one of the best. I don't know how they judge but I'm thinking "timing is an issue". Nevertheless, you guys and girls have so much talent and I can't wait to see you at comps next year.

Cheerisme · Member

Did you get an opportunity to watch some of the other routines? I agree with everything said already... well except for the part about thinking you were going to win.

Your team is very sharp and clean. Except for a few very small timing issues stunting was very strong. In my opinion your team lost in choreography. Also the music was very boring and I got the feeling half the team was bored.  I literally just watched it and I can't recall one peice of the music. Nothing. And there are routines that I love that I saw years ago and peices of the music will stick with me even now and I can sing them. You have to make an impact.

This routine definietely lacked a dance section. It's always great to end in an exciting dance that shows the audience and the judges how much fun you are having.

Overall not terrible but just lacking a few key elements. Who does your choreography? Whoever it is was good at putting technical elements together but you'd all benefit from some serious (artistic) dance choreography.

If this is a new or first year program you did amazing! You have some talent there and I'm sure you'll improve from here. Excited to she what you all bring next season! Good luck to you!

~~EDITED TO ADD THIS IS~~~
I just watched youtube video of your team from the 1-25 USA comp and you have made huge improvements to stunting since then. Congrats on that hard work!!

-- Edited by Cheerisme on Wednesday 15th of April 2009 12:23:41 PM

sandiegolove · Newbie

Cheerisme,

Are you honestly suggesting a team placed lower because of boring music? I understand music can be a factor in the enjoyment of the routine, but it should not affect the judging in execution and choreography. That was a very, very bold statement.

This is exactly why I do not get involved in message boards usually. I just came on here to check out views on the IALC.

It is just cheerleading...

CheerTyme Owner · Senior Member

sandiegolove wrote:

Cheerisme,

Are you honestly suggesting a team placed lower because of boring music? I understand music can be a factor in the enjoyment of the routine, but it should not affect the judging in execution and choreography. That was a very, very bold statement.

This is exactly why I do not get involved in message boards usually. I just came on here to check out views on the IALC.

It is just cheerleading...

Cheerisme is 100% correct in saying that boring music can lower a teams placement. I don't feel it was a bold statement at all. Judges write comments on score sheets all the time about a teams music, "faster pace, music needs to flow better, etc" I have had comments on my score sheets reguarding music and we would have scored higher if our music was "faster paced, flowed better, etc" Therefore it would have affected our placement, lower score = lower place. I changed music for one of my teams before nationals and we scored much higher with the new music than we had at any of our other competitions. I feel it had alot to do with the new music, plus the girls excitement with the new music, it made a much bigger impact with the overall quality of our routine.

tracy · Veteran Member

CheerTyme Owner wrote:

sandiegolove wrote:

Cheerisme,

Are you honestly suggesting a team placed lower because of boring music? I understand music can be a factor in the enjoyment of the routine, but it should not affect the judging in execution and choreography. That was a very, very bold statement.

This is exactly why I do not get involved in message boards usually. I just came on here to check out views on the IALC.

It is just cheerleading...

Cheerisme is 100% correct in saying that boring music can lower a teams placement. I don't feel it was a bold statement at all. Judges write comments on score sheets all the time about a teams music, "faster pace, music needs to flow better, etc" I have had comments on my score sheets reguarding music and we would have scored higher if our music was "faster paced, flowed better, etc" Therefore it would have affected our placement, lower score = lower place. I changed music for one of my teams before nationals and we scored much higher with the new music than we had at any of our other competitions. I feel it had alot to do with the new music, plus the girls excitement with the new music, it made a much bigger impact with the overall quality of our routine.

There types of judges comments really frost me. This is a personal preference and this is were the biased opinions come in to play and scores can go up or down. Judges need to assess the routine. Did the team max out the scoring criteria, did the team perform cleanly? These are the elements the judges should be evaluating. THe music choice and type shouldnt really matter.

oldcheermom · Senior Member

In my opinion, music is a big part of a routine. If a team has ho-hum music, no matter how good the team might be, I find myself bored. Exciting music pumps us up and draws us into the presentation. Just think of how music is used in movies, it's part of the show and plays with our emotions. Same with a cheer routine.

xpressjag · Senior Member

oldcheermom wrote:

In my opinion, music is a big part of a routine. If a team has ho-hum music, no matter how good the team might be, I find myself bored. Exciting music pumps us up and draws us into the presentation. Just think of how music is used in movies, it's part of the show and plays with our emotions. Same with a cheer routine.

Exactly, music is a HUGe part of your routine, especially if it compliments it. It's cheerleading, not just a routine full of skills. Your job its to entertain as well as perform technical skills.

oldschoolcheercoach · Member

Yes music is a factor to whole flow of the routine, but should not be a factor in judgung other than if the routines timing to the music works.
One of the best routines I EVER saw was Pyrimids college team and they danced to Barry Manilow's Coppa Cabanna. The routine was set perfectly to the music. It was so outside the box and it was Barry Manilow but it worked.
I get tierd of hearing the same music over and over but I like seeing the different ways of interputing it.
To say someone placed lower in this comp because of music may very well be true because the judges scoring made very little sence, anything is possible!!!

Cheerisme · Member

sandiegolove wrote:

Cheerisme,

Are you honestly suggesting a team placed lower because of boring music? I understand music can be a factor in the enjoyment of the routine, but it should not affect the judging in execution and choreography. That was a very, very bold statement.

This is exactly why I do not get involved in message boards usually. I just came on here to check out views on the IALC.

It is just cheerleading...

If music wasn't important then it would just be left out. Good music that flows and works with the technical and artistic portions of the routine is fundamental. Judging of cheer routines has and always will be fairly subjective. That's just the way it is.

Also if you'll re-read my post you see that I just mentioned music once and I clearly stated what the routine lacked was choreography and dance.

Also, these are my opinions and I also appreciate yours. Opinions were asked for and we all gave them!

-- Edited by Cheerisme on Sunday 19th of April 2009 12:38:46 AM