The Atenean Cheerleaders

[ChiQui]

This year, Ateneo has added to their cheering batallion. They now have girls as opposed to the usual all-guy squad of the Blue Babble Batallion. I think this was a good move made by Ateneo. It's something different and refreshing.

However, most Ateneans disagree with me. They say that it looks "stupid" because it goes against tradition. And they say that what makes Ateneo's cheering squad different from the other school's is because of their all-guy cheering squad.

What do you think?

[marooned]

as long as they all look like you, i am all for them.

seriously, ateneo has a lot of traditions and it is easy to understand their sentiments. but maybe, if the response to them is great, it's about time to start a new trend.

[Ada]

I'm curious -- what does it take to become a cheerleader? Do you have to be a good dancer with a flexible bod and a good shouting voice? Do you have to have looks?

ChiQui, maybe you can enlighten us as to how UP chooses its cheerleaders. What about the other schools? I heard (and I don't know if it's true) that to become a member of the Blue Babble Battalion, you had to be subjected to humiliation first (like screaming your head off at the ADMU caf?) Is this true? What about for DLSU? How do you pick the members of your pep squad?

[gDAWAL]

WHY ADA? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING?

[don]

I've always admired the Blue Babble Battalion, especially during the halftime cheering in La Salle - Ateneo games. The loud bass drums and the deep, growling voice of the crowd they lead, maski tinatambakan na ng La Salle :), have made them my second favorite cheering squad. And, except for the times when they got crude, like that DLRT thing and the La Salle jacket-wiping incident, I've always liked watching them.

And they did all that with an all-male cheering squad.

But what I'd really like is to see some pretty Ateneans wearing those tight outfits with the short skirts and doing high kicks at halftime, so screw tradition.

Oh, I'm such a pig.

[This message has been edited by don (edited 07-30-1999).]

[ChiQui]

Hey marooned!

You don't even know what I look like! Hahahaha... =)Seriously, I agree with you about giving these girls a chance to share and spread the Atenean spirit.

Hiya Ada!

The UP Pep Squad has three classifications: there are the dancers, the drummers and the boosters. For the dancers, of course it's imperative that you can dance well and you have to have a flexible bod. For the boosters and drummers, I think all you need to have is a sense of beat and a loud voice.=) Having an outgoing personality doesn't hurt too. Shempre, saan ka naman nakakita ng cheerleader na mahiyain diba? I think a cheerleader must be able to reach out to his/her fellow shoolmates because one of the main objectives of being a cheeerleader is to foster camaraderie and school spirit. But most of all, you must have the discipline of an athlete and must be willing to give your time and effort for the pep squad is considered a varsity team.

All the different pep squads have their own ways of introducing potential members in their group. I have heard of public humiliation for the prospects of the Blue Babble and the DLSU Pep Squad. As for UP, we hold tryouts every year and if you pass that, all you have to do is to train with the pep squad and show that you have what it takes to be a cheerleader. =) Madali lang naman diba? Whatever school you're in, as long as you know you have what it takes, you'll accept whatever "humiliation" and pain that comes your way, for being in the pep squad does have its rewards. =)

Hey Don!

I agree with you about having something different for a change. (Not because I care about the short skirts or anything.. =>; ). But I have heard of criticisms of the girls. They're good. They're talented. But they said they don't have what it takes to be a Blue Babble. They said that the reason why they formed their own group was because they couldn't take the try-outs of the Blue Babble. I don't take this as a chauvinistic remark because the Blue Babble Batallion does have girls in their squad. But then, these are all hereasay. =)

Take care!

[rl]

Ateneo did use cheerdancers once for an Ateneo-La Salle game either in 1986 or 1987. Hindi na naulit pagkatapos noon (until this year). I guess their one-time-only appearance back then was due to the reaction of the Ateneo gallery. Hindi naman sila na-boo or anything like that. The cheering was still loud and forceful. Kaya lang, the male Ateneans had too much fun with the cheerdancers, specially when they did cartwheels!

[archerguy]

Just a correction...the last time Ateneo included female cheerdances was not in 1987, but in 1997. It was during the "Jollibee Chi-cheer Kayo contest." (Or was it in 1996?) Kaya lang, Ateneo was put into shame during that competition because hindi pa tapos yung cheer nila, nag-buzz na, signaling time out because each team was only given 5 minutes. And worse, when the buzz came, yung specific cheer during that time featured Ateneo female cheerdancers na naka-split sa wooden poles and being carried by some members of the Blue Babble Batallion! Kaya nakakahiya...all those who were watching laughed to their hearts' content and shouted "Bye-Bye, Bye-Bye!!!" Maybe this traumatic experience was too painful for them that they decided that the female members of the Blue Batallion should instead focus on being cheerleaders at the benches, and let the male members do the cheering in the court during half times. :)

[Ada]

Gdawal: Hindi na ako pwede sumali sa pep squad dahil graduate na po ako. :)

[Rockgardener]

Ada,
Your right about how Ateneo chooses it's
cheerleaders..They basically find someplace
where there's a crowd, and let the 'try-outs'
begin..It's pretty much up to the individual
to do his or her own thing..humiliation's
optional. Traditionalists might as well
get used to the idea...after all, for Ateneo's women athletes to get to the same
level of La Salle's, UP's and UST's women athletes, they're gonna have to start
somewhere. And from what I've heard, the
women of Ateneo get very little support, and
they're usually subjected to ridiculous
schedules and playing conditions.

[ChiQui]

Trinjy,

Nope. You don'e need the drumming experience to be a booster. All you need to have is a pretty loud voice and an outgoing personality =). At shempre, the UP fighting spirit. How many of your friends are interested in joining? Why don't we meet up one of these days? You can see me at the gym from 5pm onwards. I'll introduce you to our coach and we'll see from there. As for "humiliation", nope, we don't have that. Email me soon when we can meet up ok? =)

Babyfat,

I couldn't agree with you more. =)

[Spectator]

I'm not a cheerleader of La Salle, but I do have some knowledge of how to be a member of the Pep Squad.

At the beginning of the schoolyear, the Pep Squad announces the dates of tryouts. Tryouts usually take place on Wednesdays, when the Pep Squad holds its practice during University Break. The tryouts are conducted in the Marian Quadrangle, which is like the center of activity in La Salle and since it's UBreak, a lot of people stop by to watch. After they've seen what you're capable of doing...the men are subjected to the ultimate test...Humiliation. This year, the new recruits were asked to dress in tight-fitting spaghetti-strapped blouses and parade around the school and outside. The final stop was near McDo and University Mall, where the guys cheered the traditional DLSU cheers in full view of the commuters who pass by Taft Avenue!

[Trinjy]

Thanks for all those enlightening info on cheering recruitement. ChiQui, is the "drumming" skill necessary if you want to be a booster? Just asking. Inform me on the date of your application period, okay? Do you also have public humiliation for your applicants? If yes, what kind of humiliation? Anong time ang practices niyo? My friends & I are interested. Sorry if I have a lot of questions. bye! God bless!

[babyfat]

the ateneo is a co-ed university and must offer equal opportunities to male and female students. whoever says that an all-male cheering squad is somehow more "dignified" or "impressive" than a coed one is showing his or her true colors as ignorant and sexist. our female cheerleaders have so much more to offer than short skirts and tight tops -- they have just as much school spirit as their male counterparts and are just as qualified to liven up the crowd and motivate our players. instead of dissing them for being there or making comments about their legs and butts, let's sit up, take notice, and give them the respect they deserve.

[This message has been edited by babyfat (edited 07-31-1999).]

[Agimat]

If u have not noticed yet, since last year, there has been a female member of the Blue Babble. Hindi lang masyadong napapansin. So its not only this year that Ateneo added female cheerleaders. : )

[marooned]

trinjy, chiqui,

sama naman ako sa inyo. when will you guys meet ba?

[Trinjy]

Hi ChiQui! I'll ask my friends about the try-outs. Thanks for helping out, huh?! Nice to know you don't have public hum. We can set the date of the meeting once I've talked to my friends. Thanks again! :)

Marooned: you never get tired, don't you? Your persistence amazes me! :)

[don]

Nanood po ako ng La Salle - Ateneo sa Cuneta nung Saturday (Oo na, natalo kami, ubos na ang luha ko). Pero iisa lang ang tanong ko:

Bakit ang liliit ng cheerleader ng Ateneo nung nag-Halikinu? Parang ang babata.

[Nikita]

DON:

ANONG "MALIIT ANG CHEERDANCERS NG ATENEO?!"

EH KAYO, BA'T PURO INTSIK MGA CHEERDANCERS NG LA SALLE?

[clawed_out]

well what can i say? Ateneo, the girls are pretty & talented! & one comment: nothing is permanent in this world only change is... ok? matagal ng may cheerleaders yang Ateneo. DLSU, oh di ba kayo nahulog sa pyramids nyo? kasi medyo malulusog nga yung mga cheerers nyo! pero ang galing nakakapag-cartwheel pa rin! pero bakit taob kayo pag nandyan na ang UST, even at UP? kaya nyo yan prove to them that you can build a high pyramid WITHOUT FALLING! goodluck! & attention ibang schools: wala namang gayahan ng cheers ok? Will UST,NU be going to join this year's cheering competition? I hope UST UP DLSU would win this years stint! well tough contender din ang Ateneo!

[don]

Opo, maliliit sila. Naka-maong pa nga, eh. Di man lang nag-skirt. At well-choreographed pa.

Uuuy... racist. They would prefer the term "Chinese" in lieu of "Intsik". Dami pa man din nila diyan sa Ateneo.

At di lang chinky-eyed ang cheerdancers namin. Cute pa, kasi maski yung iba medyo malulusog, nakaka-cartwheel pa rin.

[Ada]

Diba dapat naman talagang petite ang mga cheerleaders para mas madali silang kargahin/saluhin, lalo na't lagi silang iniitsa sa ere? ;)

At saka anong masama sa intsik na cheerleader? Pati ba naman doon may discrimination na rin?

[Aragorn]

The replies have been really interesting...but coming from an Ateneo alumnus, all this hype over women in the Blue Babble is pretty over-rated, I think. Ada, Chiqui, Babyfat and company---there is a pretty rigorous selection process for members of the Blue Babble Battalion. And yes, public humiliation is part of it, but it really isn't humiliation any more...
When the people trying out shout in the middle of the caf (sometimes dressed in weird outfits), everyone knows they're future babble---i.e., they'll be the main promoters of Ateneo spirit during the games. So, there is an atmosphere of support for the "plebes" shouting in the middle of our cafeteria.
The very, very first time Ateneo used female cheerdancers was during the NCAA (I'm not so sure as to the league) opening of 1968. Yep, that far back. They "borrowed" from Maryknoll, now known as Miriam. The next was in 1987, during the first Ateneo championship run, then in 1997, when the Babble integration controversy was at its height. After that season, the Babble resigned, only to come back in the middle of the season.
BTW, there's a suggestion to have an EB in one of the topics of the UAAP corner, by Ginny. I'm all for it!

[ChiQui]

I loved the Ateneo halftime last Saturday. I loved the little Blue Babble boys! They were so cute! Not to mention.. good!

As for the La Salle halftime. As usual, it was good. Except that I think they kind of hit below the belt. I don's think kasi that it's right for any school to "destroy" the rival school's symbol/s as can be seen by the tearing up of the "A" that Ateneo uses. But other than that, it was a pretty flawless routine considering you have very good cheerleaders. =)

All the schools have different "looks" and "images" and "styles". If a pyramid or a stunt doesn't work out... well... let's give them a break. A routine can't be flawless all the time. It does take hard work to execute these routines so let's support out cheerleaders ok coz I'm sure they work hard to give pride to their alma mater.

[REKTIKANO]

hi Chiqui,
you were right, the DLSU pep squad shouldn't have done that even with the fried chicken thing (symbolizing a fried eagle). We were hurt very much by what the BBB did to us in 1996 but it's no excuse to return the favor.
So for all LaSallites sake, don't be insulted if the BBB do SOMETHING in the second round.

[webpinoys]

as long as it brings smiles to our faces, we should welcome the change and look at it as an "evolution of the tradition"

don't know if it makes sense but it sounds so nice - "evolution of the tradition" -

yeah it has a great ring to it so it should make sense, right?

right?

[ChiQui]

Hi Rektikano!

I just have to ask, what was it that the BBB did in 1996?

[REKTIKANO]

Hi Chiqui,
Wala lang just meron silang Green jacket with DLRT printed at the back then they used the green jacket to wipe the floor. Afterwards, they sent the LaSallian community an apology letter. Galing no? sinapak muna bago nag sorry.

[ChiQui]

Rektikano,

Nakow. They did that? Now that was also below the belt. :( Well, I just hope that next time both squads will just concentrating in doing their best rather than putting the rival school down. :)
Take care!

[bishamon]

Chiqui, r u present when the lady maroons play? r u the cheering president?

[Cathy]

well.....
let's just say that the Ateneo students were kinda surprised themselves when the cheerdancers' group was formed. i mean think of it this way, it's been a tradition to have an all-male Blue Babble Battalion (apologies to the ladies) and now, all of a sudden there are these ladies prancing about the hardcourt during halftime...
don't get me wrong...i really have nothing against the Ateneo cheeerdancers. But the Ateneo having an all-male cheering squad(with an exception of a few exceptional ladies) was what made them stand out. and yes it's true that all the other schools have male/female cheerdancers..but WHY JOIN THE BANDWAGON?

[ChiQui]

Bishamon..

Yes, I perform with the UP Pep Squad. And no, I'm not the cheering president. :)

[wHaTeVeR]

wow, this topic actually came up? well, its been a month since the last message has been posted, and i guess now, people are more informed that the ateneo cheerdancers do exist.

clarifications though: there have always been efforts to put girls in the cheering squad, to promote equality and all that in the ateneo, but it was only in 1997 that the first girl was allowed in the Blue Babble Battalion. (at present, there are two). this is the first time that the 'girl squad' is being recognized as an athletic team, and is given (a lot of) support by the administration.

forming the cheerdancers was never an effort to "join the bandwagon", although i really cannot say im really sure because i wasn't around yet when the initial effort to put in women in the squad. but it basically was an effort for equality, in a gender sort of way. the formation of the cheerdancers never meant to intrude or break the tradition of the all boy cheering squad of the Ateneo. (ateneans must know by now that that whole all boy issue has been there for the longest time). they know about the strong feelings the alumni (as well as the present members) of the Blue Babble Battalion have towards tradition, which is why the present squad has never insisted on acquiring a 'franchise' of their name. they certainly do not want to be held responsible for conflict, or 'issues'.

however, they do not want to be passively pushed aside. they have worked hard to get the respect of people as a team and as an organization. they have proved themselves as being more than capable of doing their job of bringing out that ateneo spirit, in one way or the other. they worked hard to be recognized, and finally they are getting the attention they deserve, that sense of equality.

they have high regard and respect for the Babble boys who are so passionate about what they do, those who have been doing what the cheerdancers have only begun to do this year decades before they have. they wish to gain, in time, that same respect, to be established in that same manner. at present, things are going at a steady pace, and the girls are slowly proving themselves to those who aren't confident in their abilities. they are more than grateful that they are winning the confidence and the cooperation of the students, alumni, and the Babble.

[benz]

Chiqui:

I do believe in giving everyone an "equal chance". The BBB tradition was totally in conflict with the idea of putting in women with them on the squad at the beginning. I really don't know their exact reasons for debating with our administration during that time, but "tradition", and (some pride) were some of them.

THE BBB unfortunately lost their case, and I was fortunate enough to experience the beginning of a "new era" during my college days. At the beginning though, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. Ang layo talaga nung level nung mga women namin dun sa mga ibang schools. I'm not sure now though, hopefully they've improved thru time.

But to tell you very frankly, if it was to be done MY way, I'd prefer to leave the women OUT of it. WHY? The humiliation that arise from all the insults, vulgar thoughts and expletives hurled at them when they're performing on the court (during halftime), are just way out of hand. I've been part of some of the most unruly audiences and I just don't want OUR WOMEN TO BE TREATED IN SUCH A BARBARIC, LOWLY MANNER. It makes them look like objects and degrades their very character. I'd prefer the guys to absorb all that trash instead. The irony in it all is that the "equality" the women wanted, put the "woman" down even more.

But of course, "equality" to participate was the issue then. And I bet some of our women did know what they were getting themselves into.

I just hope that the women's fight for "equality" in the BBB didn't turn out to be their own humiliation.

[This message has been edited by benz (edited 09-07-1999).]

[ChiQui]

Whatever... I do think that in their own way, the Atenean cheerdancers have earned the respect of their schoolmates. They work hard and they have showed that they can do it. Keep up the good work girls! :)

[AlaskaBoy]

Hi Chiqui. info naman about u. tnx :)
ala ka bang homepage? :)
take care!!

As to ur question, i think mas ok kung may girls sa Cheering team nyo kasi feeling ng mga boys, *** ang hari ng Ateneo e. show them cheering still belongs to the girls. Mas magaling talaga ang dating pag kayo ang nag-checheer.

[ChiQui]

I don't want to start a war between the female cheerleaders and the male cheerleaders. We may look good because girls can wear more costumes/uniforms because we can wear anything from pants to the traditional skirts. But that doesn't mean we're better. As long as you have the school spirit and you're willing to get out there and cheer your school on, then you qualify as a cheerleader. :)

AlaskaBoy,
I don't have a homepage. Sorry...don't have the patience to make one eh. Ingat ka rin! :)

[ASuL]

well, i think the BBB should have stuck with tradition. the girls can join the cheerdancers group if they want to participate and show their support. they can have two different groups but they can both work together on their...whatever...halftime shows...peace!

FIGHT! FIGHT! BLUE AND WHITE! ATENEO!

[Will Hunting]

The inclusion of women in the Ateneo cheerleaders I think, is more with leeping in step of the 90's trend of political correctness and equal opportunity. But I think the main reason why the Ateneo female cheerleaders are having such a hard time gaining acceptance is the fact that they did not go through the same process as the regular male and FEMALE Babble.

The initiation process that the Babble goes through makes being part of that group more endearing to the member, rather than being strictly a way to weed-out undeserving applicants. I think the basic logic there is "If you had to work hard to get something, you'll appreciate it more." The Babble is not exclusive to men. There are women there who went through the same thing that the men did.

Don't you guys get me wrong though. I enjoy watching the female cheerdancers just as much as everyone else...but I do wish that they'd just go through the Babble initiation so they'd have the same gestures. Growing up getting used to the traditional Babble gestures kinda makes these now arm-wavings look kinda silly. Not that the old arm-waving doesn't look silly if you really think about it, iba lang yung nakasanayan na.

Hey Rockgardener, you made me reminisce about my grade school days jumping from those rocks!

[Dindin]

Ey, Chix!
Surprise! I've finally stumbled upon the bulletin board you talk about. Was just looking for pics of the comp. Have u seen Amity's pics? STAR! Hehe... See ya, girl!

[wHaTeVeR]

when the cheerdancers were being formed this year, the officers were given the option to have tryouts similar to that of the blue babble battalion: meaning stand on tables in the caf, shout, make a fool out of yourself in various ways, etc. we were thinking of doing this as a part of the tryouts, but we decided against it, since it seemed a little unnecessary for the cheerdancers to go through it, since their primary function is to dance (as the name cheerDANCERs implies, so we had dance tryouts for the dancers instead. look at it this way: the primary criteria of the Blue Babble Battalion in looking for new recruits is voice quality: how loud they can shout, which is why they have those caf tryouts (of course, included here is the 'di nahihiya to do anything' attitude, but see, this cant be the basis alone, so voice plays a really big part). in this context, the main thing we looked for this year was the dancing capabilities of the applicant.

but throughout the season, we (or maybe just me) realized that it IS important for the cheerdancers to have loud voices and that attitude of not being ashamed to do anything, and that this should be included in the process of selection. so i think next year, tryouts for the girls will have one day of tryouts just like the babble boys, but not to the same extent...just enough to see what they've got aside from the dancing skill.

wait, with regards to will hunting's comment on working hard and appreciating it more, i agree. but i dont think that just because our girls didnt go through that whole 'embarass yourself' tryout it means that they didnt work hard to get in and STAY in. they work really hard. aside from the tryouts for skills, they have to practice 3 times a week, 3 hours each practice minimum, and they're only allowed 4 cuts the entire season. i think thats working hard, dont you? =)

[Will Hunting]

hi wHaTeVeR! I guess only time will tell whether the cheerdancers will become an institution like the babble has become.

But what the hell...the more cheering for our beloved Blue and White, the better!

See you at the Final Four!

(btw, which one are you among the cheerdancers?...maybe I should walk around flashing Alicia Silverstone's "whatever" sign to all the cheerdancers)

[GeNzO]

Hi! This is my first message and pretty new here. So might as well reply into a topic, I am personally involved with.

With regards to the Ateneo Cheerleaders, I think its really a good idea and about time that women got involved in supporting our teams in terms of cheering. Yet, I believe that the purposes for the Blue Babble Battalion in making their cheering squad all male is not to be a group of sexist male egotistics rather to uphold this tradition...that the BBB is an all male group which sets apart from the usual cheering squad.

Personally, it pains me to know that people regard the BBB as a sexist group. It really isn't. Its just that the BBB has tradition to uphold and it quite embodies what the essence of what the Blue Babble Battalion is. I truly am impressed by the vast improvement of the cheerdancers and am looking forward to seeing them perform in the future.

[AnimoAteneo]

****!!!
they are just sooooo cute!!!!
i mean the girls ha....

better than la salle!!!

[fReAk]

post naman their pic.. if their really that cute

[wHaTeVeR]

will hunting, amen to that! the more support for ateneo, the better! =) haha, now thats a sight to see, someone walking around with that 'whatever' sign =) see you at the games to come! =)

[GeNzO]

wHaTeVeR,
Hey there! thanks for being so supportive sa BBB. Its really good to hear people still supporting what we're all made up off and the sacrifices that all cheerleaders make for the players.

Chiqui,

I'm a big fan of the UP cheering squad. Congrats on winning the Nestle Cheering Competition! Kaya nga lang dahil sa talo against UP last week, our team really blew the chance of placing second sa line-up. Anyway, loved your chants nung nanalo kayo. Siyempre, yung "U-Ni-Bersidad-Ng-Pilipinas"
Kaya nga lang, don't think of the BBB as a chauvanistic group. We really aren't. In fact, we really support this new branch of cheerleaders. And personally I feel this really adds to the spice that the Ateneo Cheering Squad offers to the team especially the fans.

Btw, people any suggestions on how the Babble can improve? (Since the issue about the girls is resolved na...)

[The Saint]

When I joined the DLSU Pep Squad, it was only their 3rd year to have girls. Like the BBB, there was a violent reaction to girls in the squad. There were 45 of us male cheerleaders and only about 6 girls. Most games had an all-male performance and girls usually performed only at the sides.

I'm no chauvinist but the rest of my statements are based on experience. UAAP is a warzone and the hardcourt is a "no man's land". Lacerations and crushed dignity from flying coins and bottled water became a familiar experience among our female cheerdancers especially during La Salle-Ateneo and La Salle-UST games. La Sallites began to cheer less in half-time performances as their attention diverted to the mini-skirts and angelic faces. The pyramids made it worse as our crowd would rather hold their breath and shout with all their might.

One thing i've noticed though. Females in the cheering squad pacifies games and render school-bashing irrelevant with fancy dancing and pyramids around.

I'm waisted...

[AzIaNnA]

psst, GeNzO, guess who? =) ang galing talaga ni wHaTeVeR, noh? parang ang dami nyang alam na inside info about the ateneo cheerdancers..hmm, i wonder why...

The Saint, i was a little confused by your entry...isn't it good that the games are pacified by the presence of the girls? or are you looking at it in a 'cheering' point of view, like, the crowd just watches the routines rather than shouting and cheering for the school? sorry if im a little lost. enlighten us (or me) please. =)

HI GIRLS! i miss you guys na! looks like i finally gave in and got sick...hay! guess we all saw it coming =( anyway, im calling a G.A. soon, since we've been on a pseudo-break since the cheering competition...withdrawal symptoms na ako from not seeing you guys! thanks for being super responsible without me the last two games...pinagbilin ko naman kayo kina tonton for the games i wasn't able to attend, i trust the boys to make sure you guys are ok when im not there =) (although i have to say, i was really touched when nikki called me on my cel during ateneo-ust saying "you can't leave us! who's gonna take care of us?" --- wow, mommy material pala ako!) but anyway, im gonna be back for the final four, hopefully ill be up and well by then. see you guys soon, k? =) mwah!

[Yoshi]

For Ateneo, the controversy involving the introduction of girl cheerleaders was met with much debate, both from current and old members of the Blue Babble Battalion. The Dean insisted that Ateneo, being a co-ed school, should be open to female cheerleaders. After much debate, the female cheerleaders (I think around 8) were chosen in around Feb 97. Of the 8, only one was a cheerleader, and the rest were cheerdancers.
Let's make a clarification here. As far as I know, the Blue Babble Battalion is a separate entity from the Ateneo cheerdancers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but ang alam ko, the BBB is only a cheerleader group (meaning, taga-sigaw ng cheer), while the cheerdancers are dancers (ngek). Thus, the girl who passed BBB is now cheering and not dancing. The dancers are chosen through auditions and is not a stable, recognized group of cheerdancers (parang org). In other words, the dancers and cheerers just coordinate with each other but the dancers are not part of the BBB.
The cheerdancers have been accepted in Ateneo society, kasi mahirap nga namang manalo ng cheering competition kapag puro lalake lang ang nag-che-cheer. Suggestion: Dapat the cheerdancers should have more guys in the cheering sequence kasi the cheers and pyramids look nice with both guys and girls.

[GeNzO]

Azianna,

Wow ah! Finally the person who introduced me to pinoyexchange, nagreply rin. Pero, tsong, tampo pa rin ako sa'yo.

Yoshi,

You're right in the sense that the cheerdancers and the Blue Babble Battalion are 2 separate entities having one common goal...to support the varsity teams of Ateneo through cheers, performances, and making the spirit of the Blue Eagles fly high.

But, what I disagree about what you wrote is that the BBB and the Ateneo Cheerdancers including the Blue Babble Band, fall under an entire Ateneo Cheering Squad. Second, the Blue Babble Battalion isn't just a voice that chants the cheers. It's more than just a loud voice. Kailangan din physically fit to execute the motions and movements that the cheer entails. And of course, yung puso, which is a 150% all out for Ateneo. Third, hindi basta lang tinanggap ang mga cheerdancers para lang sa mga cheering competitions. There really was a call for women to participate in the cheers, kaya nagkaroon ng cheerdancers. Clearly, the school is pushing for this and which is why, I don't know if you've noticed that there was a more active role given to the cheerdancers. Laking tulong ng Cheerdancers! They weren't just made up to dance in front of the crowd for just some cheering competition. These girls wanted to get involved and help the team and the school.

Ateneo, ONE BIG FIGHT! :)

[Yoshi]

Genzo,
Thanks for the clarification. However, I did not classify the BBB and the cheerdancers under one cheering squad. But I was suggesting that they be integrated into one whole squad para better coordination.
Babble ka ba? Again, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that the cheerdancers would ever be part of the BBB. Parang joint effort ng 2 groups ang cheering chores for Ateneo, and since the Battalion is really known for cheering, I don't think they'd make space for dancers. Kaya lang, sana may guys na ring sumali next year in the competitions.
I agree with your comment on the Babble putting 150% heart into its cheering. That in itself is something to be proud of.

[AzIaNnA]

GeNzO,

ive been replying naman e...just through someone else's nick =) and wag ka na magtampo, i really had no plans of coming to school until i realized i had to go because i was overcut in philo! plus i had to go to the doctor before going to school, so there. i emailed you, i hope you got it =)

Yoshi,

you're right, the cheerdancers are a separate entity from the blue babble battalion. and you're correct in the sense that the cheerdancers will probably never be a part of the BBB. but with regards to the 2 squads falling under one general cheering squad, i think that is sort of what the situation is now. what the administration aims to promote is that the Blue Babble Battalion, the Blue Babble Band and the Ateneo Cheerdancers fall under the cheering branch of the athletics department, supposedly called the Ateneo Cheering Squad. so the cheerdancers are separated from the battalion, but they both serve the same purpose: to cheer and support the school. (tama ba, GeNzO? i think what i just said contradicted what you said earlier. correct me if im wrong.) anyway, this is my understanding, but none of this has been deemed official yet, its still subject to clarification.

with regards to the cheering competition, i for one agree that there should be guys included for the pyramids and all. hello?!? how are we supposed to build those high and mighty pyramids without boy power? but the BBB, being a separate entity, can't help us there. which leaves us cheerdancers the problem of recruiting our own guys to help us build. unfortunately though, it's not easy. guess we'll have to try harder next year =)

about the cheerdancers not being a "stable and recognized group", i admit, the status of the cheerdancers was previously pretty rocky, but i think now we are pretty settled. we are not an org, we are considered as an athletic team.

last comment though: i didnt really appreciate it when you said "..while the cheerdancers are dancers (ngek)...". there is more to the dancers than just their dancing skills, they do their share of cheering as well. and for someone who is extremely passionate about cheering and dancing, i don't think it was fair for you to bring negative implications to us being 'dancers'. it isnt amusing to see other people degrading (in a sense) something which a person has worked so hard for, and exerted so much effort for.

[AzIaNnA]

GeNzO,

ive been replying naman e...just through someone else's nick =) and wag ka na magtampo, i really had no plans of coming to school until i realized i had to go because i was overcut in philo! plus i had to go to the doctor before going to school, so there. i emailed you, i hope you got it =)

Yoshi,

you're right, the cheerdancers are a separate entity from the blue babble battalion. and you're correct in the sense that the cheerdancers will probably never be a part of the BBB. but with regards to the 2 squads falling under one general cheering squad, i think that is sort of what the situation is now. what the administration aims to promote is that the Blue Babble Battalion, the Blue Babble Band and the Ateneo Cheerdancers fall under the cheering branch of the athletics department, supposedly called the Ateneo Cheering Squad. so the cheerdancers are separated from the battalion, but they both serve the same purpose: to cheer and support the school. (tama ba, GeNzO? i think what i just said contradicted what you said earlier. correct me if im wrong.) anyway, this is my understanding, but none of this has been deemed official yet, its still subject to clarification.

with regards to the cheering competition, i for one agree that there should be guys included for the pyramids and all. hello?!? how are we supposed to build those high and mighty pyramids without boy power? but the BBB, being a separate entity, can't help us there. which leaves us cheerdancers the problem of recruiting our own guys to help us build. unfortunately though, it's not easy. guess we'll have to try harder next year =)

about the cheerdancers not being a "stable and recognized group", i admit, the status of the cheerdancers was previously pretty rocky, but i think now we are pretty settled. we are not an org, we are considered as an athletic team.

last comment though: i didnt really appreciate it when you said "..while the cheerdancers are dancers (ngek)...". there is more to the dancers than just their dancing skills, they do their share of cheering as well. and for someone who is extremely passionate about cheering and dancing, i don't think it was fair for you to bring negative implications to us being 'dancers'. it isnt amusing to see other people degrading (in a sense) something which a person has worked so hard for, and exerted so much effort for.

[ChiQui]

Hey there Genzo! Thanks a lot for your support! Favorite din namin yung Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Hindi pa ba obvious? We always go wild when we cheer that. :) Take care!

[Yoshi]

AzIaNnA,

Clarification:

i didnt really appreciate it when you said "..while the cheerdancers are dancers (ngek)...". there is more to the dancers than just their dancing skills, they do their share of cheering as well. and for someone who is extremely passionate about cheering and dancing, i don't think it was fair for you to bring negative implications to us being 'dancers'. it isnt amusing to see other people degrading (in a sense) something which a person has worked so hard for, and exerted so much effort for.

Sorry if I offended you, but were you referring to the "ngek" I inserted? Figured it was the best way to put my reaction to "cheerdancers as dancers" (maybe it should have read: ngek! ano pa nga ba ang ginagawa nila? kaya nga cheerdancers ang pangalan kasi they dance--please note the parallelism between cheerleaders:cheerers and cheerdancers:dancers). But it is true, the cheerdancers do more than dancing (point taken); but to tell you frankly, I would have preferred it if there were guys to do most of the cheering because it's sounds more buo and solid. Besides, cheering and dancing at the same time is exhausting, if not something that takes away your concentration from the moment (magche-cheer ka habang iniisip mo kung ano yung next pyramid na gagawin mo---di ba that's hard to do?).

To add, I wasn't implying anything negative about people being dancers. In fact, I'm a CADS member myself. Hindi ko naman minamaliit yung pagiging isang cheerdancer. But I deem it best for a cheering squad to have a group focus on cheering and another group focus on dancing--while working out the whole routine together. That setup works all the time. Dancing is a very great artform, and I think it would be best if we'd all put our efforts towards achieving dancing (or cheering) excellence rather than trying to work out the whole cheer-and-dance bit half baked.

Peace. :)

[GeNzO]

Azianna,

Got your message! Kaya lang di ko naintindihan yung contradiction about what you wrote. Tama naman yon.

Yoshi,

Thanks for recognizing our efforts about giving 150%. Kaya lang kasama sa pagche-cheer eh yung movements. So we can't leave it all up for the cheerdancers to do the halftime. Likewise, the cheerdancers, can't simply just cheer. Each group has their own forte. Iba ang babble, iba ang cheerdancers pero we're all fall under one group kasama ng napakaimportante na Blue Babble Band, ang Ateneo Cheering Squad. Thanks for the comment and hope to see you and all the rest of the Ateneans next Thursday, September 23, 1999, for the Final Four! Ateneo, ONE BIG FIGHT! :)

Chiqui,

Thanks for replying. Oo nga nagwawala ang crowd niyo. I've always been impressed by your cheers kasi maganda na, masarap sabayan eh Filipino pa sila. Wish Ateneo can make one rin. :)

[GeNzO]

Azianna,

Got your message! Kaya lang di ko naintindihan yung contradiction about what you wrote. Tama naman yon.

Yoshi,

Thanks for recognizing our efforts about giving 150%. Kaya lang kasama sa pagche-cheer eh yung movements. So we can't leave it all up for the cheerdancers to do the halftime. Likewise, the cheerdancers, can't simply just cheer. Each group has their own forte. Iba ang babble, iba ang cheerdancers pero we're all fall under one group kasama ng napakaimportante na Blue Babble Band, ang Ateneo Cheering Squad. Thanks for the comment and hope to see you and all the rest of the Ateneans next Thursday, September 23, 1999, for the Final Four! Ateneo, ONE BIG FIGHT! :)

Chiqui,

Thanks for replying. Oo nga nagwawala ang crowd niyo. I've always been impressed by your cheers kasi maganda na, masarap sabayan eh Filipino pa sila. Wish Ateneo can make one rin. :)