Cheer Dance (Dance Team)
Also known as: Dance team, Cheer dance, Pom squad dance
History & Cultural Context
Cheer dance, performed by 'dance teams' (distinct from stunt-based cheerleading), is synchronized competitive performance dance built around sharp technique, formations, and unison. It professionalized through 20th-century American school and all-star programs and is typically split into competition categories—pom, jazz, hip-hop, and game-day—each with its own style and scoring. Routines emphasize clean lines, synchronization, energy, and 'hitting' choreography in perfect time.
Cultural Significance
A leading entry point to performance dance for American youth, structured by school and all-star competition.
Characteristic Movement & Technique
Synchronized formations, sharp arm motions, jazz and hip-hop technique, and unison 'hits.'
Partnering Dynamics
Team ensemble.
Competitive Context
School, college, and all-star dance-team championships across multiple categories.
Regional Variations
U.S.-centered; growing internationally.
Common Misconceptions
Dance team / cheer dance is distinct from stunt cheerleading—it is judged primarily as synchronized performance dance, not on pyramids and tumbling.
Notable Codifiers
- USA Dance / dance-team circuits
Dance Lineage
Cheer Dance (Dance Team)Music & Tempo
Drawn from 15 Cheer Dance (Dance Team) tracks in the LODance music library.
Example tracks at practice tempo
- Run the World (Girls) — Beyoncé127 BPM
- Conga — Miami Sound Machine123 BPM
- Pom Poms — Jonas Brothers148 BPM
- Showdown — Black Eyed Peas129 BPM
- Give Me All Your Luvin' — Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.145 BPM
- Confident — Demi Lovato130 BPM
Sources & Further Reading
Cultural & Historical Context
Cheer Dance (Dance Team) emerged from United States during the 1950s—present day. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.
Formative Influences
Codifiers & Standardizers:
USA Dance / dance-team circuits
Primary Source Documents
The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.
Last reviewed: August 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.
Related Dances
More in Cheer, Pom & Guard
Pom
A dance-team category defined by sharp, precise, synchronized arm motions performed with poms, prizing clean angles and tight unison.
Acro Dance
A studio-competition style that integrates dance choreography with controlled acrobatic and gymnastic elements, blending line and flexibility with balances and tumbling.
Color Guard
The dancing 'visual ensemble' of the marching band—spinning and tossing flags, rifles, and sabres while moving through choreography on the field.
Winter Guard
The indoor, competitive form of color guard—performed on a gym floor to recorded music—dubbed 'the sport of the arts,' formalized by Winter Guard International.
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