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Miss Cheerleader USA Brings A new Level of Competition for Cheer Athletes

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Cheerleadingmix.com had the opportunity to be a part of the initial year of the Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant.  As the official music provider of the pageant, we were proud to be part of Frank Byers’s vision to empower athletes all over the country. Read more below to learn more Abou this great event for cheer athletes.

 

Interview with Frank Byers, Organizer of the Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant

 A native of Arkansas, Frank was a televised contestant on Season 6 of American Idol. Frank has participated in many other nationally recognized platforms across the U.S. Frank discovered the joy he found in producing moments that lead to life-giving memories and coaching others on their various journeys on and off the stage which lead to him starting his Production firm Thumbprint Productions. Frank has produced for various National as well as state-level pageants competitions, the most recent being the Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant. CheerleadingMix.com was the exclusive music provider for this pageant!

 

How did you become interested in pageants?

 Years ago, in college, I was actually coaching cheerleading. I was cheering on a team and the coach’s daughter wanted to entertain and perform –  singing was the way to do it. We were living in a small town in Arkansas. At that time for young ladies competing, pageants were the only type of platform to perform a new talent and singing. I went as a supporter for her one day and was asked randomly to sing the national anthem at that pageant. The rest is history.

 

What other pageants have you been involved with?

 I’ve been blessed throughout the years to work with a lot of different organizations. I have the honor last December of producing the 100th anniversary of Miss America – it’s streaming live on Peacock – that really was the dream. Previous to that project, I had the opportunity last summer to produce Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. That was the actual pageant system where that young lady and I participated years ago. Then I started producing.

 

What inspired you to begin the Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant?

I noticed during my experiences with consultation and production that some pageants seemed to uplift the participants in a way others did not. I actually considered these to be more healthy. I wanted to help create healthy pageant systems that can be a powerful force to help develop the individuals who are taking part in them. There’s this unique stigma with pageants, one which I observed in my own experiences, and one I wanted to address and improve upon. Some participants never win a title. For me, it’s to see how participants grow year to year and to see how it radically changed the lives of the individuals who have participated.

 

 

What was your favorite thing about the Miss Cheerleader USA pageant?

The fact that this was our first year made the whole experience very exciting. I knew it’d be something different, but the cool thing that blew my mind was that first rehearsal. The athleticism was amazing, because I never could have envisioned and seen it all until we were sitting in rehearsal. I started putting the opening number together, and I was like, “This is really going to work!” From the youngest to the oldest – every one of the contestants were so talented.

The challenge is to navigate the pageant to that healthy place, so the girls are feeling comfortable on stage. Many would say “I’m not a dancer, I can’t do this.”My job became to encourage them that no matter how large or how small this is, they could succeed. I was challenged: they were like “Oh, you throw these skills, we can do this!” We put together a full routine for the opening, and that was not the plan. That was the athleticism I was hoping to see because I meant to prepare myself to organize the production around the fact that we had some real cheerleaders, some smash leads, and they were ready to throw out some skills. That was very, very cool.

 

How is the Miss Cheerleader USA pageant different from the other pageants?

One of the main things is knowing who you are and your brand. After the first year with this pageant, I’ve figured out who we are and what we’re there for. I’m shifting the focus from pageantry to competition. The pageant elements will still be part of the production, but we will highlight the competition element. We are changing the title to Miss Cheerleader of America and establishing two different systems to accompany the Miss Cheerleader USA competition. What will be different is that we will not expect individuals to come in, win a title, and represent us. Instead, we ask individuals to go in, do their best, and allow us to take the journey with them. We want to be in their corner, encourage them, support them, guide them, help them better, develop who they are on and off the mat, and more.

The hope is to take care of the competitors in a way that prepares them for society and the person they will be years from now. It is not that every pageant system isn’t structured their way. But I know for me. Personally, it is now about the crown. I always tell the girls this and the guys we have as well: I could care less who wins. I genuinely could care less. One, because to me, the ones who succeed are those who engage throughout all the interaction. Anyone can walk over to the title. It’s what you get out of that time that you spend together, and I want to be an organization that, years from now, gets to see the true life. I want to hear stories of how the students who were part of our organization and how their lives were radically changed because of our impact on them beyond the title.

I look forward to all the others who may never win, you know? They get more from the organization than the ones who did win.

So we are transforming our pageant structure for season two. We’re going to change it to be more like American Idol meets So You Think You Can Dance, where our judge’s panel will be the same, and they will coach them. You get the competitor’s feedback leading up to nationals and even during nationals. They’ll be more interactive, and many pageants don’t do that. We will have the same judging panel that selects them at the preliminary competition that then guides them with feedback. So then, by the time the competitors advance to a national event, the judges are the same people who have seen them. These judges will give competitors more encouragement and feedback, and then they will select the overall winner based on the well-rounded growth of who they are as individuals.

 

What do you think is the secret to running a successful pageant?

 When you find out, let me know, and I’ll tell them. The funny thing is I have produced for a long time. So I was very comfortable in Atlanta,  but I have been the director of an organization in the pageant system of competition, and it was hard because it’s two sides of the brain that have to work in tandem. Sometimes those two perspectives are crunching at the same time. It can be overwhelming! And so, I’ll say that the secret is surrounding yourself with people whose strengths are your weaknesses, hands down. That’s the most important thing: there is no one alive that is perfect. Having the support system in place is critical!

 

Thank you to Frank for sitting down and talking with us. We cannot wait to see what the

Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant has in store in the future!

 

Want to hear more from Frank about the Miss Cheerleader USA Pageant?

 

 

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The Right Music for your Rec League Squad

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Picking the Right Music :

Music for a recreational team can be challenging. Recreational cheerleading squads are teams which are normally organized around a program meant to support an athletic system for youth or middle school programs. As a result, there are a lot more structures in place to protect these student athletes from things like vulgarity or inappropriate moves. Taking this into account is an important part of designing appropriate music for recreational (rec) teams.

 

The Issue with Pop Music

A lot of modern-day pop songs may seem like obvious choices, but there are often inappropriate references in these songs that make them poor choices, despite their popularity. One place that you can go to find appropriate music is with a specialized pre-recorded cheerleading mix production company like CheerleadingMix.com. They have all the appropriate songs with appropriate lyrics for every age level.

 

Parental Considerations

When you are thinking about your rec team’s performance pieces, remember to think about the families in attendance. These family members are there to watch their athletes. The last thing you want as an organizer for a rec team is to have parents upset or offended by music. Choosing from one of the hundreds of pre-recorded tracks on Cheerleading Mix can take away that concern.

 

The Problem with “Clean” Remixes

Often the athletes themselves do not know all the words that are in a song and may not realize that something is inappropriate. The fact that they don’t know the words but want to sing does not remove the organizer from responsibility in the parents’ eyes. Finding the appropriate lyrics and even edited versions of pop songs can be problematic. Any edited or radio-friendly versions of the songs replace offensive words simply by silencing them or using alternate lyrics. Unfortunately, the athletes often know the real words and will say them out of habit regardless. So this alone is not enough.

 

Safe Music for Recreational Use

The best choice is to have music that doesn’t have any profanity in it in the first place. That’s where we, your friends at Cheerleading Mix, come into the rescue. Our vast library of age-appropriate music with an intuitive interface makes it the perfect choice for your rec performances.

 

Copyright Considerations

There are serious consequences to using copyrighted materials in a performance if you have not received permission from the artists. Most of the songs you hear on the radio are created by artists and writers. Those songs are their intellectual property, and using it without their express permission is a violation of U.S. copyright law. This could result in a lawsuit and even potential criminal charges. To avoid that try to use music that already has the licensing predetermined. All of the materials at Cheerleading Mix have been expressly designed for use in performance, and purchasing from us automatically guarantees that you will have all licensing necessary to keep your music legal.

So the next time you and your squad need the perfect mix for your rec team, consider us. Our pre-recorded and pre-licensed materials are not only family-friendly but are also created by some of the best cheerleading music producers in the country. All of the tracks at Cheerleading Mix were written and recorded by the amazing producers at New Level Music, the national leader in custom cheer music. The high-energy cheerleading music found there is designed to be used in performances like those for rec teams. The music is full of dynamic, intense beats, but always with appropriate lyrics for any audience.

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Coaches Corner: Interview with Simone Smith

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Simone Smith has spent her whole life performing for crowds. She is among the vanguard for high school competitive cheerleading in the state of Georgia. Her squad at Hardaway High School was selected to perform for the athletes in the Olympic Village for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Her experience as a dancer on Georgia Southern University’s Southern Explosion dance team only cemented her passion for performance. After college, Simone began competing in open division all-star cheerleading for Force All-Stars, Cobra, and the Force/ProCheer dual venture known as ProForce. During this time, she gained valuable experience both as a performer and a coordinator for those teams.

As expansive as Simone’s resume is as a competitor in cheerleading and dance, her experience as a coach is even more impactful. Simone began coaching cheerleading in the late 1990s at Cheersouth Columbus before moving to Atlanta. There, she worked at Force Cheerleading and Atlanta’s Best Cheerleading for nearly a decade. She coached briefly at Georgia All Stars and Georgia Comets before transitioning to a more permanent position at Future Extreme. Simone continued when Future Extreme was absorbed by Jayhawks, and she now coaches at Star Athletics in Winder, Georgia. Simone was kind enough to sit down with us and answer a few questions about all-star cheerleading.

 

What has been the biggest challenge for your team this  past year?

 Good question. I would say the biggest issue for our team has been adjusting for and expanding our COVID protocols as expectations and mitigation strategies change. While the threat of transmission and the requirements to compete have not been as arduous as they were, there were still some struggles. Our athletes do get sick, and have to be out. It has been a real challenge to continue to make practices work and happen. The quarantine period has been shortened considerably from the 14-day period we experienced last year. But when you have to have that person out for so many days it becomes difficult for their stunt groups, keeping formations tight, and all the other elements of successful performance. Even with strong mitigation strategies in place, we have still seen a little bit of the absences and there has been some anxiety about an athlete contracting COVID on the week of a competition. Without a doubt the biggest issue our teams have faced is making sure we can still have full practices despite the absences stemming from the pandemic.

 

How did you and your team overcome this challenge?

It has definitely helped that the CDC has relaxed the constraints about quarantine, mask use, and social distancing. Just lessening the days an athlete has to be in quarantine has definitely helped. We have certain protocols in place. For example, if a cheerleader has already been vaccinated we can expedite their return and reduce the amount of contact tracing necessary to keep the athletes safe. Having those policies helps us decide when an athlete can come back and what we can do as a team. The policies and procedures that Star Athletics has put in place has helped us not to have so many athletes out for so many days. This means that athletes can still compete, if we are prepared in advance.

The other thing that has really helped has been the ability to backfill positions from other teams at our gym. This is something we want to avoid, generally, because it puts a lot of strain on the other teams, but we are able to pull from different teams when we need a fill-in. That lets us keep full stunt groups or even stack groups. Contacting alternates as soon as we learn about a team member who is in quarantine allows the athletes to come in before the actual practice and at least learn the stack. Having the flexibility to pull athletes from other squads has definitely helped to lessen the stress and strain caused by COVID.

 

Tell me about a wonderful surprise from your most recent season.

Of course, wins are always great. But this year I have to say that both of my teams hitting both days at CHEERSPORT was a big accomplishment for my teams and the program. This year, the performances were more than just winning, it was about having two hard hitting phenomenal performances. My squad knows that I always say: I want that feeling of just enjoying the routine, having fun, and when they get to that dance, they know that they hit a great routine, and the crowd and the athletes can go crazy when they get to the dance. I was able to literally do that for four performances over the CHEERSPORT weekend because both teams hit, both days and the crowd was enthusiastic, loud, and supportive. It was that good feeling of “you know what, y’all put it out there and finally pulled it together!” CHEERSPORT had two big wins for both of the teams, and for it to all finally come together on the floor, it was a great feeling!

 

What changes would you like to see in the sport of cheerleading?

I know a lot of people complain about the score sheet and consistency issues in scoring. Everybody’s always going to complain about that, you’re not going to be able to make everyone happy. Improving consistency will always be a work in progress and that’s with any score sheet, whether it’s high school or all-star, even college. So I think as long as the competition officials are looking at it, and keeping it top of mind, they can work on finding a solution that is fair across the board. Unfortunately, inconsistency in scoring is an issue everywhere, whether it is in all-star judging or even in high school judging where I am on the judging side of things. So I get it and understand it from a coach’s side as well as from a judge’s perspective. Working to develop a more consistent scoring system could help to advance the sport, this is what I would like to see.

 

What one piece of advice is important for athletes and coaches to remember?

Try to make cheerleading also about life lessons, because the young adults that we coach have so many different things that are going on in their lives. Social interaction has changed in the last ten years. It’s just different from the way life was when I was growing up. That is why it is important to help athletes understand that the lessons we learn in cheerleading can be expanded into lessons about life. When we, as coaches, say “Hey, wear this outfit, wear this bow, be here on time” those are not just cheer lessons: they are life lessons. When you get a job, you have to be on time, you have to wear the right outfit. You can’t go to Chick fil A and wear whatever kind of outfit you want. If you come to work and say, “oh, I lost my shirt,” you are probably not going to be able to work that day and may get sent home with no pay. Cheerleading teaches athletes to be responsible and accountable. So in addition to learning cheer, how to tumble, stunt, and do a routine, I would advise cheerleaders to learn the life lessons inherent in the sport and apply it to everyday life as well.

 

Thank you so much to Simone for giving all of us here at cheerleadingmix.com the opportunity to speak with her and learn a little more about what is going on in the cheerleading community! Want to see Simone’s team performing at CHEERSPORT? Just look below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Music or Choreography, Which Comes First?

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Which Comes First: Music or Choreography?

It’s time to start thinking about cheerleading music again. You have been working this summer on new stunts, you’ve put time in the gym improving your tumbling, and you’ve got one of the hottest new choreographers coming to help your team learn a new routine. Obviously, you want an epic cheer mix that will put your routine over the top. But there are several questions you need to ask before picking the perfect track. Should you and your team do the choreography first and then hire a music producer to create a custom mix based on your routine? Should you pick an existing music track like one of the ones found at CheerleadingMix.com and choreograph your routine to that music?

 

The Choreographer’s Preference

There are several important factors to consider to figure out whether music or choreography should come first for your squad. One of them is the tastes of your choreographer. If you have an outside choreographer that you’ve hired, they will often want to create their choreography first and then have you create custom music to their choreography. That is the preference for the majority of choreographers. However not every choreographer prefers this; some will ask for the music in advance, especially when they are creating the dance. Knowing what music you want before choreography starts can really help smooth out the process, even for those who would ask you to have custom music made after their choreography is over.

 

What is your Budget?

Another very important consideration is budget. Having custom music made can be expensive, often costing thousands of dollars for a two and a half minute song. However, the music at Cheerleading Mix is significantly less expensive, costing only a few hundred dollars. The interface at their site makes it simple for anyone to find the perfect cheerleading mix. The hundreds of songs on the Cheerleading Mix catalog and the customization tools available make it easy for you and your squad to find the perfect mix that’s going to really take your routine to the next level. You can also add custom voice overs and sound effects for even more personalization.

 

There are some real challenges to figuring out what is best for your squad every year. Having the music first is definitely a more financially viable option, so if you and your squad are in a situation where money is a little bit tight, then that is likely the better option. If money is no object and your gym will easily be able to hire a choreographer and have custom music made, that would be a better option. For a custom track, consider using New Level Music. Its stable of highly qualified music producers have created the best cheerleading mixes in the country and have more 2022 Cheerleading World Champions than any other music production company.

 

Want to hear some of the epic cheer mixes from New Level Music last year? Check out the music for Navarro, the team featured in Netflix’ CHEER documentary:

 

 

This amazing cheer track was produced by Cheer Music Pro, aka Patrick Avard, just one of the amazing artists who work to create pioneering music for New Level Music.

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Interview With Music Producer: Royal Custom Music

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Teighlyr from Royal Custom Music has been creating some of the most pioneering cheerleading mixes of the last decade. As one of cheer’s biggest personalities, his creative process has culminated in a dynamic catalogue of high-energy and audacious music. Pulling inspiration from club queens and the megaverse of competitive drag, he has spent the past few seasons moving toward a more aggressive and bold sound that has become among the most transformative in the world of cheer music. If you have a vision for your mix and your team, he can make it a reality. Teighlyr was kind enough to sit down with us and talk about his perspective, inspiration, and the future of cheerleading music.

 

How long have you been producing music?

 I started producing just for my own cheerleading program I worked at back in 2007. I slowly started doing a little more work for some high schools I coached and choreographed for and then was approached by some friends of other gyms to work for them as well. As my individual client list grew, I also started working for my friend Mike at CheerMixALot. From there, I started attending New Level Music training seminars and was signed into the NLM program in 2012.

 

What do you think is the key to making an epic cheer track?

 I think the most important part of creating an epic mix is for the mix to fit the program and the team’s vision. I spend a lot of time reaching out to clients – whether they are new clients to me or returning – and trying to get an idea of what they would like for their team. Every team and every program is different and the wants, desires, and needs for each team can always change. The most important part of this job is making a track that the clients will love. The kids have to be able to get into the mix so they can perform their absolute best to it, and the coaches have to be able to listen to it 1,000+ times and not get tired of it. That’s my primary focus. I want the kids and coaches to love what they hear.

 

How do you create so many memorable mixes each year?

 I do my best to try and keep up with the current trends (even as I progressively age past the point of being cool anymore) by asking the kids I coach and my clients what they want to hear. Whether it be vocal trends, song trends, sounds, social media, etc. – I think that cheerleading mixes should adapt and change to fit the desires of the clients and the industry in general. I also get a lot of inspiration from my artists who I write with, take notes from, and hear different styles from. It’s important to know that what Royal Custom Music produces is hardly a one person job. I am so thankful for the vocal artists, audio engineers, and many music producer friends that help keep my mixes fun, fresh, and different from team-to-team and season-to-season.

 

Do you produce music outside of cheerleading?

 I have had the opportunity to work with many artists in the drag industry on multiple projects such as Alyssa Edwards (vocal recording, tracking, mastering) and Kahannah Montrese (writing ‘Scores’ along with co-writer and fellow New Level Music Producer, Eric). I’ve also scored live performances for Dallas-based artists on tour.

What do you think lies in the future for cheerleading music?

 The great part about the future of cheerleading music is that I believe it’s fully open to the interpretation of the industry itself. I know as years have passed and we have grown more accustomed to fully original mixes, that we will see that trend continue to grow and develop providing more musical opportunities for local artists to be celebrated in cheerleading routines. It also provides a natural outlet for artists, writers, and producers to shine in their varying crafts.

 

What have you been listening to, recently?

 I spend a large amount of my time not listening to anything. If I am not working at my gym or in a workout class, I am most likely driving in silence or only listening to reference tracks for original content that I am working on with my production team. The HIIT classes I attend typically have remixes of top charting 90’s and 00’s music as well as newer artists that are now drawing from those older styles – which is pretty much right in my pocket in terms of music that I gravitate towards. I also have developed an interest in EDM and festival-style music, as that sound has become prevalent in the industry.

 

Are you affiliated with any other music production projects?

 I have worked with Equality Records on music production, which is a company that is also owned by Global Mix’s Eric Rodriguez.

 

What advice do you have for programs looking to push the envelope with their music?

I think the most important thing to do is to remember that your program is allowed to have its own sound. And all of your teams are allowed to be different. And no one should have a certain standard set on what cheerleading music should or shouldn’t sound like. If you want an over-the-top theme – go for it! If you want to try something that hasn’t been done for it, reach out to your producer and see what it would take to make that vision happen for you. If you like the way something sounds for a different program and you want to know how to translate that to your program and your team – open up the communication lines with your production company early in the season and see how they can make your dream a reality.

I think that cheerleading music is both a product and a service and should be treated with a common respect of communication and paired ideals. Some of my favorite mixes that I’ve made for clients were a result of shared concepts and ideas – and some of my previous mixes that I wasn’t in love with came from a lack of information or originality. It’s just as much of a group effort between the producer and the client about the team as it is about the production ability if you want to have a solid final product.

 

Thank you to Teighlyr for sitting down and talking with us at CheerleadingMix. His music has been transforming the cheer community, and he has made some of the most memorable mixes of 2022. Check out the hot track he created for Rain Athletics Eclipse during the 2021-2022 season:

 

 

Remember that ground-breaking cheer music producers like Teighlyr are contributing to the  powerful cheerleading mixes found at CheerleadingMix.com. If you do not have the budget for custom cheer music, jump into the effortless tools and easy interface at Cheerleading Mix to leverage the innovative work of some of the most talented producers in the game, and create the perfect cheer mix for your squad.

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Take Your Summer Practice to a New Level with Cheerleadingmix.com

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Take Summer Practice to a New Level with Epic Cheer Music

It is summer camp time, and what better way to take your practices to a new level than some epic-sounding cheer music! There are many great ways to use music to motivate you during practices in the summer. You’re working hard on those new elite skills with your squad at your school or gym. Try adding some music that will add to the energy level of your team.

Top Gun TLGC

Think about some of the best cheerleading music from last year. Look at the world championship teams like TGLC from top gun. Their music is a high-energy mix that will bring the fight to your team. The pugnacious track will help your team battle to the top this summer! Try to capture some of that energy yourself by using their high-energy mix. You can find it here:

 

Woodlands Elite Generals

Keep that energy going by using some of the high-energy mixes from teams like Woodlands Elite too. This daring mix will help your squad wage war against the summer doldrums! Listen to their amazing cheerleading music from the 2022 season here:

 

The New Level Music 8-Count Mega Mix

Their high-energy mix can really add that extra ounce to your practice. In addition to using All-Star music, don’t forget that new level music has released its latest eight-count mix. Some of the top music producers in the country have contributed to creating this epic 8-count track. Playing that music while practicing makes it easier for you and your coaches not to have to count it out.

 

CheerleadingMix.com

Finally, don’t be afraid to use some hot mixes on CheerleadingMix.com. These high-energy mixes can really help energize your team and help you guys stay motivated through those tough times especially when those stunts aren’t hitting, or you can’t quite stick your tumbling.

The easy-to-use interface at CheerleadingMix.com can do more than pump up the jams for your summer practices: you can also select the perfect 45-second dance track or find the ideal cheerleading music mix to use for your routine for the 2022-2023 season! The same music producers who created the amazing sounds for TLGC and Woodlands Elite collaborated to create the high-intensity, dynamic cheer mixes at CheerleadingMix – all designed to be personalized with your own custom voice-overs at a fraction of the cost of custom music. If you are looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, consider the inexpensive cheer music at CheerleadingMix.com and make this season the best ever!

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Interview With Cheer Music Producer: CheerFreqs

by CheerAdmin in Blog

CheerleadingMix.com is committed to bringing you some of the hottest cheer songs from the most elite cheer music producers in the country. Content creators like CheerMusicPro and CheerFreqs have been transforming the world of cheerleading mixes since the 1990s.

Today CheerFreqs, one of the top cheerleading music producers in the world, has been gracious enough to give us some of his time. CheerFreqs has created original cheer and dance music worldwide, boasting 2 Gold Medals, 3 Silver Medals, 3 Bronze Medals at the 2022 Cheerleading Worlds. His success extended to the 2022 Summit with 9 Gold Medals, 4 Silver Medals, and 3 Bronze Medals, a pattern only extended at the D2 Summit where teams using CheerFreqs mixes won 1 Gold Medal, 2 Silver Medals, and 1 Bronze Medal. His main mission, and what sets his music apart from many other cheer music producers out there, is to create drama, building crescendo’s and unique moments in every mix. His fastidious attention to detail and time commitment to his craft allows him to create a partnership with his clients, embrace their story, and use his own powerful music creations to augment what the choreographer and coach are trying to achieve. If you crave intense, hard-hitting, hyper-confident tracks – CheerFreqs is your first choice.

 

How long have you been producing music?

 I have been in the cheer music industry since the late 90s. I started with Cool Edit and then Acid 1.0. It is amazing to see how the industry and the music editing tools have transformed in the last two decades. It is hard to believe I have been doing this for almost 25 years. It can be hard work, but I love it.

 

What do you think is the key to making an epic cheer track?

 Moments, you need to create moments during the routine. There must be something stuck in your head after hearing it for the first time. Developing those moments takes creativity, a clear idea of what both the music and the choreography need. Luckily, I have a fantastic team working with me to create those heart-stopping moments for all my clients.

 

How do you create so many memorable mixes each year?

 Open and clear communication is absolutely fundamental. I try to communicate with the client as early as possible.  I also try to do alot of songwriting and recording year-round so that I can have lots of choices once the peak season arrives. In addition, having a video of the routine is key, so that I am able to see where to create the moments. Sheets alone give such a small picture of what is going on. Lastly, I try to surround myself with a great group of writers and artists. My team is mostly out of the Miami area and all have different backgrounds musically. I depend on them to create my ideas so that sonically each section of the mix creates the drama I need it to.

 

Do you produce music outside of cheerleading?

 I have enjoyed great success with cheerleading music, but it is a double-edged sword: I am so swamped with content creation for my mixes that I do not have any time for anything else. My family is my number one priority so all my free time is spent with them outside of mixing.

 

What do you think lies in the future for cheerleading music?

 Developing new and innovative content can be challenging. With the new changes to the score sheets, I would say creativity is key. I foresee the dance section being more important in the mix as well. I have reached out to several coaches and choreographers already and they are all saying dances are back. I am excited to see the dance and the cheer mix behind it taking the center stage.

 

What have you been listening to, recently?

 Right now I am listening to Phonk Killer, Swoop, and Apashe. Developing an ear for what is happening in global music helps me stay on the cutting edge of what is happening around the world and gives me a unique perspective on cheer music.

 

Are you affiliated with any other music production projects?

 Cheerleading music is a year-long cycle for me. I am open to other collaborations down the road, but for now, I am dedicated to cheer music only.

 

What advice do you have for programs looking to push the envelope with their music?

 Be authentic! Make sure to match the energy of the team. Try to include the kids in the pre-production ideas as much as possible. They have so many great ideas and I find when they have ownership in the final product they perform better to it.

 

Thank you so much to Cheer Freqs for sitting down with us at CheerleadingMix.com and talking about cheer music trends for 2022. You can see some of Cheer Freqs’ innovative cheer tracks with teams like this cheer mix from Southern Cross Cheer: Lady Reign.

 

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Featured Tracks on Cheerleadingmix.com

by CheerAdmin in Blog

With impressive tracks assembled by some of the most talented producers in the country, CheerleadingMix.com offers an affordable solution to your cheerleading music needs. Some of the country’s top cheer mix music producers have contributed to Cheerleading Mix’s vast library of epic cheer music. These are the same producers creating the heart-pounding beats and insane rhythms you hear from the top-placing teams at the World Cheerleading Championships or the Cheerleading Summit.

Just because your program doesn’t have the budget for the most premier custom music in the industry does not mean you have to suffer from sub-par music. Instead, use the digital editing opportunities on the CheerleadingMix.com website. The quality of the music you can find there and the effortless editing possibilities, combined with the option to add unique voice-overs, means that you can have some of the most best cheerleading mixes in the country available in a few clicks and at a fraction of the price!

Check out some of the featured tracks on Cheerleading Mix to see how these dazzling tracks can bring your routine to life!

Light ‘Em Up
Are you looking for some hot cheerleading music? Look no further than “Light ‘Em Up.” These lit lyrics and this burning track will ignite excitement. The smooth melodies in the stunt and pyramid offset the blazing hits and fiery lyrics at the beginning and end of this epic cheer track. Set your routine ablaze with this magnificent cheer mix!

Girl Power
I am woman – hear me roar! This slick cheer mix shows all the assertiveness and assurance of the fiercest cheerleading competitors. Crush the bastions of male domination and let the girls take over when you blast this empowering and energetic music. Use Girl Power as your squad’s theme to help bring self-confidence to your athletes, embracing the high-energy composition with its tight beats and soaring melodies.

Battle
Put up your dukes for this rocking cheer mix. “Battle” brings the aggression with its high beat-per-minute pace and fresh take on hard rock and electro. Every season sees its fair share of struggle, but you can succeed in every clash with the intense and driving beats that propel this outstanding track to conquer the fray and win the day. Let your team know that they can confront every encounter head-on with the pulsing rhythms and in-your-face lyrics.

Winning Tradition
Be the conqueror, and come back triumphant after every performance with “Winning Tradition,” a simply stunning electro-dance mix. This top-scoring cheerleading mix is an engaging track filled with victorious beats and powerful harmonies. The same producers that created the bombastic tracks that won most of the divisions at the Cheerleading World Championships collaborated to extend their tradition of success. This monumental cheer mix lets you vanquish the competition and celebrates the tradition of winning established at Worlds!

No matter your taste or the scale, CheerleadingMix.com has a heroic cheerleading track that will help elevate your team to new heights, regardless of your budget. While these four featured tracks are astounding, there are hundreds of cheerleading mix options on the easy-to-use platform. Browse the vast library of awesome cheer tracks and find the perfect soundtrack to your squad’s performance!

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Interview With Cheer Music Producer: CheerMusicPro

by CheerAdmin in Blog

When you think about custom cheerleading music, one of the first names that comes to mind is music producer Patrick Avard – aka CheerMusicPro – whose work has been a pioneering voice of all-star cheerleading for over two decades. The award-winning producer has created some of the most memorable cheerleading music the industry has ever witnessed. His body of work over those decades is vast and expansive, but his success at this year’s Cheerleading World Championships illustrates not only his popularity, but the quality of his work. Patrick personally produced cheer mixes for 15 of the 29 USASF World Champions. He was kind enough to sit down for an interview to talk about his success and his vision for the future of cheerleading music.

 

How long have you been producing music?

 It’s hard to believe, but this will be my 23rd season as a producer.

What was one of your favorite mixes this year?

It’s very difficult to choose one because I really love them all. But if I have to pick just one, it would be Top Gun TGLC. I really love all the details that went into the theme and feel like Victor and his staff do such an amazing job at molding the skills, the choreography, and the music together as one amazing work of art.

Want to see the Top Gun TLGC routine?

 

What do you think is the key to making an epic cheer track?

There are several key components but I would probably say I put my focus on two:

  1. The music has to have an impact. It has to drive and hit hard, and it has to influence the fans, athletes, and coaches, as well as inspire great performances.
  2. The lyrics have to be memorable. Whether you like the team or not, I want you to be talking about what their music says.

How do you create so many memorable mixes each year?

That’s a great question. I think when I first started, it was really difficult to do all these elite teams’ mixes back to back, but as I have developed my team and my process over the years, it’s gotten easier. I have a very talented team so I know I don’t have to do it all myself. If we work hard to develop amazing ideas, then putting it together becomes easier. To me, the best production comes from amazing pre-production. That is the secret.

Do you produce music outside of cheerleading?

Absolutely. I love the opportunities I have to produce music outside of cheer. Many people don’t know, but I’ve written tracks that have been used on Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, Fox Sports, and many more. Right now, I am producing a rhythmic electro-pop album for the VIVE Label of Level 77 Music, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. It will be released in July if all goes well.

What do you think lies in the future for cheerleading music?

I think we are going to see a shift back to creativity being weighted more heavily. To me, things have become so skills and numbers driven that we’ve lost sight of the individuality of the teams. I see a subtle shift back to this already and believe that it will continue. At the end of the day, teams want their routines to be a unique reflection of their personality and the story they are trying to tell. They want it to represent where they are in the history of their team and program.

What have you been listening to, recently?

Right now I am jamming to Galantis & Becky Hill – Run, Armin Van Buuren – Human Touch, and NGHTMRE – Ring the Alarm

Are you affiliated with any other music production projects?

I am the founder and CEO of Level 77 Music, which is a production music library with a focus on creating music for sync licensing. Our music is used in film, television, broadcast, advertising, and commercials. We recently had one of our tracks in the trailer for season two of the Hulu series, The Great, and we just wrapped up a custom music project for Women of Wrestling (WOWE), which is scheduled for 52 weeks of television airtime and streaming on Showtime later this year.

Want to see the trailer for season two of The Great on Hulu?

 

 

 

What advice do you have for programs looking to push the envelope with their music?

My advice is to go for quality and individuality where the budget allows you to. Choose a producer who communicates well and fits your program. Then make sure your producer knows and understands your team’s brand, style, and personality. If you are budget-sensitive, there are amazing options like CheerleadingMix.com that allow you to pick from quality tracks that were made by New Level Music producers who are the best in the world, in my opinion. Cheerleading Mix still allows you some limited customization options such as adding team names or phrases, custom raps, tempo changes, and custom lengths. You can be guaranteed your music will perform as well sonically as that of any of your favorite all-star teams.

Thank you to Patrick Avard, the CheerMusicPro himself, for sitting down and discussing so many facets of the cheerleading and music world. We cannot wait to hear his next project! Don’t forget, CheerMusicPro is one of the collaborators who produces music at CheerleadingMix.com – so even if your team does not have the budget for a custom mix from one of the very best music producers in the industry, you can still get a little of that CheerMusicPro magic from his mixes on CheerleadingMix.com at an affordable price.

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Four Exercises To Get Ready For Summer Camp

by CheerAdmin in Blog

Summer has arrived! The sun is shining, school is closed, and the pool is calling. You and your squad are probably taking some well-deserved time to rest and relax. Perhaps you are traveling with family or friends, or perhaps you are enjoying a “stay-cation.” No matter what your summer plans, you and your squad are going to need to be a tight, cohesive team when camp arrives. The physical rigor of stunting, tumbling, dancing, and motions for twelve hours a day can be draining and difficult. However, by keeping yourself in shape and doing some targeted exercise every day you can elevate your camp experience from a dreaded week of intense physical activity to a pleasant challenge.

 

You might think that your summer practice schedule is going to keep you ready for camp. While this is true in some cases, effective practice regimen over the summer can be difficult. Getting your teammates together can be tough: everyone is traveling! Even if your coach does organize practices over the summer, the attendance is often sporadic at best, and frequently there will only be a few team members there. So how can you design a workout program that will help you get ready for camp, or one which your squad can do together when there are not enough athletes present to have a full practice? Here are four exercises that can help you avoid that pre-camp soreness and transform your camp experience this year!

 

Air Squat

 

The air squat is a classic exercise that requires no special equipment, not even a mat or soft surface. The movement in the air squat replicates the motions used to initiate most stunts. Having proper form will not only improve your core and leg strength, but you should see a significant improvement in your stunting as well. Focus on going slow and controlled, and not allowing your hips to go below your knees.

 

 

 

V-Up

 

Speaking of core strengthening, the V-up is a critical exercise that helps to strengthen your hip flexors as well as your abdominal muscles. Having a strong core will protect your spine while you are stunting, so this exercise can be especially helpful if you have noticed pain in your lower back during mounts or transitions. While executing the V-up, avoid the temptation to go fast, hold your hollow position at the bottom, and always look at the ceiling to avoid putting undue pressure on your neck. While you can work on your V-up anywhere, having a mat to reduce the pressure on your hips and lower back will make it easier to practice longer.

 

 

 

 

Wall-Assisted Handstand

 

While this exercise is critical for bases and back spots, the wall-assisted hand-stand can help fliers as well. Having well-developed shoulder strength can help you avoid an injury to your rotator cuff, the muscle that surrounds the shoulder. Similarly, the muscles in your hand-stand cross over into tumbling as well. Even if you can’t get to the gym to work on your gymnastics, incorporating hand-stands into your routine will make a difference. Focus on keeping a slightly hollow body position during the handstand and avoid arching your back. Ideally you can transition from the assistant handstand to an unassisted one.

 

 

 

Jumping Lunge

 

Most of the exercises have been slow, or even static. At camp, though, you will frequently need to have explosive power. One of the keys to developing explosive power to fire off in tumbling, stunting, or even jumps is to master the jumping lunge. Because this is a plyometric exercise, be sure to go through it slowly at first and get to a point where you have fully mastered it before you go full speed. Improper form can result in injury, so be careful about foot placement as well as keeping your hips even or above your front knee.

 

 

 

The relaxed atmosphere and slower pacing of a typical summer often means that athletes show up for pre-camp and camp in some of the worst shape of the season. You and your teammates can buck the trend by embracing these four basic exercises and making them part of your daily routine. Create a cycle where you do each exercise for one minute, followed by a one-minute rest. Completing three cycles at that pace will take about 25 minutes. Once you feel comfortable, start cutting down the rest between sets in 15-second increments. Once you get to where you can do the exercises with only 15 seconds of rest between each set, consider increasing your set to four or five. If you do this consistently each day you will notice a huge difference in your stunting and tumbling in no time!

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