UAAP Cheerdance: FEU to go ‘Frozen’ in bid for 2nd straight title

The UAAP Cheerdance Competition will be held Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena with the FEU Cheering Squad going for back-to-back titles.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Far Eastern University Cheering Squad seeks to win its second straight championship with Disney’s Frozen-inspired performance in the 2024 UAAP Cheerdance Competition on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

FEU will perform last, looking to win its third title in four years after ruling last season’s spectacle with a Super Mario Bros-themed routine.

“As far as defending is concerned, hindi kami talaga nagfo-focus doon, the focus namin is to hit the routine. That’s the only premise needed. Kung panalo, thank you, kung hindi, okay lang din, basta buo yung run ng team para sulit yung pinagharapan for the past six to eight months,” said FEU coach Randle San Gregorio.

READ: Defending champion FEU to perform last at 2024 UAAP Cheerdance

FEU Cheering Squad defends its throne with a performance inspired by Disney’s Frozen.

UP Pep Squad vows to heat up Mall of Asia Arena

NU Pep Squad’s theme is outer space. #UAAPSeason87 #UAAPCDC2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/vE2bNzSxxm

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) November 27, 2024

“We only do this once a year, at walang bawi ito eh, like the other sports na may next game. Dito, next year na yung next game. Every year bago, so kung mabubuo, may chance. Kung hindi, mas less yung chance,” he added.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles will open the Cheerdance Competition with a performance that will tell the story of the universe’s origin.

The University of the East Pep Squad will perform second with novelty Pinoy pop group Sexbomb-inspired routine, followed by the 90s-themed performance by the eight-time champion University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe.

Adamson Pep Squad hopes to make the crowd sing by dancing to karaoke classics. The University of the Philippines Varsity Pep Squad, another eight-time champion, didn’t divulge its theme but it vows to heat up the MOA Arena.

The National University Pep Squad, which was dethroned last year in coach Gab Bajacan’s first year, aims to bounce back this year by taking the competition “outer space.”

“We still stay with our program and our system. We still believe yung effectivity nito. Through the years naman naging maganda pa rin yung performance ng NU. We believe pa rin yung program namin is capable of winning championships in the future and this Season 87,” said Bajacan.

READ: UAAP Cheerdance Competition scheduled for December 1

De La Salle Animo Squad will perform seventh with a chess-themed routine before FEU’s turn.

“As part of the events that we’re having in the UAAP, I daresay that the CDC is the entertainment offering of the league,” shared UAAP Season 87 Treasurer Bo Perasol from host school UP. Iba po ang naibibigay sa ‘ting audience ng CDC dahil isa po ito sa kaunting time na nagsasama-sama ang lahat.”

UAAP CDC Technical Head Paula Nunag said the judging system will still be the same with four judges focusing on dance routines and the other four judging the cheering stunts.

‘From a judging perspective, in terms of the criteria, it’s the same because we wanna stay consistent. The judges who are going to judge this Sunday, particularly for cheer, will be ICU Certified Judges (International Cheer Union). Of course, we are elevating cheerdancing here, that is part of the thrust that we are doing. In terms of making sure that not only are the athletes and our coaches elevate their game every single year, but also in terms of the judges,” said Nunag. 

“And then of course from a dance perspective, we have dance judges who are experts in their fields and have experience in terms of judging and really from different genres of dance because that’s the essence of cheerdance, it’s really a combination of both expertise in cheer as well as our subject matter experts in dance as well. “