CONCERNS ABOUT “wukkin-up” by schoolchildren in their dance routines during the recently held National Cheerleading Championships seem to be casting a shadow over the event.
Those levelling the accusation, including parents and some audience members, also pointed to the high number of songs being used by most of the teams that could be considered vulgar and inappropriate.
The Barbados Cheerleading Federation’s (BCF) president Denise Bynoe, while not admitting or denying the charges, said her association did “not support rude or vulgar movements or acts in any of our competitions or from our cheerleaders/coaches”.
Bynoe explained that most of the cheerleading coaches were from various dance backgrounds and the style they chose for their teams to present was up to them.
However, “wukkin-up or any other vulgar dance movements are not an integral part of any routine . . . . We will have better education on choosing appropriate material in the future”, she promised.
Bynoe said the BCF would look to the world governing body for recommendations so that “we may mirror their recommended policy on music. We will then pass these recommendations on to the coaches”.
Yesterday, however, one principal who attended last week Saturday’s event took issue with the complaints.
Mathew Farley, of Garrison Secondary School, said the very nature of cheerleading involved a lot of movements, but there were no excessive displays of vulgarity. Rather, what he saw was an excellent display of creativity.
“Given what we see at Crop Over on the streets where people go through the act of sexual simulation to the point of ejaculation, the cheerleading was choreography, artistry and creativity,” said Farley, whose school won the championships for the third consecutive year.
Coaches have complained that the criteria for judging was only shown to them at the dress rehearsal which was the day before the event, and said this placed them at a disadvantage.
Bynoe admitted the judging sheet was given to all coaches at that time, but contended a meeting was held a week earlier at which there was a discussion on the criteria.
