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Cheerleading aims to work up passions outside US. z t d# Q$ n) ]
January 30 2007 02:00 | Last updated: January 30 2007 02:00 & v& D+ e6 F( B6 m Having given the world cowboys, hamburgers and mocha frappuccinos, Americansarenow finding a global market for another cultural icon: cheerleading.And asone might expect from the US, much of it is for profit.5 t" B3 G! J" K' I- I- ~
' s, D: ~9 T/ y' c z# T Television viewers around the world will be able to see the activityinits most high-profile form this Sunday when the Indianapolis Colts meettheChicago Bears in the National Football League's 41st Super Bowl, themosthallowed event on the US sports calendar. The Colts, but not the Bears,havean official cheerleading team. 8 v% U* ~8 x# Q6 P6 u- z+ W. Z5 i
But tens of thousands of teenage girls have also signed up as cheerleadersinrecent years in the UK, Japan, Thailand, Australia and elsewhere.( L6 r$ Q/ W; l$ M
8 `; V6 @' ]' U6 p; w Varsity Brands, a Memphis-based company that dominates the cheerleadingbusinessin the US, recently sent five instructors to China as part of adrive to drumup interest there. A delegation from China is visiting Varsityin early Marchto talk about training as many as 1m Chinese cheerleadersover the next fiveyears. ( U; e7 _* M' |3 z$ t) | & d. Q( t c/ `/ j |: s! V" _"There has been a great fascination with all things American, and cheerleading is the epitome of that," ' S/ {3 z, p' J7 S, |3 _) v3 W" `( s+ j
says Jeff Webb, Varsity's chief executive. ' H( R6 o: [/ ?+ ]- ?- q3 `2 f $ c- [5 G3 \& L M* Y! P2 \' h) E8 ? Combining elements from gymnastics, dancing and fashion shows, "therearea lot of things in cheerleading that transcend all national and culturalboundaries",says Bob Kiralfy, chairman of the British Cheerleading Association.The non-profitgroup represents about 360 clubs with names such as the TaysideTornadoesand the Pontefract Petals.; c, d. |6 V/ L1 j
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Cheerleading's attraction, says Mr Kiralfy, is "the8 R7 A/ D6 K; f: O+ Q4 x/ L7 t
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idea of doing something indoors, dressing up like: L9 x$ K0 b; ~, G# r1 {) X
4 _1 I6 p2 t+ G. ^a pop star and performing in front of a large, appreciative audience".# t; O4 u2 Q. t1 t/ Z a8 w
6 U4 o2 l- n4 y While many outsiders still associate cheerleading with boosting themoraleof sports teams and their fans, it can bring in big profits. ' d1 m( ?2 ~, |5 Y1 |5 R& x l/ e0 M
An estimated 1.5m-2m Americans now take part in "all-star cheerleading", in which about 5,000 organised clubs compete against one another. Companies such as Varsity organise competitions, summer camps and coaching sessions. Most of their profit comes from selling uniforms and accessories such as pom-poms, jewellery and megaphones. ' h' h& X* F( O / t5 V7 A) ^1 i' `2 S1 Q! p; {[ 本帖最后由 日月光 于 2007-2-1 21:29 编辑 ]
图片附件: [Kelsie Wilson (left) and Natalie Cannon recently performed at he Capital One Bowl in Orlando.] cheer.jpg (2007-2-1 21:26, 40.62 KB) / 下载次数 107 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=242721&k=f9a7e73296032559331673096987725c&t=1754863214&sid=v9SFF8
图片附件: [Kelsie Wilson (left) and Natalie Cannon recently performed at he Capital One Bowl in Orlando.] cheer.jpg (2007-2-1 21:26, 40.62 KB) / 下载次数 107