Live tv coverage by ABS-CBN, videos by ABS-CBN, story from GMA News 7: ‘Binuhat yung lalaki eh’: UP Pep Squad’s #PantayPantay routine a hit online “The University of the Philippines Pep Squad wowed the crowd anew in the UAAP Cheerdance Competition on Sunday with a routine themed “Pantay-Pantay,” which celebrated a vision of equality.
“Underscoring the equality theme was a reversal of traditional cheerleading roles, with female cheerleaders lifting male cheerleaders in a pyramid. “The execution of the UP Pep Squad drew raves on Twitter, making it clear just how well the UP Pep Squad’s vision translated during the routine. Polo Bustamante @polo_bustamante : Binuhat yung lalaki e. Game changer right there. Wild UP Pep Squad. Wild. 12:07 AM – 14 Sep 2014 FCFph: “Guys being carried by the girls! UP Pep Squad cheers for equality! #UAAPCDC2014 @UPMaroons 12:19 AM – 14 Sep 2014 Mico Halili @micohalili : “When it comes to creativity, innovation, branding and insane commitment to a vision, everyone can learn so much from the UP Pep Squad. 12:20 AM – 14 Sep 2014 “Bea Fabregas @beafabregas: SA UP PEP BABAE BA O LALAKI? HINDI AKO SURE BASTA ANG LAKAS NILANG LAHAT. LALA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #UPFIGHT. 12:04 AM – 14 Sep 2014 xxx (From GMA 7 News Online). (see videos below to compare) ******* National University however won again this year’s UAAP cheerdance championship. National University won based on the sheer “smoothness” of the routine (as I understand it, there are deductions for slip-ups and falls, and NU had none, or had unnoticeable flaws, if they even had any – I didn’t see any). I also noticed that NU seems to have a star performer who’s probably one of the most gifted gymnast-dancer to grace the coliseum floor in many years – she flies in a series of controlled somersaults then climbs up by curveting three layers of their human pyramid, then she vaults at the peak then hurtles and lands perfectly at the apex of the pyramid on the palms of the catcher – NU takes advantage of this and repeats the movement in several versions where she hurtles backward backrolling to the peak of the pyramid and lands not even on her feet but on an inverted pose suspended on the waist by the catcher above the pyramid, also perfectly – I wanted to kidnap the kid and bring her to Diliman when I saw this. She has pixie dust in her DNA and NU built their entire 8-minute routine around her. The UP Pep Squad ruled with the strength and power of their routines, their wit, grit, and heart, and the “equality” theme or vision, or “pantay-pantay”, but NU had a supernatural being reincarnated as a gymnast-dancer at medyo walang kapantay ang batang ito… kaya ganun ang nangyari.
(NU is a Cinderella story, they worked equally hard; stop rubbing it in that this or that had a “better message” –– let’s let it go this year, thank everyone for their support, feel blessed for feats that ordinary mortals can never do, and come back with a vengeance next year …. after touring the world because of the adulation Ah!-Ah!-Ah!-Ah! lightning bolt and thunderclap.)
