Three cheers for research

Cheerleading could help prevent breast cancer, with half of the funds raised from a special one-day cheerleading and stunting workshop in Wollongong destined for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

NRG Studios’ cheerleading and stunting workshop, based at Wollongong University’s Recreation and Aquatic Centre (URAC), is running the program this month as a way to interact with the community and raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“We have around 300 students at our school, and statistically 40 of them will get cancer at some point,” NRG Studio principal Genevieve Anderson said.

“As they are nearly all female, we thought it would be a good idea to raise money for breast cancer research.”

According to Ms Anderson, participants will be taught cheerleading skills, including stunt-like aerial manoeuvres.

“The stunting is very similar to (the film) Bring It On,” Ms Anderson said.

“It involves being thrown into the air and it takes quite a lot of teamwork.”

While many workshop participants will be students of NRG studios, Ms Anderson was appealing for curious members of the public to come along as well.

“Sometimes dance schools can be very insular, with many just concentrating on getting into competitions or on winning competitions and not interacting very much with the community,” she said.

“We want to involve the community as much as we can. We will be catering for beginner to advanced levels.”

Ms Anderson said she has noticed a rise in the popularity of cheerleading over the past two years.

“Lots of people have seen Bring It On and they are getting excited about cheerleading,” she said.

“It has become a school sport and there is a national competition - Australia has even sent teams to the US to compete.”

NRG Studios’ one-day cheerleading and stunting workshop will be held on Friday, January 18, from 10am to 5pm, at URAC.

The workshop costs $50, with half the funds raised going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The workshop will cater for participants aged six years through to adults.