What is a needle in cheerleading?

A needle is a posture in cheerleading used by flyers/tops during stunts. A needle is like a “penche” in ballet. The flyer kicks up and holds an extended, straightened leg behind their body, all the while standing upright on the other leg. The most common way to get into the posture is with a swift kick backwards.

What is needle stunt?

In the Needle Body cheerleading stunt, the flyer in a swift kick backward holds one leg extended, straightened behind their body, while standing upright on the other leg. Flexibility, balance, and strength are all essential to perform the needle body stunt.

What are cheer poses called?

The three main positions of cheerleading are the base, bakspot, and flyer. Although there are only three main positions in cheer, there are many cheerleaders that take on these positions during a routine; More than one cheerleader on a squad can be a flyer, backspot, or base.

How long does it take to get a needle in cheer?

How long it will take will partially depend on your body and natural flexibility. We had one girl start daily stretching and she got hers in 4 weeks, but I have seen some girls that have been working on their needle for a couple of months and still don’t have it. So, it is tough to answer that question.

What is a needle dance move?

A needle is when one foot is on the ground (flat) in-line with the shoulders, and the opposite leg is kicked back, reaching for the sky. This puts the dancer in a “needle” position, with the straight legs forming a straight line, from head to toe.

How did Anna McNulty become flexible?

But McNulty herself says that when she first began cheerleading at age ten, she couldn’t even do the splits. It took rigorous, regular stretching to crack into her contortionist potential–and then years of practice to turn her into a bendy, balanced expert.

What does a needle look like in dance?