UP Pep Squad is 2007 UAAP cheerdance champion

The University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad won Sunday the 2007 UAAP Cheerdance Competitions, dethroning erstwhile champion the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe by a mere margin before a full-house crowd at the Araneta Coliseum. UP, which last tasted a cheerdance title in 2001, brought home a trophy and the top prize of P172,500 after they garnered an over-all score of 92.66 points. The UP Pep Squad were nearly flawless all throughout their performance, banking on their rock-themed routine matched by their maroon and black get up. "We wanted something unique. Rock is something gloomy," narrated UP pep squad team captain Andrea Gonzales. "We used it in a fun and more exciting way," she added. The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT), which bagged the cheerdance title five-straight times from 2002 to 2006, settled for second place this time, finishing second place to UP with an over-all score of 92.16 points, or just 0.5 points behind the champs. With their bumblebee-inspired attire, the SDT was its usual efficient self where they danced to "The Hustle" with the female members wearing golden wigs. The Salinggawi Dance Troupe grabbed a trophy and a total cash prize of P108,500 for the feat. Far Eastern University Pep Squad (FEUPS), meanwhile, grabbed third place with a score of 91.66 points. The "Happy Feet"-motivated routine brought the house down while the monkey bar pyramid provided innovation in FEU pep squad's set. The FEUPS bagged a trophy and P69,000 prize money for placing third. The criteria for the competition were 50 percent for choreography, 30 percent for synchronization, 10 percent for audience audibility and 10 percent for costume. The Ateneo de Manila University Blue Bubble Battalion finished fourth, Adamson University Pep Squad fifth, University of the East Pep Squad sixth, De La Salle University (DLSU) Pep Squad seventh and the National University (NU) Pep Squad eighth. An estimated 18,000 UAAP fans trooped to the Big Dome to watch the cheering event live. Tickets for the event has been sold out as early as last week. - GMANews.TV