Around 20,842 people witnessed the performance of the DLSU Animo squad as they took the 1st runner-up crown by surprise at the 2011 Samsung-UAAP Cheer Dance Competition last October.
The Animo Squad catapulted themselves to second place from last year’s fifth place finish, the squad’s comeback in the UAAP cheerdance top three.
During the start of the warrior-themed dance routine of the Animo Squad, one of the squad’s flyers, Aiana Lontok, dislocated her left elbow while she executing her second front walk. Despite her injury, she continued to dance to finish the six-minute routine.
The University of the Philippines successfully defended their championship title in this year’s competition through a Madonna-inspired routine, while last year’s first-runner up, FEU Cheering Squad, only placed third in this year’s competition.
On the University’s Centennial year, the Taft-based cheerdancers was led by multi-titled coach Ruf Vandolph Rosario. Coach Rosario was the University of Perpetual Help Cheering Squad mentor; he is a celebrated coach with a back-to-back NCAA Cheerdance Competition championship from 2009 to 2010.
With renewed confidence, Coach Rosario promises, “We [Animo Squad] will not stop until we get that gold.”
