Since this is the final WTF Wednesday before the Beijing Olympics kick-off on Friday, 08.08.2008, I figure I’d post my reaction to the oddity of Chinese cheerleaders for the Olympics.

I’m saddened to learn that we Americans are exporting this silly, and some would argue antiquated, tradition. In my mind, the notion of cheerleaders is tied to American Football, especially in an academic setting. As much as I despise both, I have to admit there is a sort of completeness that comes during those dry autumn days where the bands, and players, and girls in skirts, and local townfolk all head to the field to make the spectacle work. Cheerleaders moved to other sports like Basketball, and I’ve even seem them overseas in England cheering for Rugby matches.

But now the Chinese have got a hold of it and taken it to the extreme — cheering for the Olympics! Do the Olympics need cheerleaders? Will dancing girls pervert the traditions of sport and purity of nationalism (no pun intended)? I feel that much like dance and music and sports in general, each nation should have its own form of cheering and supporting your countrymen in competition. For example, scarves are part of English football culture, but not really part of Jamaican track & field. I know China is trying to be more worldly and western, but isn’t this pandering a bit? What next, rap music?

Obviously there’s nothing wrong with the dancers themselves; they’ve had American coaches give tips and with a billion people out there, the talent pool is pretty massive. I just don’t think we need cheerleaders at the Olympics.

// a tale of China, WTF
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