Newest Cheerleader takes Melbourne by Storm
Jessica Poulter
Melbourne dancer Maddie Schinner is the newest recruit to the Melbourne Storm Cheerleaders. She has kick-started her career with her first game of the season.
Maddie Schinner starts her debut cheer career, and what a better place to begin than at the Melbourne Storm. She has only performed one game so far and has enjoyed every minute.
“Representing Melbourne Storm is such an exhilarating feeling, I am so proud to be able to call myself a Storm Cheerleader.”
The training for becoming a Storm Cheerleader is quite rigorous. The girls must be athletic and flexible for their routines. They train a two or three hour rehearsal daily where they learn the routine and focus on strength and cardio.
“There isn’t lots of aerial or acrobatic movements in the routines, but in saying that, when there is an acrobatic part, it is fun for me with my background in acrobatics.”
Beginning her training in dance at Backstage Dance Academy, she learnt the foundations in acrobatics and performance. From there, her love of dance grew and she has been unstoppable ever since. Her former dance teachers at BDA, Jessica Solomon and Jacinta Seivers were past Storm Cheerleaders, and so Maddie has followed in their footsteps.
“I absolutely loved working with Trish and the Storm girls, I actually miss it a lot. I really grew as a dancer with them”
“To Maddie I would say keep the amazing, positive attitude she has, stay strong. It can get really hard, tiring, stressful especially still being in full time school but you've got this!”
Maddie, having learnt from some of the best teachers in Melbourne saw those girls as inspiration.
“I always used to look at the Storm Cheerleaders and thought that one day I would love to be doing that.”
She studies full time at Spectrum Dance with other like-minded students. Maddie has had the pleasure of working with the top industry professionals including Yvette Lee, Kim Adam, Darren Tyler and many more. Not only has she worked with dedicated teachers, but her comrades are just as motivating.
“I have become so close to the people in my year with me, we have such a strong bond and it feels like I am seeing my family every day when I go to dancing”
Being a cheerleader for such a well known team is both rewarding and challenging.
Not only does her experience come from the field, but the girls get to perform in front of thousands of sports fans at other venues too. Maddie recently performed with the cheer team at Federation Square in light of the State of Origin game.
As a Storm cheerleader, the opportunities are many and Maddie cannot wait to see what the future holds for her.
“It is the biggest dream and I cannot wait to achieve it.”