Pop music, heavy on the bass, easy on the lyrics, blare from the speakers as the players exit the court. Their heads hanging low, sweat pouring off their bodies, they are spent. Behind them, bolting out from the sidelines like fourth graders just let out to afternoon recess, come the dancers. They wear the standard: tights, knee-high boots, and a sparkly bra. They convene in some clever alignment at center court and begin their routine: Hip thrust left, leg kick right, pirouette, hair toss front, turn around; repeat.
In sharp contrast to the action of the basketball game, to the NBA’s massive “make it better” campaign, the attempt to diversify the sport’s audience, to the politically correct world of the athletes themselves; these cheer “leaders”, dancers if you will, provide a distracting dance routine, forced and contrived, whose display is nothing close to that of the competitive dance squads across the country. NBA cheerleaders have been reduced from the uber-athletic, diverse and competitive teams we see up through the collegiate level and ‘Bring It On 7’, to a blatant sexist display, devoid of athleticism and any dignity. What is more disturbing, we are expected to accept that this is just "part of the experience", a normal and respectible part of the modern professional world, which ultimatly insinuates that degradation of women is ok.
