Three cheers for life!

They are mischievous in their jigs and moves. The 40-odd girls making up the White Mischief cheering squad of Royal Challengers Bangalore are living out of their suitcases.

Travelling across the country, the girls have different moves for different songs. But the hectic whistle-stop tour calls not only for aesthetic moves but also plenty of mental and physical strength and it really tests your skills and emotion, they say.

All dressed in blue and white short skirts, pompoms in hand they’re ready to break into a jig at the drop of a hat. All that they need is fast-paced music. “We’ve choreographed different grooves for different music and none of us do the routine stuff. We co-ordinate and change our moves on the spot according to the music,” says Catherine Martine Smyth, the leader of the team. She adds, “There are different jigs when the teams hit a four and when they hit a six.”

Did they have a say in choosing their attire? “Yes, we wear only what we’re comfortable in and do have our personal preferences. People have been largely accommodative in incorporating our suggestions,” she confesses.

How do they react to glares from the ordinary folk and how do they handle too much media attention? “It’s tough at times when the media zooms in on wrong angles and go to places they’re not supposed to. It portr ays a different image of us,” says Catherine.

While cheering takes up most of their time and energy, the girls definitely believe that an educational backing is a must. Majority of the girls have just passed out of college with a degree in dancing, “Cheering pretty much takes up most of my time but I am also a freelance dancer. So I do take part in other events which involve dance,” says Claire Schrickker.

At the end of the day, they are simple girls with shopping on top of their ‘to-do’ list. They’re on a perpetual “fresh fruit” diet and enjoy their share of gossip. “Apart from picking up routines and staying fit, being a team is also a very important part of cheering. We know everything about each other. We love going out together and spending time,” says Lauren Hambly Wise.

As for cricket, they say that they are still learning the game and getting familiar with the players’ names but it’s the enthusiasm of the crowd that really gets their spirits soaring.
“The country has been a wonderful host and there is no doubt that the season will be a memorable one for all of us,” Catherine sums up.