California Irvine Athletics

The UC Irvine Spirit Squad consists of the Cheer Squad, the Dance Team, and our beloved mascot, Peter the Anteater!

Our squads support the UC Irvine Athletics programs by generating crowd enthusiasm, promoting school spirit, and supporting our student-athletes throughout the year. You can find the UC Irvine Spirit Squad members at all men's and women's home basketball games, the Big West Basketball Championships, and various other Anteater games and events. UC Irvine Spirit Squad members are great ambassadors of not only the University, but the surrounding community as well. Spirit Squad members participate year-round in a variety of special appearances, alumni events, community service opportunities, and charitable events, generating energy and excitement for UC Irvine.

Why it's great to be a UC Irvine Spirit Squad member:

• The UC Irvine Spirit Squad is supported by UC Irvine Athletics
• Cheering/dancing for a Division I Athletics program
• Access to the Athletics training room staff
• Opportunity to travel to the Big West and NCAA Basketball Tournaments
• Adidas travel and practice gear
• Opportunity to practice, perform, and learn in a fast-growing and professional environment 

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE TEAM?
We are looking for highly committed, talented, and enthusiastic individuals who want to be a part of a fun and exciting team environment, and will represent our University with pride and confidence! Being a member of the UC Irvine Spirit Squad is a year-long commitment. We practice twice a week, typically on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. After making the team, we require a non-refundable $300 commitment fee, which is due at our New Team Orientation meeting after you have been selected to the team. 
 
In order to audition for the Spirit Squad, you must be either a current UC Irvine undergraduate student in good academic standing, a newly admitted/incoming freshman, or transfer student to UC Irvine. All newly admitted students must provide proof of admission to UC Irvine before auditioning.

2026-2027 SPIRIT SQUAD AND MASCOT TRYOUT INFORMATION
SAVE THE DATES

PREP CLINIC WORKSHOP #1
DATE: Sunday, April 12, 2026      
LOCATION: Bren Events Center, 100 Mesa Rd, Irvine, CA 92697
TIME: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (Cheer), 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (Dance)
PARKING: Mesa Parking Structure (participants responsible for parking fee)
CONTACT: Christy Muckenthaler, cmecxin@uci.edu
FEE: $20 non-refundable payment is required to participate in the prep clinic workshop. If you attend both, you must submit two different payments. 
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT LINK COMING SOON
 
PREP CLINIC WORKSHOP #2
DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2026      
LOCATION: Crawford Hall, 903 W Peltason Dr, Irvine, CA 92617
TIME: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (Cheer), 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (Dance)
PARKING: Mesa Parking Structure (candidates responsible for parking fee)
CONTACT: Christy Muckenthaler, cmecxin@uci.edu
FEE: $20 non-refundable payment is required to participate in the prep clinic workshop. If you attend both, you must submit two payments.
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT LINK COMING SOON

SPIRIT SQUAD CLINIC AND AUDITION
DATE: Sunday, May 17, 2026
LOCATION: Bren Events Center, 100 Mesa Rd, Irvine, CA 92697
CHEER SCHEDULE: Mandatory Cheer Clinic 9:00 - 11:00 am, Cheer Audition 3:00 - 5:00 pm.
DANCE SCHEDULE: Mandatory Dance Clinic 12:00 - 2:00 pm, Dance Audition 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
PARKING: Mesa Parking Structure (candidates responsible for parking fee)
CONTACT: Christy Muckenthaler, cmecxin@uci.edu
FEE: $40 non-refundable payment is required to participate in the tryout clinic and audition. 
REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT LINK COMING SOON

MASCOT:
If you are interested in becoming our beloved mascot, Peter the Anteater, please fill out an online interest form to register for tryouts. There is no fee associated with mascot tryouts as this will be a separate audition and interview process from the Spirit Squad, but it will take place the same day.

  

 
DANCE ATTIRE FOR CLINIC AND AUDITIONS (See images below for hair and make-up guidelines)

• Female (dance)
  • 2-piece or form-fitting athletic attire
  • Top: sports bra top or fitted tank top (no t-shirts or long sleeves)
  • Bottoms: spandex shorts or booty shorts
  • Shoes: Both jazz shoes and sneakers are required 
  • Game-ready make up (red lips, smoky eye, lashes, and blush are required)
  • Hair down and styled (must be styled in wavy curls)
  • Overall collegiate presentation
  • NO JEWELRY
• Male (Dance)
  • Tank top
  • Shorts 
  • Shoes: Both jazz shoes and sneakers are required
  • Overall collegiate presentation
  • NO JEWELRY

CHEER ATTIRE FOR CLINIC AND AUDITIONS (See images below for hair and make-up guidelines)

• Female (Cheer):  2-piece or form-fitting athletic attire
  • Top: sports bra top, tank top, or close fitting t-shirt
  • Bottoms: any type of athletic shorts
  • Shoes: athletic shoes, cheer shoes
  • Game-ready make up (red lips, smoky eye, lashes, and blush are required)
  • Hair needs to be in a SLICK high ponytail (NO HAIRS OUT OF PLACE)
  • Overall collegiate presentation
  • NO JEWELRY 
• Male (Cheer): 2 piece athletic attire
  • Athletic shorts or pants
  • T-shirt or tank top
  • Shoes: Athletic shoes.
  • Hair off face
  • Overall collegiate presentation
  • NO JEWELRY

  

SKILLS AND TECHNIQUE REQUIREMENTS

DANCE:

• Dance Technique:
  • Pom technique (motions, performance quality)
  • Jazz technique (body positions, performance quality)
  • Cheer technique (voice projection, stage presence, strong motion placement)
• Dance Skills:
  • Triple Pirouette (minimum requirement)
  • Turns in second (minimum 8 a la secondes required)
  • Leg Flexibility
  • Leaps (all required)
    • Switch leap, calypso, firebird, C jump, turning C jump, arabesque leap
  • Tumbling
    • Headspring (required)
    • Back Handspring 
    • Back Tuck
    • Roundoff Back Handspring 

• Cheer Technique: 
  • Strong voice projection
  • Confidence in stage presence and performance quality
  • Strong motion placement
• Tumbling:
  • Standing back handspring (required)
  • Round-off back handspring series (highly recommended)
  • Standing back tuck (recommended)
  • Round-off backhandspring series into a tuck/layout/full (recommended)
• Stunting:
  • Flyers: Liberty and extensions, proper cradle technique 
  • Bases: Liberty and extensions, proper cradle technique
• Jumps:
  • Toe-touch
  • Front hurdler
  • Right/Left hurdler

TRYOUT INFORMATION/FAQs:
Q:  Do the Cheer and Dance Teams participate in national competitions?
A:  Both Cheer and Dance have participated in competitions in the past. The decision to compete will be decided upon by the team on a yearly basis.  At this time, we do not intend to compete nationally.

Q:  Does the program offer any scholarships?
A:  No.  At this time, UC Irvine does not offer scholarship opportunities for the Spirit Squad.

Q:  What are the time commitments for being on the team?
A:  Spirit Squad practices typically take place twice a week, on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, from 7:00 PM-10:00 PM. Members are required to make it to all practices, men's and women's basketball games, and may be asked to attend other athletics or community/campus events. Practices may also take place once a week during the summer. Winter quarter tends to be the busiest due to the heavy game and event load.

Q: How many people make the team?
A: The number of participants varies each year and is determined by the needs of our group. We do offer spots on our waitlist before selecting our team. 

TEAM FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS:
Team members pay a yearly fee of $300 for the season.  The fee covers the cost of  two pairs of shoes, warm-ups, practice gear, and poms. The equipment fee is due at the New Team Orientation, date and time TBD. There is an additional uniform fee for those who wish to purchase their uniforms. 

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