Q&A: “Cheer Perfection” star Alisha Dunlap
If you love TLC’s “Cheer Perfection,” get ready for more of fiery Alisha Dunlap and her cast of characters at Cheer Time Revolution. Season Two has hit the airwaves! Get to know this opinionated gym owner and find out how “Cheer Perfection” has changed her life:
CP: Share a bit about your cheerleading background.
Alisha: We opened Cheer Time Revolution in 1999, and then I sold the gym in 2004. I had already started a family and wanted more babies. But as time went on, I absolutely missed it—couldn’t stand it. Also, my oldest daughter was awfully talented, and I couldn’t find a gym anywhere in the state that I liked. We were driving 2.5 hours to take her to cheer. In 2007, we re-opened, and today we have 16 teams ranging from Tiny Tots to an open Level 6 team.
As for my own cheer experience, I was on the very first all-star co-ed team in the state of Arkansas, the Cheer Central Braves. I cheered for six years.
CP: How did the opportunity with TLC come about?
Alisha: My daughter used to do pageants, and they had been asking me for several years to do Toddlers and Tiaras. They wanted to show just the pageant life, but I told them, “Our life is truly cheer, so come into the gym for a few days.” They came in and saw what we had to offer. After T and T aired, we got great hits, and they said, “We want to do this cheer thing selling you guys.”
At the time, I was so busy running two businesses (Pageant Perfection Studios and Cheer Time Revolution), plus a family with three kids. I wasn’t sure what more I could take on my plate. But all of the kids had so much fun on Toddlers and Tiaras; they thought they were superstars. They had a blast! I talked with the parents and kids at the gym, and they said, “Give it a try.” I thought to myself, “I’m going to do this more for the kids than anything.” Since when does a little itty-bitty gym in Arkansas and these kinds of kids get an opportunity like this? So I went for it.
CP: What are the benefits and drawbacks of such large-scale exposure? Have you seen a demonstrable change in interest or prestige since the pilot aired in July?
Alisha: The show isn’t just about cheer—it’s about our lives and interactions. The gym is a “set” for us; it shows how we all work together and get our kids to this point. We have not had any drawbacks. I haven’t lost one kid. In fact, we have doubled in size. When the show aired in July, we went from having small teams to large teams. Our junior team now has 32 [athletes]; we’ve probably gained 60 kids total since the show aired. Our tumbling classes are full, and new kids are coming out of the woodwork wanting to be cheerleaders. It’s generated a ton of hits on our website and Facebook pages.
CP: What advice would you give to cheer professionals who have the opp to put their gym in the spotlight?
Alisha: Pray about it. Go with the flow. Reality shows are reality shows, and editors are editors. Just do what you do best, and hope for the best.
CP: Parental expectations are a big part of the show. How do you strike a balance between keeping parents satisfied and doing what’s best for your gym?
Alisha: We have to set a line. It has to be our way, and that applies to both parents and athletes. We’re always open to suggestions, but our staff as a whole decides on what’s best for the gym. We’re okay with the fact that we might not always be the best fit for all parents or how they want to see a program run. We still have to do what’s best for our gym.
CP: You co-own the gym with your husband RD—any advice on running a business with your spouse?
Alisha: Without the two of us, it wouldn’t work. We love to disagree, but we always have to meet in the middle. We are night and day: I’m very firm, and my coaching style is very different than his. I want to see the overall routine hit and overall athlete to excel. I want their skills to improve and advance quickly, whereas my husband wants to see perfection before progression.
[As a compromise], we start our routines early in June. We have a lot of kids, so it’s about muscle memory. My husband helps them learn the early stunts before we advance. This approach gives us more lead time to accommodate both of our coaching styles. By the end, our kids can do the whole routine backward and forward, with or without music. Then he comes back in before competition season to get the skills absolutely perfect.
CP: The show emphasizes a heavy focus on winning. What’s your philosophy as a coach?
Alisha: Winning is important, but it’s not always about actually winning the trophy. They’re winners if they hit what they’re supposed to hit and do their absolute best. And 99 percent of the time, when the kids give all their effort and execute like they should, they’re going to win. It goes hand-in-hand.
CP: Any response to criticisms that you’re too hard on the cheerleaders?
Alisha: That’s from the outside world. [On TV], I come across as a hard coach, but what they don’t see is that, behind closed doors, I am very rewarding. I expect my kids to be a certain way in practice and I will push them until they get the skill they want to learn. In return, they are rewarded for everything they do. If they go out and have an awesome performance, we have sleepovers and ice cream parties, so it makes them want to work and give 100 percent. It’s all about working toward the skills they want to achieve.
CP: How do you think reality shows about cheer can further the sport as a whole?
Alisha: If all the cheerleading shows can show a positive side of cheer, I think it will be great and can only pick up the numbers. The new show on CMT [“Cheer”] shows a very high-level of kids. My feeling is that maybe the newer kids watching will say, “I couldn’t ever do that,” but with our show, they’ll see that everyone starts form the bottom and has to learn Level One first, so they have a chance. It’s great to have a wide representation across the spectrum.
Can’t get enough Alisha Dunlap? Check out our new “Candid Coach” Q&A with the Cheer Perfection star!
Sue Martin
October 10, 2012 @ 2:28 pm
I have known Alisha since about 1994, she coached my granddaughters in modeling this was before Cheer became so popular. She was always strict but sweet, firm but fun, She set the standards for the girls and showed them how to acheive their goals not hers. She celebrated a win as well as dried tears when a student didn’t meet their own goals. We still credit my oldest granddaughters poise and confidience to the training she received from “Ms Alisha” My granddaughter is a successful web designer with Kenitics Communications in Birmingham Al.
Megan
June 12, 2013 @ 3:28 pm
Dear mother of Cassadee and Cambrée (Cambry)
my name is megan, am 15 years old and living in Netherlands I watch every episode of the cheerleading you wonderful daughters & great chearleaders in appearing
I am your biggest fan and follow each episode
I sat with tears in my eyes when I saw cassadee her fingers ached with the flick flack (I thought)
Thank you put those two perfect girls in the world they are super cute and they are also super good at chearleaden I could not really hear haha
and how to tackle if they let someone fall or something can not really super good I’m proud of you
I hope some of you to hear through this email:
(Meganvermunt@hotmail.com)
greetings megan
Elle
August 23, 2013 @ 1:47 am
I really like the fact that this show shows that cheerleaders aren’t all mean, these kids seem like they all get along and treat each other with respect, especially since my cheer squad in college which I was a member of was so mean, nasty and discriminating and toxic that I prayed that no children would ever see the way my team acted towards others and think ‘this is the way cheerleaders act’ . Watching this show reminds me of why cheer is so much fun!! I don’t think she’s too hard on the kids at all, she shows genuine concern and seems like she really cares!!
Olivia Copley
September 13, 2013 @ 2:57 pm
Hi Alisha Dunlap,
I was wondering if i could get an email back from you with maybe a signature about what it is like to be a cheerleading mom.I am doing a cheerleading GCSE project and am hoping for an A* in order to get this i had an idea of emailing you seeing as i love your show Cheer Perfection i think all your kids are so talented.Thank you for reading my email
email adress- livvykittykat@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you for your time,
Olivia Copley
robin bowen
September 26, 2013 @ 9:56 pm
What kind of an animal was on R.D.’s shoulder during the episode shown on September 25? Thanks! Love the show!!!!
Amirah
September 27, 2013 @ 2:05 am
Hi Ms.Alisha Dunlap,
I was wondering if you would know any good teams where I can work my way up to your team because your team is awesome and they are my influence to me as a dancer and a cheerleader.
Thank you,
From
Amirah
Madi Casteel
September 28, 2013 @ 10:47 pm
Hi Alisha, this is Madison Casteel. I don’ t have experience in cheerleading , but I really love your show and I just wanted to let you know that I am glad you didn’t go to the level six team and leave the girls of cheer time revolution behind. I have a question is Kailey okay from where she hurt her knee? If you could gmail me back I would apappreciate it.
– Madison Casteel
🙂 🙂
Nikki
October 9, 2013 @ 11:10 pm
Did CTR win the us finals?
Cheerleadergirl
November 18, 2013 @ 7:53 pm
I cheer at CTR I’m not joking.Alicia is the nicest coach.I don’t think she is too mean.Yes, she I a strict, but uh arnt coaches who want the best for their team{s} supposed to push the kids? (Alisha, if you see this, this is Emma from Jr.Fire!Love yaa
Austin
January 7, 2014 @ 11:00 pm
Hi Alisha my name is Austin and I am a allstar cheerleader for Ice allstars in Fort Wayne and my dream in the future is to own my own gym. Is there any advice you can give me that may help me in the future? You can email mail me at alstinfer@hotmail.com I would appreciated it. Thank you for your time
Mackenzie
March 2, 2014 @ 11:56 pm
Hi Alisha!!
I’m a really big fan of your gym and show!! I follow you, Cass, cam, chan, and everyone else at CTR on Instagram! It would be awesome if you emailed me at mackenzie.jenkins006@yahoo.com or followed me on Instagram at mac_j26!!
Thank you
Mackenzie ☺️