How to Do the Daggers Move in Cheerleading

The daggers hand position is a basic component in the sport of cheerleading. As you're first starting out it may be a struggle to remember the cheer and keep a smile on your face while moving your arms in the correct way. But you can do daggers in many moves, so once you learn how to do it you'll find you can do much more with your routines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Put your arms out in front of you. Make a tight fist with both hands. Curl the thumbs down around the fists so that they aren't showing at all.
2. Bend both arms up so that your arms are at a 90-degree angle. This is the table-top position. It's slightly higher than the dagger position.
3. Drop your elbows in toward your body, hugging them closely to the sides of your rib cage. Readjust the fists, making sure that they're still firmly closed.
4. Notice how your pinky finger is toward the outside, facing the audience. It looks as if you could be holding a knife at this position in preparation to use it, hence the name of the move.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to remain positive and keep a smile on your face even when you make a mistake, big or small.
• Make your movements sharp, clean and crisp to get a professional look.
• Stand up straight with your neck raised. None of the cheerleading moves look good with bad posture.