Taiwanese Cheerleaders’ Training Is Tougher Than You Think: Behind the Scenes of Learning Over 100 Dances (2026)

When you think of cheerleaders in Taiwanese professional baseball, bright smiles and dazzling dance routines probably come to mind.

Popular members such as Lin Hsiang (林襄), Lee Da-hye (李多慧), and Qun Qun (峮峮) have also attracted plenty of attention in Japan.

Yet behind those smiles lies more hard work than many of us might imagine.

“More than 100 cheer routines?” “Hours of practice every week?” “What do they do before a game?”

Drawing on interviews and local reporting, this article explores how Taiwanese cheerleaders train and the demanding work that goes on behind the scenes.

Do Taiwanese Cheerleaders Learn More Than 100 Dances?

Cheerleaders in Taiwanese professional baseball do much more than simply dance along to the music.

They need to learn choreography for individual players’ cheer songs, songs used at different moments during a game, and opening dance performances before the first pitch.

In an interview, Faye (斐棋), a member of the Uni-Lions’ cheer team, Uni-Girls, revealed that the team’s repertoire included more than 100 cheer songs alone.

Opening dances before games can also vary from one appearance to the next, which means learning new choreography on an ongoing basis.

Those few dazzling minutes of performance are made possible by an enormous amount of practice.

Four to Six Hours of Weekly Practice, Plus Individual Training

According to Faye, Uni-Girls held group practice every Monday for around four to six hours.

There were also rehearsals for special events and dance practice for other work commitments.

This account comes from a 2024 interview. It does not mean that every cheer team in Taiwan follows the same training schedule.

It does, however, show that a cheerleader’s job involves much more than appearing at the ballpark on game day.

Lin Hsiang’s Dedication: Strength Training Before Bed and Attention to Diet

Lin Hsiang signing autographs at a book-signing event on August 20, 2022
Lin Hsiang at a book-signing event on August 20, 2022. Photo: Solomon203; existing crop by ウィ貴公子. Image page on Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Only the display size has been adjusted for this article.

Lin Hsiang (林襄) is one of the most popular stars of Taiwanese cheerleading.

She is also well known among baseball fans in Japan, but her polished performances are backed by steady, consistent effort.

A 2023 interview in Nikkan Sports reported that Rakuten Girls, her team at the time, continued to hold dance training once a week during the off-season.

Lin Hsiang also said that she did abdominal exercises and other strength training before bed and paid attention to her diet.

Developing dance skills is only part of the job; looking after her health and physical condition matters too.

Note: The dietary and body-conditioning practices described here were her own approach at the time. They should not be taken as a routine followed by all cheerleaders.

Behind the Scenes on Game Day: Morning Preparations, Rehearsals, and Costume Changes

A Taiwanese cheerleader’s working day does not begin with the first pitch.

Members of Dragon Beauties, the Wei Chuan Dragons’ cheer team, have described their game-day routine in interviews.

On days with an opening dance performance, they arrive at the stadium early to rehearse.

After that come hair and makeup, meals, pregame events, and photo shoots.

Once the game starts, they split into groups to lead the cheering.

For shows between innings, they may change costumes and return for another performance.

The dazzling dances spectators see are just one small part of a full day’s work.

Qun Qun on Training with an International Team

Qun Qun (峮峮) is a popular cheerleader for the CTBC Brothers.

Her team, Passion Sisters, brings together members from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and other countries and regions.

In a 2025 interview, she described teammates communicating during practice using a mixture of Japanese and Korean.

They work across differences in language and culture to bring the same dance routine together.

Cheer practice can be a form of international cultural exchange as well.

A Special Performance in Japan: Rehearsing Remotely Through Video Exchanges

A dance event held in Japan offers another example of the effort Taiwanese cheerleaders put into their performances.

In 2024, Taiwan’s Rakuten Girls took part in a special collaboration in Japan.

They did not meet the other performers in person until the day of the show.

Before then, they reportedly filmed practice videos in Taiwan and sent them to a dance instructor in Japan, refining the choreography with the instructor’s feedback.

After rehearsing remotely across borders, they delivered a well-coordinated performance on the day.

The Pressure Behind Those Bright Smiles

Cheerleaders are expected to offer more than accurate dance steps.

Because they perform so close to the fans, they can be particularly conscious of the audience watching them.

In a 2024 interview, Uni-Lions cheerleader Mina said that spectators had high expectations and that she sometimes felt pressure when performing.

They keep dancing in front of a crowd, smiling as they encourage the fans to join in.

That emotional strain is another part of what lies behind this glamorous-looking job.

How Does Cheerleading in Taiwan Differ from Japan?

Japanese professional baseball also has official dance teams, including the Yomiuri Giants’ Venus and teams representing other clubs.

One distinctive feature of Taiwan is its highly developed culture of cheering together with the stands, using individual players’ cheer songs and accompanying choreography.

Individual cheerleaders in Taiwan also enjoy considerable popularity and work across social media, television, and live events.

Meanwhile, cheerleaders in Japan have many responsibilities of their own, including pregame practice, stage performances, and interacting with fans.

The point is not to decide which role is harder. Each tradition has its own distinctive appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. How many hours do Taiwanese cheerleaders practice?

It varies by team. In a 2024 interview, a Uni-Girls member described group practice lasting around four to six hours once a week. Event rehearsals and individual practice come on top of that.

Q. Do Taiwanese cheerleaders really learn more than 100 songs?

A Uni-Girls member has said that the team’s repertoire includes more than 100 cheer songs alone. However, this figure does not apply to every team.

Q. Can someone become a cheerleader in Taiwan without previous dance experience?

Audition requirements differ from team to team. Dance skills and expressive performance are important, and ongoing practice is required even after a successful audition.

Q. Where can I watch popular cheerleaders’ practice videos?

Videos are sometimes shared on the clubs’ official YouTube or Instagram accounts, or on the cheerleaders’ own official social media accounts. Check those accounts to see what is currently available.

Final Thoughts: There Is More to Taiwanese Cheerleaders Than Their Looks

The appeal of cheerleaders in Taiwanese professional baseball goes beyond their looks.

More than 100 cheer routines, long hours of practice, pregame rehearsals, looking after their physical condition, and the effort to keep spectators entertained all form part of the picture.

Behind the smiles at the ballpark is the work they put in as professionals, day after day.

The next time you watch a Taiwanese cheerleading performance, take a moment to think about what happens behind the scenes.

You may well find a new reason to appreciate it.

Related Article

Top 10 Most Popular Taiwanese Cheerleaders (2026)

Read on for popular members’ photos, names, teams, Instagram accounts, and information about their earnings.

Top 10 Most Popular Taiwanese Cheerleaders in 2026 (Japanese-language article)

You can also explore the Taiwanese cheerleader popularity ranking in Traditional Chinese, written for readers in Taiwan.

References

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