Coils of hair extensions lie on a bed,next to a plastic bag that says Deepali Kangan Stores. A half-eaten sandwich sits on a glass-topped circular table next to the bed. Behind the table is a chair upon which sits Jennifer Cray,around whose forehead a pair of attendants tighten what looks like a cross between a tiara and a necklace. Im not exactly sure what its called, she says. Noon has just come and gone. Cray has spent close to three hours getting her makeup and costume in order. At four in the afternoon,she and eight other girls will get on a platform at the Wankhede Stadium to perform a bewildering mix of classical dance routines whenever the Pune Warriors increase their tally of boundaries,sixes or wickets against the Mumbai Indians. It takes a good two to three hours to get ready,because we start with our makeup and the different looks we showcase have different kinds of makeup,different hairdos, says Cray. Between them,the Cheer Queens will showcase three different dance forms. Within the same match,we have three different looks, she says. There are nine girls in all,and three girls per look. Im getting dressed for Haryanvi today. The other two groups will perform Bengali and Lavani. For Punes next game,the girls might choose an entirely different combination of dance forms. Before the IPL began,the Cheer Queens,all of whom are part of Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Hegdes dance academy,spent a month learning seven different dance formsHaryanvi,Punjabi,Gujarati,Lavani,Bengali,Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam. All of us had to learn all seven forms,so that we would always be prepared to step in,like if we need to fill in for someone else, says Cray. April isnt the best time of year to perform outdoors in heavy,multilayered,ankle-length outfits and copious amounts of jewellery. Its a little difficult, says Cray. But we are used to stuff like this because we do shoots and all. Our makeup is done accordingly. We use waterproof and sweat-proof makeup,so it doesnt bleed,and we need to keep dabbing it and retouching and stuff like that. Performing at the IPL is different from anything the dancers have done before. We usually do commercial shows and award nights like the Filmfare awards and the Zee Cine Awards, says Cray. The performances that were used to,its a one shot thingyou go on stage,you perform and then you exit,and youre done. This is something thats more repetitive,but all the same,its fun,its a different experience. A Haryanvi dance or a Mohiniattam or a Bengali dance isnt something wed do on a regular basis,so its a great opportunity for us to show different dance forms and different talents. In a pre-tournament press release,the Sahara group,who own the Pune franchise,had explained the Cheer Queens concept rather grandiloquently: It is an extraordinary way of showcasing our artistic heritage to the world,and underlining our solidarity for the ethos of Indianness that reverberates strongly across Indians all around the world. This,of course,is a rather extravagant claim considering the setting,the audiences and,most significantly,the constrained time-slots available for cheerleading routines. Typically,its about 15 seconds, says Cray. Weve prepared to the whole Sahara jingle. Cutting it short is never difficult. For wickets,its usually longer. For fours and sixes,its shorter,and in the time-out period its longer again. Nearly every season of the IPL has had its share of unruly spectators passing lewd remarks and making obscene gestures at cheerleaders. With their markedly divergent approach from the norm of short skirts and pompoms,the Cheer Queens were initially unsure how audiences would respond to them. There has been a mixed response on online forums. On Twitter,the derisory remarksI like Sahara. They are making the viewers watch the match instead of the cheerleaders, for examplehave outweighed positive comments. But on the ground,according to Cray,the reception has been encouraging. The reaction has been good. I think even they are getting to see something different from what they usually see in terms of cheerleaders, she says. At first,we didnt know what to expect,honestly,but theres a lot of appreciation,theres a lot of respect,actually. We dont get cheap comments and stuff like that. People wait to watch us perform and they click lot of pictures and its really nice. The IPL has been among Crays most demanding assignments,in terms of its tight schedule. In the award season time,it gets a little busy,when we maybe do five to six shows a month, she says. Otherwise,its maybe three shows,four shows. We do corporates,we do stage shows,whatever. But even an itinerary as taxing as 14 matches in eight venues in less than two months,is worth the effort in the end,says Cray. Its been an experience,all the dance forms we have learnt,and,you know,any experience is never wasted,especially if its something related to the field that youre in, she says. Its memorable,and if we get another chance to do something like this in the future,Im sure well be on a better footing.
