latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-cheerleaders-20110722,0,7051480.story
NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 21, 2011: Just weeks ago, to attract audiences to the glitzy new Indian Premier League, organizers drew on U.S.-style cheerleaders in bikinis, miniskirts and high boots. Many condemned it as “vulgar” and “frivolous eye candy” in a nation where sensuality is not frequently discussed or displayed in public.
In a bid to appeal to the cultured side of the sports-fan brain, the Warriors introduced its traditional-culture, fully clothed approach to crowd excitement. Cheerleaders juggle seven traditional dance forms and multiple costumes in a bid to encapsulate India’s 5,000-year diversity before spectators of the 450-year-old game, all in a heat that can reach 120 degrees Farenheit.
The cheerleading squad for the Indian cricket team Pune Warriors takes a traditional-culture, fully clothed approach to motivate players and fans. It calls for complex hand waves and traditional dance steps in saris. “The concept of cheer queens is an extraordinary way of showcasing our national artistic heritage to the world,” says Abhijit Sarkar, director of the Pune Warriors.