This 3 Step Process for Trading Trends

Edition #34   •  Nov 30, 2025

Leveling The Playing Field

Hey, hey!

Welcome to The Group Chat, where sports and culture meet and mingle. Professional dance and cheer teams have snagged the spotlight as of late, driven by recent documentaries like "Cheer" and "America's Sweethearts." These pros aren't just a sideshow at sporting events — they're serious athletes, artists, and liaisons between the team and fans (including new ones). So today, we're chatting with NBA dance team choreographer and coach Mariah Amber and Canadian Football League (CFL) cheerleader Meg S. about what it takes to make it in this competitive industry, plus how they think about their roles in sports culture. Time to boogie.

💃 Let's dance 💃

Source: Sharp Magazine Being a member of a pro cheer or dance team is hard work. Amber and Sutton both spoke of marathon game days, arriving at the stadium hours before kickoff for rehearsals and fan meet-and-greets, then powering through pregame ceremonies, mid-game routines, and sideline performances. Sutton said, "I always get the comment that we never stop moving — and it's true." When it comes to the rehearsals, Sutton mentioned challenging (but empowering) three-hour practices, and Amber said they peak at "nine hours worth of dancing per week." And this is on top of their other jobs, dance classes, and choreo reviews. Aside from the time and energy commitment, dance and cheer are serious athletic pursuits. "Dancers are athletes, and the amount of recovery needed to ensure you're keeping your body healthy is important," said Amber, a former black belt in Taekwondo. "The intensity required to dance on the [biggest] stages is a very hard thing to accomplish." Both Amber and Sutton cross-train for their roles, integrating strength training and conditioning into their routines and focusing on fitness and wellness like it's their job…because it kind of is.

Together With Starbucks Source: Starbucks 🎁 Let's be honest: Holiday gift shopping is exhausting. Thankfully, Starbucks' handcrafted holiday menu is here to help you get in the spirit to check off every person on your list — naughty or nice. If you're browsing for… 👯 Your childhood bestie, then order an Iced Gingerbread Chai from Starbucks. It's nostalgia in a cup, but on ice because you're an adult. Iced bevvy season never ends. 🫂 Your mom, it's time to order the Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks, aka your favorite cup of cocoa, leveled up with espresso. Yes, please. 😯 Your new partner, alleviate the pressure of finding the perfect gift with a Caramel Brulée Latte from Starbucks. Sip and exhale. It's the best time of year to be generous, to your favorite people on the planet and, of course, yourself. Order a festive Starbucks holiday beverage.

Source: Hamilton Ti-Cats So what are dancers' and cheerleaders' roles in the broader sports ecosystem? Well, it goes way beyond entertainment during timeouts and halftime. "You are the bridge between the fans and the team," Amber said. As highly visible women in sports, they prove that there's a place for women in the stadium and help to create a more welcoming environment for new fans. Furthermore, Sutton noted that her team acts as the face of the franchise: "Sometimes spectators don't realize…how significant the responsibility is when representing [the team]." Whenever the organization interfaces with the community, from game days to service projects, she's there.

Together With Foria 🎁 Don't wait for Santa Source: Foria Even as women continue to triumph on the field, women's wellness is too often stuck on the sidelines. Widespread underfunding, a lack of research, and chronic stereotyping from brands mean it can feel impossible to know which products actually belong on your shelf. 💃 Enter: Foria, the holistic wellness brand that's been centering women's pleasure and wellbeing for over a decade. Their award-winning formulas are plant-based, sustainable, and mindfully created to support intimacy, rest, and ease. Whether you're looking to relax and unwind, boost your pleasure, or a little bit of both, Foria has something for everyone, ranging from period cramp salves to CBD-powered oils. Their Black Friday sale is already up and running, so you can enjoy 30% off now through November 30th. Yes, please.

Dance and cheer teams make sports more inclusive, from drawing in "non-traditional" fans to putting women in the spotlight alongside the players on the court or the field. "I want to encourage young people, specifically BIPOC, queer, and marginalized groups, that we all belong and have a place in sports," Amber said. Despite the long hours and intense grind, Sutton spoke with deep gratitude and passion about her teammates and her job. "The season is long, and the commitment is large," she said, "but the experience is truly once in a lifetime."

	At The GIST HQ ❄️ WHAT (ELSE) WE'RE LOVING: HOLIDAY EDITION ❄️
To help you cross every sports fan off your holiday shopping list over the next month, we're sharing gifting recs directly from our team and The GIST Plus members. Obsessed. 📅 For counting down the days: This holiday romance read from author Sophi Jomain, which also acts as an advent calendar where you read a chapter every day until Christmas. — Nadia, Account Manager ☕ For your festive sweet treat: A delicious holiday beverage, like the Peppermint Mocha, Iced Gingerbread Chai, or Caramel Brulée Latte from Starbucks. A warm, cozy bev just hits different this time of year.* — Alessandra, Sports News Producer 🎶 For those who have been changed For Good: This special edition "Wicked: For Good" vinyl that has us completely obsessulated. — Ellen, Head of Content✨ For the ones who love to sparkle: This gorgeous eyeshadow from Patrick Ta that catches the light from across the room. — Lauren, Sports News Managing Editor *P.S. This is a sponsored post.

Today's email was brought to you by Katie Kehoe Foster and Nadia Ayoub. Editing by Rachel Fuenzalida. Fact-checking by Marga Sison. Operations by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.

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