This year’s Super Bowl made history when two members of the Los Angeles Rams’ cheerleading squad became the first male dancers to ever perform at the biggest football game of the year.
The Montreal Alouettes were hoping to follow in the Rams’ footsteps.
READ MORE: Super Bowl 2019 to include male cheerleaders for 1st time
The team wanted to audition male dancers for its squad at open tryouts on Saturday.
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“We’ve never actually had boys on the dance team,” said Sidney Ginchereau, the team’s co-ordinator. “It’s not that we didn’t want them or didn’t ask them to come or anything. I guess because, in the past, maybe they were scared of the stereotypes or stigma so we’ve never actually had any boys showing up.”
There were quite a few men who showed up for tryouts but only for the team’s stunt squad.
Those who made the team this time around say there is still a stigma surrounding male cheerleaders who dance, but they hope more men will give it a try.
READ MORE: NFL welcomes its first male cheerleaders this season
“Maybe, they just might be nervous of the judgement,” said Alouettes cheerleader Justin Trevail. “It’s the same thing for us. It took a while for male cheerleaders to be accepted. They might think it’s not there yet for the dancers, but it is — nobody is judging anybody for that.”
Though no men showed up for dance tryouts Saturday, team members say they’re happy to start the conversation in Montreal and have high hopes they’ll see some come out next year.