They'll Tumble For You: The Bay Area Raw Rahs
by Doug Seto

(Picture not sent it was of Several muscular men surround a handsome teenage
male)

A hand slides under the youth's shoulder.
Another wraps around his thigh.
"You're not letting go of the thigh," the leader says gently.
"You want your legs in the c'est position." The men are attentive.
"It feels natural. You don't have to think about it. Now, use your legs and
explode!"
The men count off, "One-two-three."
They use their arms to pitch the teenager upwards, and to catch him as he comes
back down               again.
The instructor isn't satisfied. "Push off with your legs. Feel yourself stretch
as you fly up!"
The men sound off.
The youth rockets upward with his legs wide apart.
He lands in a cushion of sweaty hands.
And that is the way the Bay Area Raw Rahs play.

After 13 years of appearing at gay Bay Area events, the Raw Rahs have become a
community institution. Most people would. probably describe them as
CheerLeaders, but that isn't exactly right, conjuring up as it does images of
men in pleated skirts. The Raw Rahs are serious athletes of a dynamic, unique,
and very physically demanding sport that combines cheerleading and precision
dance. , . They don't wear drag. They are more appropriately known as a "Stunt
Team." Their sport is growing' and NFL teams such as the L.A. Rams and the
Atlanta Falcons utilize male stunt teams to rally support and encouragement.
The only difference is, "the stunters you see in the college bowls and Monday
night football don't use pompoms. We do," one Raw Rah told the Bay Area Report
er. "The crowd loves it when we pull out the pompoms. We are guys with
pompoms," says another, "many people have no idea that what we do . requires
three to four practices a week."

The practice pays off: the Raw Rahs are masters of dance, who execute partner
lifts and human pyramids . with an excellence of execution. They have become a
favorite sight at sporting events, variety shows, community festivals,
fundraisers, parades, and picnics.

The Raw Rah Story

The Bay Area Raw Rahs was started by Guy Andrade, an instructor who coached
high school cheerleading squads in Hayward. ' "Why not start an adult
cheerleading team composed of gay men?" he thought. And so he did. The group
started practicing in 1980 and burst onto the scene in that year's San
Francisco Freedom Day Parade. Accomplishments since
then have included:

* SF Pride Parade marching movement unit trophies;
* A San Jose Pride celebration best marching unit award; and
* A United Spirit Association summer camp team unity award.

Still going strong, the Raw Rahs are always on the lookout for new members:
"People with enthusiasm, desire, commitment -and nice legs," one current member
jokes. Steve Burke, the senior member of the Raw-Rahs, says he sees the team as
a group of special ambassadors for the gay community. Burke has performed with
Raw Rahs for five years, and has been captain for four. His experience includes
six years of coaching high school cheerleading. He has also, with a partner,
won five titles in ballroom dance.

Off to New York

"We exist to support athletic teams," he said, explaining that the Raw Rahs are
now raising funds so they can support Team San Francisco at the Gay Games IV in
New York City next June. The team is already at work on a routine for those
audiences, choreographed by Morgan Craig. Craig's accomplishments.; include
performing dance 'in two consecutive

 Miss California pageants and  competing in dance on Star Search. He is also in
charge of new recruits, and can be reached at (415) 431-3247.