MANILA, Philippines – Elvis Presley and Blackpink are among the themes for the UAAP Season 86 Cheerdance Competition as the eight teams look to put on a memorable show on Saturday, December 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Defending champion NU Pep Squad will perform to the hits of the “King of Rock and Roll” in a bid to capture its eighth title in 10 seasons, looking to continue the winning tradition started by former head coach Ghicka Bernabe.

Bernabe passed the coaching baton to former deputy Gabriel Bajacan as NU seeks to pull level with the UP Pep Squad and UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe for most UAAP championships.

“We will always bring a very death-defying routine, a very challenging routine for every season,” said Bajacan during the Cheerdance Competition press conference on Wednesday, November 29.

The third-placer last season, UST hopes to shut the competition down with a performance inspired by Korean girl group Blackpink.

Salinggawi last won the UAAP cheerdance crown in 2006, but head coach Mark Chaiwalla said UST will pull out all the stops with hopes of ending that title drought. 

“We’re really trying to surpass what we’ve shown from the previous years. For this year, what I can confidently say is that it is going to be another best of Salinggawi,” said Chaiwalla. 

“For me, it is definitely the best and the most-paced routine that we’ve ever built.”

Season 85 runner-up FEU Cheering Squad, meanwhile, is veering away from its practice of using pop icons for its concept as it adapts a Super Mario theme. 

A consistent contender, FEU aims to recapture the championship it won two years ago. 

“We’re going to fight. But the main concern is having a perfect run. We want to give the FEU community something to be happy about,” said FEU head coach Randell San Gregorio. 

Other themes include Eraserheads (UP Pep Squad), Trolls (Adamson Pep Squad), Super Bowl (Ateneo Blue Eagles), and ‘90s anime (UE Pep Squad).

The DLSU Animo Squad kept its theme a secret. – Rappler.com