Middletown cheer champ to perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents who plan to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning should be on the lookout for a Middletown teen who will perform during the famed festivities.
Alle Vierra, 17, a senior at Middletown High School, will be dancing in this year’s parade, which her mom, Jill Vierra, called a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
This is the 93rd annual parade, which Macy’s reported is expected to draw more than 3.5 million spectators in New York City and more than 50 million television viewers nationwide.
This year’s parade lineup includes 16 giant character balloons, featuring favorites like Snoopy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Smokey Bear and The Grinch; 40 novelty balloons,
heritage balloons, balloonicles, balloonheads and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,200 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 11 marching bands, Macy’s reported.
Alle Vierra will be performing as part of the Spirit of America Cheer group, which Macy’s said has been part of its parade since 1989.
Macy’s reported that the 600-member group, under the direction of Roger Hayes, is comprised of female and male cheerleaders, ages 13 to 18, from all over the United States. This year they’ll be performing to RuPaul’s “Brand New” remix.
In a Wednesday phone interview with Lake County News following practice for the parade, Alle Vierra said she’s been in cheer for 10 years.
In addition, she’s been her mother’s junior cheer coach for the last four years for the varsity seventh and eighth graders for the Middletown Colts.
Alle Vierra won an award this summer at the Spirit Spectacular cheer camp. The leadership award she received put her in the top five of the 200 cheerleaders taking part in the event.
Winning the award gave her the opportunity to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
However, winning the award was just the first step – her mom said it required three months of steady fundraising, including selling homemade salsa and baked breads.
So, how much salsa and bread did it take to get the teen to New York? Her mom said approximately 10,343 ounces of salsa and more than 100 loaves.
Jill Vierra thanked everyone from Lake County, surrounding counties, and all the way from San Jose to Stockton to Fort Bragg who purchased bread – which she delivered – to support her daughter’s trip.
It was hard work but, Jill Vierra said, “We made it.”
The Vierras traveled to New York on Saturday, arriving at about 7 p.m., Jill Vierra said.
As soon as they got to the hotel, Alle Vierra had to get to practice, which went until 10 p.m. Jill Vierra said.
Since then, daily practices have run from 6 to 10 p.m. daily, she said.
But in addition to the work, there’s also been some fun, including sightseeing at some of New York’s famed landmarks, including the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center.
On Wednesday afternoon, Alle Vierra told Lake County News that she’s “a little” nervous about her big television debut.
The Spirit of America Cheer group is set to appear in front of Macy’s at approximately 10:48 a.m. Thursday.
Jill Vierra said neither parents nor anyone else is allowed near Macy’s during the performances, as that’s where the TV cameras are.
So she’ll be waiting impatiently down the route in front of the Hilton hotel on Sixth Street, where they’re staying, as her daughter performs.
“She's out there representing Lake County with pride,” Jill Vierra said.
The parade will be televised on NBC affiliates in all time zones from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday and by livestream on the parade Web site.
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