BALTIMORE — Cheer and Dance Extreme opened its 25th anniversary season November 8 at Spirit of Fall Classic, beginning a competition year that celebrates the company’s history and the athletes, coaches and families who have been part of it.
The event at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena launched CDE’s 2026–2027 schedule. For the independent event producer, established in 2001, the anniversary prompted both a look back at its beginnings and a renewed emphasis on serving athletes. www.cheeranddanceextreme.com
“A labor of love for 25 years but many more in the making,” Ann Reiser Lehrmann wrote in a Facebook post accompanying the company’s anniversary announcement.
Her message credited the people behind CDE’s longevity: family and friends, past and present staff, gym owners, directors, coaches, athletes, judges and industry professionals.
“Bubba and I are EXTREMELY grateful for our CDE Team and extended team,” she wrote. “We are here because of you!”
The People Behind 25 Years
Lehrmann’s reflection focused on the relationships and support that have sustained the company across a quarter century of competition seasons.
She thanked those who helped put CDE on the map 25 years ago and recognized the staff who continue to carry out its work. Her message also acknowledged her parents for believing in her and supporting her throughout the process.
“It’s not every day you get to love what you do,” Lehrmann wrote.
She also addressed those who had questioned cheerleading as a career, describing the work as something that had become much more than a job.
The company’s own announcement placed the anniversary in the context of the experiences shared at its events: first performances, major accomplishments and friendships formed through competition. CDE said the season would recognize how far the company has come while looking toward its future.
Spirit of Fall Classic served as the starting point for that celebration, bringing the anniversary season to the competition floor in Baltimore.
From CDE Competitions to Charity Events
According to its company history, CDE’s event portfolio includes Classics, Opens, Championships and Nationals. It also produces The Finale, an end-of-season event established in 2006.
The company identifies organized, affordable competition and sportsmanship as priorities. It says its core staff and owners attend events, maintaining a connection between the people handling office questions and those working on site.
Ann and Bubba Lehrmann also purchased Cheer for Charity. CDE reports that those competitions have generated thousands of dollars in donations to Nemours Children’s Hospital and Casey Cares Foundation. cheeranddanceextreme.com
The portfolio gives the anniversary season several settings, from early-season competitions to national events and the spring finale. Its schedule includes opportunities for All Star, recreation and school teams, along with cheer and dance Worlds bid events. cheeranddanceextreme.com
What’s Ahead in the Anniversary Season
Following the Baltimore opener, CDE’s December schedule includes OC Christmas Open on December 5 in Ocean City, Maryland; Richmond Classic on December 13 in Richmond, Virginia; and Holiday Spectacular on December 19 in National Harbor, Maryland.
Competition resumes in January with Rumble in the Jungle in Baltimore, Extreme Winter Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Cheer for Charity: First State Open in Newark, Delaware.
Among the season’s larger dates are Mid Atlantic Open Nationals, February 6–7 in Richmond, and Cheer for Charity: The Grand Nationals, March 13–14 in Virginia Beach. Both are listed as cheer Worlds bid events.
Maryland Madness includes separate dates for recreation and school teams on February 13 and All Star teams on February 14 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
The spring schedule continues with The Masters on April 10–11 in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, followed by The Finale Championship on April 17–18 in Ocean City. cheeranddanceextreme.com
For Lehrmann, the anniversary’s significance remains tied to what comes next for the athletes participating in those events.
“Looking forward to many more ways we can impact the athletes because that is why we started and why we are still here,” she wrote.
Visit CDE’s official 2026–2027 event calendar for the complete schedule and individual event information.
