Key Takeaways
- Auditioning for a dance team can be intimidating, but when you’re prepared and practiced, you can show up with more confidence.
- Some of the most important steps you can take to prepare for your audition include taking classes at a dance studio, learning everything you can about this specific audition, visiting the team clinics, and showing up with a positive attitude.
- You don’t have to be the best dancer at the audition to make an impact on the coaches and get on the team. Sometimes, a positive attitude and willingness to learn are what make all the difference.
5 Tips for Dance Team Auditions
Is your middle, high school, or local team holding dance team tryouts soon? Will it be your first time auditioning? If you want to make the best impression on the coaches and make it onto the team, you need to properly prepare.
It’s not always about who’s the best dancer, how many turns you can do, or how high you can kick your leg. Dance teams look for well-rounded individuals who can learn choreography quickly, maintain their positivity at all times, and work as a team.
Wondering how to prepare for dance tryouts? We can help! Check out our dance team tryout tips here.
1. Research Your Dance Team
The more you know about the team and the audition process, the more comfortable you’ll feel at dance team tryouts. You’ll need to do some research about what skills the coaches will want to see at the audition, as well as all the important technical details, including:
- Audition Fees (if applicable)
- Audition Schedule
- Dress Code
Much of this information will be readily available on a dance team audition flyer or on a school or team’s website or social media page. You can also talk to students who have auditioned before about how the process works and current dance team members about the most important dance skills. Some common dance skills you may need to prepare include:
- Turns: Single, double, and triple pirouettes, piqué turns, etc.
- Leaps: Grand jetes, switch leaps, calypsos, etc.
- Jumps: Toe touches, side hurdlers, etc.
Once you know what to expect, you can figure out how to prepare for dance team tryouts.
2. Take More Classes
Practicing your skills alone can help, but sometimes, taking professional dance classes can help you improve much more quickly. Start with ballet classes to get the basics before adding jazz and hip-hop classes to explore other movement styles. Professional classes before dance team tryouts will definitely give you an edge in both skill development and learning new choreography on the spot.
3. Attend Team Clinics or Camps
Sometimes, dance squads allow hopefuls to attend clinics before dance team tryouts. During clinics, you may learn required choreography, gain insight into where you need to improve, and familiarize yourself with the coaches. Attending clinics also ensures that coaches get to know you better and shows them that you’re willing to put in the hard work before, during, and after dance team auditions.
4. Dressing Right
Another key for learning how to prepare for dance tryouts is the dress code. Some dance team tryouts have a required uniform, but others don’t specify. If you’re not sure what to wear, opt for simple, fitted clothing that helps show off your dance technique, lines, and form. Jazz pants or leggings pair perfectly with leotards and offer flexibility in color choices.
You should also make sure you have all the right shoes. Auditions may require jazz shoes or dance sneakers.
5. Stay Positive
Our final dance team tryout tip is to stay positive every time you interact with coaches and teachers. Whether you’re attending clinics, talking to teachers in the hallways, or putting on a show during dance team tryouts, keep a smile on your face. Even if you mess up, take a deep breath and keep going! Coaches love to see how resilient you can be!
Just Do Your Best
With these dance team tryout tips, you’ll be ready to go when the big day arrives. And if you need a few more thoughts on how to prepare for dance tryouts, check out the rest of the Omni Cheer blog for additional advice!
