Dance team tryouts... help!

[JodiR]

My dd tried out for the dance team last year (end of 8th grade) and a few days go (for the end of freshman year). She didn't make it either time.

Here are my concerns:
Our school has fall, winter and competition teams. I do not believe there should be tryouts for the fall and winter. Let those kids who want to dance be on those teams and the more skilled ones be on the competition team.

The cheerleading squad is huge. Everyone who wants to participate can.

This is high school, not college. My dd's skill level is not great so I thought she might not make it, but it sure hurts her self-esteem and confidence.

What are your thoughts? Should everyone who wants to participate be allowed to?

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow, everyone who wants to cheer can? And I thought it was crazy that all girls make cheer in the elementary schools here (because the squads are HUGE). I look at it like any other sporting team. Have your dd do a dance team outside of school. I know a few moms who have found outside cheer for their HS aged dds who didn't make it.

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

The way I see it since I am a dancer myself is that everyone should be allowed to participate.

Unfortunately, thats not the way these dance teams operate. The one at the middle school I attended everyone regardless of skill was allowed to participate, it was a combined 7th and 8th grade team. We only performed at half time for the boys and girls basketball games in the winter so the season ran late September through mid-late February. We never competed.

High school on the other hand always has well over 100 girls who try out for both JV and Varsity squads. Varsity only has room for 15-20 girls, and JV the same. Despite being in the top level dance classes at my dance studio, I too never made it on to either team. Frankly my then dance teacher saw high school dance teams as a complete joke as they are more of a popularity contest than skill based, most are, all though there are some that are the other way around. I'm now a professional dancer and realize that I am better off now not having had been on a high school dance team to begin with.

I also have turned down offers to coach high school dance teams due to my experience with them, and the fact that 99.9% of the time the judging for try outs for these teams isn't fair.

I also feel that there should be options for teams as well. One for those who just want to perform at halftime for games, and another for those who are serious competitors.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

While it may seem like a good idea for everyone to be able to participate, it's not always as simple as that.

I teach fall and indoor winter colorguard ( flag, rifle, and sabre twirling )

Personally, I HATE try-outs and having to cut people! It stresses me out! However, experience tells me that I can only successfully teach a certain number of people. Some schools have money in the budget for an assistant or two, sometimes I have a student who has graduated help for free ( with hopes of getting paid next season ) Those years, I can have a larger group.

The times that I have had to cut people, I usually base my decisions on personnality and how hard they try to learn a new skill....not how much they already know.

 

[monsterkitty]

Should everyone who wants to participate be allowed to? No.

Should there be different levels of cheer or dance? As with the sports teams, yes.

We have a varsity cheer squad and a JV squad as well as the varsity dance and the jv dance teams.

The fact of the matter is that not everyone can participate in what they want to. There are cuts in every sport and in drama. There are audition-level bands, orchestras, and choirs in most high schools. Not everyone can participate because groups would then be to large and not manageable.

Getting cut is horrible and most sponsors or coaches do not like to hurt kids. However, it is a part of any team or group that has tryouts or auditions. Stinks yes, but it life.

 

[mdsoccermom]

My dd tried out for the dance team last year (end of 8th grade) and a few days go (for the end of freshman year). She didn't make it either time.

Here are my concerns:
Our school has fall, winter and competition teams. I do not believe there should be tryouts for the fall and winter. Let those kids who want to dance be on those teams and the more skilled ones be on the competition team.

The cheerleading squad is huge. Everyone who wants to participate can.

This is high school, not college. My dd's skill level is not great so I thought she might not make it, but it sure hurts her self-esteem and confidence.

What are your thoughts? Should everyone who wants to participate be allowed to?

No, not everyone who wants to participate should. I am sorry if it's harsh, but that's reality.

Let me ask you this, would this notion that everyone should be able to participate even be on your radar if your daughter made it and someone else was cut?

 

[dakcp2001]

I think that getting rejected at a try out is part of growing up. Is there somewhere else she can sign up for dance lessons? Maybe she needs some lessons and practice to work on her skill set.

I was heartbroken when I didnt make the cheerleading squad freshman year, but I worked my but off to make it the following year. You don't always get what you want, that is life. And try outs are often not fair in high school, after making the squad and seeing how they chose, I can tell you try outs were def easier for those who had older sisters or relatives that had been on the team. Knowing someone certainly helped, and I did not know a soul.

Maybe they could have an alternate team or practice team for those that don't make it. Has anyone suggested it? Would you be willing to coach it or put the time in? Maybe she could do cheerleading instead, since everyone can participate.

 

[JodiR]

No, not everyone who wants to participate should. I am sorry if it's harsh, but that's reality.

Let me ask you this, would this notion that everyone should be able to participate even be on your radar if your daughter made it and someone else was cut?

Yes I would. My oldest dd is now a freshman in college and was a 4 year dance team member. The group participated in camps and my dd was chosen as an All American Dancer and danced in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and the halftime college bowl games in Florida.

I always felt bad for the ones that never made it (which was usually only a few). The team has 14 members and usually 20 tryout. The returners always make it back. So this year there was only 2 openings.

It just sucks because she has the drive. She also has taken dance lessons since she was 3. My thought is to start a JV team. My oldest dd is willing to start this.

 

[princessmom29]

Coming from a former dancer and mom of a current dancer, my problem with everyone participating would be skill gaps and potential for injury. If beginning dancers are trying to learn advanced skills they are not ready for there is a huge potential for injury, and if the team does any partnering or linked kick lines an inexperienced dancer can end up getting someone else hurt. There should be a minimum skill level to make the team for everyone's safety and the skills taught and performed based off that level.

How many hours a week is your DD taking at the studio, and does the styles of dance she is taking match up with what the team is performing? The girls from our studio that make the school teams are dancing pretty much every day for multiple hours. Dance teams are VERY competitive here. Last year at the high school I teach at, almost 50 girls tried out for 16 spots.
I would suggest getting your DD some one on one studio lessons if you haven't done so already. Focused instruction can make huge improvments in a short time if a dancer is driven.

 

[princessmom29]

The way I see it since I am a dancer myself is that everyone should be allowed to participate.

Unfortunately, thats not the way these dance teams operate. The one at the middle school I attended everyone regardless of skill was allowed to participate, it was a combined 7th and 8th grade team. We only performed at half time for the boys and girls basketball games in the winter so the season ran late September through mid-late February. We never competed.

High school on the other hand always has well over 100 girls who try out for both JV and Varsity squads. Varsity only has room for 15-20 girls, and JV the same. Despite being in the top level dance classes at my dance studio, I too never made it on to either team. Frankly my then dance teacher saw high school dance teams as a complete joke as they are more of a popularity contest than skill based, most are, all though there are some that are the other way around. I'm now a professional dancer and realize that I am better off now not having had been on a high school dance team to begin with.

I also have turned down offers to coach high school dance teams due to my experience with them, and the fact that 99.9% of the time the judging for try outs for these teams isn't fair.

I also feel that there should be options for teams as well. One for those who just want to perform at halftime for games, and another for those who are serious competitors.

I ma interested in your opinion on dancers of vastly different skill levels on a team. how can you prevent injury to someone in a situation like that and still have a routine that is challenging for a skilled dancer, and still have eveyone on the field at the same time dancing in unison? I know this was required for so many minutes as part of the competitions we did when dancing with the band at halftime. There were minimum required elements that novice dancers couldn't safely master like double turns and switch leaps even for the halftime show. That is why I said that I would be concerned about injury if everyone made the squad.

 

[scrapquitler]

My dd tried out for the dance team last year (end of 8th grade) and a few days go (for the end of freshman year). She didn't make it either time.

Here are my concerns:
Our school has fall, winter and competition teams. I do not believe there should be tryouts for the fall and winter. Let those kids who want to dance be on those teams and the more skilled ones be on the competition team.

The cheerleading squad is huge. Everyone who wants to participate can.

This is high school, not college. My dd's skill level is not great so I thought she might not make it, but it sure hurts her self-esteem and confidence.

What are your thoughts? Should everyone who wants to participate be allowed to?

Dance team here (in both high school and middle school) is by tryouts only, same as all the athletic teams. It's considered as a sport, not as a club. If it were classified as a club, then there wouldn't be tryouts.

 

[curlyjbs]

Unfortunetely everyone cant be a "winner". Kids need to grow up knowing how to handle rejection. It's sad but its a HUGE part of life.
JMHO
~C

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

Dance team here (in both high school and middle school) is by tryouts only, same as all the athletic teams. It's considered as a sport, not as a club. If it were classified as a club, then there wouldn't be tryouts.

I must have went to one of the few middle schools that didn't consider Dance Team a sport. So it must have been a club because anyone who wanted to be on it that was in 7th or 8th grade could be on it, though were still required to pay an athletic fee, which I believe was $20 at the time, have a physical on file, and then pay an additional $25 to rent the uniform since they were brand new and needed to pay off the debt of the uniforms that the school purchased that they couldn't afford to begin with as none of the other sports: Cross Country, Volleyball, Wrestling, Basketball, or Track had to pay a uniform rental fee. All though to stay on the middle school dance teams you had to keep your Grade Point Average above 2.7, and couldn't have and behavioral referrals or detentions. It was also set up in a way that you couldn't just commit yourself to it for just the boys basketball season, and then go play on the girls team. It was rather the Dance Team, or be on the girls Basketball team, you couldn't do both. There were no try outs for the sports teams either, they just had an A, B, and C team based on skill level so that everyone had a chance to play a sport.

The way the high school teams were set up at the high school I went to was weird too. Once you had made one of the teams JV or Varsity, you had to pay the athletic fee $25, have a physical on file, and keep a GPA of 3.0 and above. After the $25 fee was paid the teams got very little financial support from the athletic department, neither did the girls Gymnastics team. So anything in addition for those teams was out of pocket, or fundraising. The Gymnastics team got transportation provided to and from meets, and the dance teams got the entry fee paid for competitions and transportation to and from but that was it.

So I guess my former school district was a little weird.

 

[Cinderella94]

Unfortunetely everyone cant be a "winner". Kids need to grow up knowing how to handle rejection. It's sad but its a HUGE part of life.
JMHO
~C

I agree.

 

[dis-happy]

It's hard getting cut but if it's something she wants to do, I'd put in her in classes at a private dance school that also has a competition team. At least she'd get some experience and be more likely to make the team if she decides to try out again next year.

 

[Jennasis]

Learning to accept rejection is a VITAL life-lesson that every human must come to grips with.

 

[mamacatnv]

You yourself said your DD was not that great. Perhaps she needs to look at some other type of activity besides dance. Perhaps, you need to show her other avenues.

To even think that not making the team affects her self esteem and confidence says to me that you all put way to much emphasis on dancing and not enough on your DD and what her talents are.

As for starting your own team, IMO that just screams of over doing it. Your child didn't make the team so you will make a team that includes her. IMO that sends a bad message to your DD.

Honestly, your post has a hint of poor sportmanship to it IMO.

 

[kellyg403]

I am not a huge believer in everyone getting to participate. I think trying out for things has its place.

I am sorry that her confidence and self esteem took a hit, but now is a good time to remind her that both of those things come from within ourselves. Confidence and self esteem should never be something you hope come from anywhere else!

Kelly

 

[ccgirl]

My dd tried out for the dance team last year (end of 8th grade) and a few days go (for the end of freshman year). She didn't make it either time.

Here are my concerns:
Our school has fall, winter and competition teams. I do not believe there should be tryouts for the fall and winter. Let those kids who want to dance be on those teams and the more skilled ones be on the competition team.

The cheerleading squad is huge. Everyone who wants to participate can.

This is high school, not college. My dd's skill level is not great so I thought she might not make it, but it sure hurts her self-esteem and confidence.

What are your thoughts? Should everyone who wants to participate be allowed to?

No. Up here, once it hits HS it is competitive. You have to try out. Same for our town leagues at that age as well. I'm not a big fan of the everyone makes it, everyone wins mentality. Unfortunately, it's just not real life. That is one of the reasons I had DD in competitive swimming so early. Besides the fact that she loves it. Doesn't hurt her self esteem as she knows she will not always come in first, or make the team. Just like in real life she won't always get into a college she wants or get the job she wants.

Just my two cents.

 

[rigs32]

I agree that letting everyone participate is not feasible. If you have a wide range of skill levels you will have to cater to the lower levels in order to choreograph a cohesive performance. If you have 40 or 50 girls instead of 15 or 20 how are the coaches able to give feedback to everyone?

When I was young, many dance studios were going toward a style similar to that of a dance team. Yes, the group was precise, but the moves they performed were so simplistic. Maybe find a dance studio like that your daughter can take class in. It will help her with the audition process next time around, too.