Dance team tryouts... help!

[jen0610]

Mom of a dancer here.

While DD is a very good dancer, she has her weaknesses and strengths. While she is better at tap then some of the girls her age, there are others that she is behind. There are girls younger than her that are better at tap, than she is and they motivate her to get better.

She knows, when she get to high school, she is going to be going up against many of those same girls she dances with at the studio. Depending on what the teams - jv, varsity, and hip-hop crew - need will depend on if she makes it or not. For those trying out for this years team, the stronger you were in your lyrical skills, the higher you were going to place. They lost a lot of their strong lyrical dancers to graduation last year. Hip-hop stays pretty even and those with a heavy jazz back ground stays even. DD knows this and is adding an additional class next year and has worked all this year with the lyrical teacher on her own to strenghten those skills.

Bcause she is aware of where she is at skill wise, she knows that she is going to have to put in those extra classes and practices to try and make the team. Making the team will depend on her ability and performance at try outs. When it comes to that day, it could end up beign one of her better dancing days or it could be one of her worst days. Either way, it's her spot to earn or not earn.

 

[klj27]

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.

Just wanted to say that this is my daughter's 3rd season in Winterguard and I LOVE it! Our guard director is amazing and it is such a great unknown activity.

 

[ZuZugal]

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.

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.

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.

It sounds like you have been on both sides of this; with one DD making the dance team every year and one DD not.

If the younger DD is just trying to live up to/be like the older DD I think that is the wrong direction to take. Your younger DD might LOVE to dance and puts out more effort than anyone, but in the end if she does not make the cut there is a reason.

I would try to help her focus on her other interests/strengths. Find other clubs or sports she enjoys and have her put her full effort into those. Or, find an outside dance company/team and let her focus on that.

Life is just too short to wait around for something that might not materialize. Do you want her memory of high school to be that she did not make the team 4 years straight? Most high schools have so many various clubs to participate in that it is hard to choose. I think a redirect at this point would be good for her ego.

 

[Ceila]

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.

If you felt as strongly about everyone participating when your older DD made the team but other kids didn't, why didn't you suggest a JV team back then?

I was in your daughter's shoes - the exact same thing happened to me. I didn't make the dance squad when I tried out in 8th grade nor in 9th. However, I was very involved with other activities and focused on those (especially band). It was a painful, but important, learning experience for me, as I'm sure it will be for your younger daughter as well. Hugs to her from someone who has been there.

 

[ndelaware]

If every parents tax dollars are going to suppport these teams, than every student who wants to participate should be allowed.

Why should I pay for an activity my child can't participate in.

 

[Minnie]

Elementary = children - everyone can participate

High school = teens - try outs for slot selections

If your DS loves to dance then dance class is the place to learn skills to earn a spot.

 

[scrapquitler]

If every parents tax dollars are going to suppport these teams, than every student who wants to participate should be allowed.

Why should I pay for an activity my child can't participate in.

Sure, that would be great. We could have girls playing football, kids who can't swim on the swim team, tone deaf children singing in the chorus, kids who can't play an instrument in the marching band. While we are at it, everyone should get a varsity letter, they should all be on the honor roll, no scorekeeping in the state championship basketball game...

Everyone can't participate in everything, it's just not realistic or feasible.

 

[si-am]

If every parents tax dollars are going to suppport these teams, than every student who wants to participate should be allowed.

Why should I pay for an activity my child can't participate in.

By that reasoning, I shouldn't have to pay taxes at all since I don't have kids.

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

If every parents tax dollars are going to suppport these teams, than every student who wants to participate should be allowed.

Why should I pay for an activity my child can't participate in.

I don't have kids, but I couldn't have said that better myself.

The school district I went through when I was a kid allowed every child who wanted to play Volleyball, Basketball. Or be on the Track, Cross Country, or Wrestling team. Be on them. All though the Dance Team was girls only. Thats at the middle school level.

On the high school level anyone who wants to be on the Tennis, Cross Country, Track, Wrestling, or Swim and Diving team can. It's just the Football, Golf, Soccer, girls Volleyball, Softball, Baseball, girls Gymnastics team, Dance Team, Basketball team where they are more selective about who can or can't be on the them.

 

[Hannathy]

High school should be try out. At the high school level the stakes are much higher. These are kids who are doing what they have worked on for years and years and hope (many of them) to use these skills in college.
Kids that are going to hope to go to major schools as music majors have to be in competitive programs, same with Drama majors. And of course your sports, if they hope to get scholarships they cant be in a no cut program. Science majors need to be on competitive teams that go to competitions that mean something, same with your Robotic kids.

Is there a place for intramural and rec type activities at the high school level sure, but you also have to have programs with high standards.

 

[castleview]

Being cut sucks. But the problem with letting everyone onto the squad is that you would have to tone down the level of skill to accommodate the kids with minimal dance experience. Then you'll have the advanced dancers quitting in frustration and boredom.and eventually you'll be left with a group of girls that wouldn't be well received. I've seen this happen with the dance squad at my own high school.

I'm so sorry for your daughter, I have been there. But I also believe everything happens for a reason and when one door closes, another opens. My suggestion - encourage your daughter to go out for the track team. They rarely cut anyone, kids get better at their own pace, eighteen events to choose from and it's a lot of fun. You'd be shocked at how many kids surprise themselves in that sport.