Being on a high school dance team can completely transform your total high school experience. Before you set out on your venture to join a high school dance team, read over this guide so that you will know exactly what to expect!

Tryouts
Almost all high school dance teams will have some type of tryout or audition process. The best way to get prepared is to find out as many details as you can about the tryouts because different schools choose to run their tryouts in different ways.

There are a few people that you can contact to receive detailed information about tryouts for your school’s dance team. You can speak to a current team member, the dance team advisor, or the dance team coach. You will definitely want to find out if there is a tryout clinic, and you may also want to ask about the format of the tryouts. For example, do you learn a routine? Do you perform your own routine? Will you be asked to show certain pieces of technique? Asking these questions will help you to feel comfortable and prepared when you arrive at tryouts.

Camp
Dance Camp is one of the most exciting times of the year. At camp, you will have the opportunity to learn choreography, bond with your team, practice technique, and much more. All of the planned activities are a lot of fun, and camp is a great way to kick-off the season with your team.

Some teams choose to go to a dance camp is held on a college campus or in a hotel setting. Some teams choose to have instructors come to them and host the camp at their own school.

The main reason why dance teams attend camp differs from team to team. Your team may attend camp to gain as much choreography as possible to take home and perform at football and basketball games. Another team may attend camp to focus on team building and team bonding. Whatever your reason is, you can be sure that camp will be a fun and exciting experience for you and your team.

Practices
Depending on how often your team performs or competes will probably determine how often your team will practice. Quality practices usually produce quality performances. So whether you practice twice a week or five times a week, always give 110% when you are at practice.

Most teams have mandatory practices to ensure that the team performs well as a whole. However, not every dance team will run practice in the same way. Usually dance team practices will include time for stretching, conditioning/aerobic warm-up, technique combinations, and routine review.
If your team is a nationally competitive team, be prepared for some strenuous practices as the big competition approaches. Don’t let this make you nervous though. Strenuous practices do not have to be stressful practices!

Performances
Performing is one of the greatest reasons to be on a dance team, and hopefully your team will have multiple performance opportunities. Many teams perform at half-times of football and basketball games, as well as other sporting events. Some schools also have their dance team perform short sideline and/or time out dances when the band begins to play. Traditionally, dance teams also perform at school pep-rallies. This is a great time to use your dancing to pump up your school for the big game!

There are also other performance opportunities in your community such as holiday parades, fairs, or community service events. If you are a regionally or nationally competitive team, you will get to show off your routines when you compete.

When you perform with your team, it is important to remember why you are performing. Whether you are dancing at the half-time of a football game or dancing for a national title, it is very important to remember that your main goal is to ENTERTAIN the crowd!!

School
When you are on your high school dance team, it is important to remember the valuable role you have in your school. Keep in mind that you are a spirit leader. Just as cheerleaders promote school spirit with cheers, you promote school spirit with dance. By being on the dance team, you are a representing your school so you should always portray a positive image for your high school.
Managing your time between family, school, dance team, and other activities can be difficult, but school should always come before dance. Many teams require their dancers to maintain certain grade point averages to remain on the team. Always prioritize and put your best foot forward in the classroom.