Why Audition for West Jordan's Dance Company?
Purpose of Dance Company:
Unlike a competitive dance team, West Jordan's Dance Company is performance driven. Dance Company members have the opportunity to learn choreography skills; work with a plethora of professional dance artists and choreographers; compete in dance festivals, professional adjudications, and national dance conventions; attend dance field trips; work with college dance teams and programs; perform at a variety of venues; and attend an optional educational dance tour to places such as New York, California, Texas, Florida, and/or Washington.
Many of our alumni have continued their dance education at the collegiate level. In the past thirteen years, several Dance Company alumni have made college dance teams (see the resume page), and/or work at dance studios. Many of our alumni dancers have also majored or minored in dance-related fields, including modern dance, ballet, kinesiology, physical therapy, dance teaching education, yoga, and so forth. But, even those who have chosen not to pursue dance at a higher-level still talk about the values and ethics they learned from being on West Jordan's Dance Company, as well as the lifelong friendships made.
The members on the Dance Company positively push each other to grow as artists, choreographers, and as individuals. Dance Company members all demonstrate a passion for dance, while also learning life-long skills such as: learning the value of constructive criticism, multitasking, being an advocate for one's self, learning the art of collaboration, developing communication skills, and practicing abstract thinking. Dancers come in as technicians, but leave as true artists through delving into movement, improvisation, and choreography.
Basic Dance Company Requirements:
10th-12th graders only
Between 12-16 dancers are selected by a panel of outside judges
Dance Company members must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA (future officers must maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher)
Dance Company members must have good citizenship (no N's or U's), attendance, and rapport with teachers & administrators.
Dance Company members must exhibit strong technique and performance. Dancers learn between 20-30 dances in various styles each year; thus, they must be physically able to meet these demands.
Although it is not mandatory for auditions, it is highly recommended that Dance Company members practice the following tricks: kip-up, headspring, front handspring, left/right/or middle splits, cartwheels, clean triple pirouette, tilt jumps, firebird, a la seconde turns, toe touch, and turning stag leaps.
Advanced tricks that lead to more solo opportunities include: side aerial (left, right, or both), front aerial, back flips, back handsprings, around-the-world fouettes, float turns, double turning disc jumps, rubberband, and so forth.
Dance Company members and their families must be able to meet the financial obligations of the company (costs typically range between $1,200-$1,600 per year; not including the optional tour and/or optional dance conventions such as RADIX, NRG, or NUVO). Fundraisers are provided to help alleviate some expense, but dancers must meet these financial demands if they want to participate and perform.
Dance Company members must be dedicated to the program. In addition to our regular "B" day 8th period class, Dance Company members practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00-5:00 PM. Around concert season, Dance Company members spend approximately two weeks meeting daily (Monday-Friday) from 3:00-5:00 PM. The week of concert, Dance Company members stay until 9:00-9:30 PM each night. We have many performances throughout the school year, occasionally on Fridays and some Saturdays. Every Dance Company member is required to be fully committed to rehearsals, fundraisers, activities, and performances.
Once selected for the dance company, each dancer must fully commit to the school year (i.e. they are not allowed to audition for other dance/athletic teams that could conflict with the dance company schedule)
Audition Dates:
April 23-24, 2024; 3:30-6:30 PM
Audition Forms:
Digital applications are available on West Jordan Dance Company's Google Classroom page. Code: ubkvvyi
Audition information:
Dance Company Contract: Click here
Audition procedures: Click here
Audition check-list: Click here
Required forms:
Dance Company Audition Application: Click here
Parent/Guardian Contract: Click here
Digital link to teacher evaluations (two ACADEMIC teacher evaluations required): Click here
(Future sophomores ONLY) Digital link to dance instructor evaluation: Click here
Manager Application:
Required forms:
Dance Company Manager Contract: Click here
Dance Company Manager Application: Click here
Lettering Requirements
See the document below to access the lettering requirements for a member of West Jordan's Dance Company:
