Tryouts
Tryouts for the 2023-2024 Fort Collins Dance Team are from 5/8-5/10
Monday 5/8-
4:30-6:30p- FCHS commons (cafeteria)- tryout practice
4:30-6:30p- FCHS commons (cafeteria)- tryout practice
6:30-7:30p- FCHS commons (cafeteria)- informational parent meeting
Tuesday 5/9-
4:30-6:30p- FCHS gym 2 (small gym)- tryout practice
4:30-6:30p- FCHS gym 2 (small gym)- tryout practice
Wednesday 5/10-
4:30 until finished- FCHS gym 2 (small gym)- FINAL TRYOUT DAY!!
4:30 until finished- FCHS gym 2 (small gym)- FINAL TRYOUT DAY!!
WHAT DO I NEED FOR TRYOUTS?
(PLEASE USE THE LINK ABOVE TO ENTER IN YOUR INFORMATION FOR THE COACHES)
(ORANGE CARDS ARE MANDATORY FOR TRYOUTS AND ARE 100% REFUNDABLE IF YOU DONT MAKE THE TEAM)
To pay online for a current psd high school student you may use SchoolPay - Checkout for current high school students
To pay online for a current psd 8th graders entering into high school for the year 2023-2024 you may use SchoolPay - Checkout for current 8th graders
Step 5- Please bring a printout of your most recent grade report to tryouts or email a copy to ameeks@psdschools.org (due 5/10)
WHAT DO I WEAR/BRING TO TRYOUTS?
-Wear any comfortable, fitted, athletic clothing for the clinics on 5/8 and 5/9
-Bring tennis shoes AND jazz shoes or turners.
-Bring a water bottle and a snack to eat while you are waiting during tryouts on Wednesday, if needed.
-Hair needs to be secured out of your face for all clinics and tryouts.
-You should be "gameday ready" - meaning your hair and make-up is done nicely (similar to stage make up) on Wednesday, 5/10.
-Please wear all black on 5/10. Black spandex or leggings and a black shirt or tank top. NO BRA TOPS - your midrifts must be covered please. (Shoes can be any color - don't have to be black)
-Please bring a printout of your most recent grade report to tryouts or email a copy of them to ameeks@psdschools.org
Overall, what are we looking for?
Coachability
Dedication
Perseverance
Great attitudes
Teamwork
Hard work ethic
Integrity
CONSISTENCY AND GRIT!!
Required Skills for our sideline team
*Dancer must demonstrate solid completion of the following:
-Right & Left Grand Jete
-Toe Touch
-Strong Arm Motions (Pom)
-Kicks (Both sides, above 90 degrees)
*Dancer needs to be able to demonstrate that they have a solid understanding of the following technique/tricks:
-Pirouette
-Coupe Turn
-Calypso
-Firebird
-Turning Disc
-Right, Left & Center Splits
-Leg Holds
-Turning C-Jump
-hiphop Isolations
-Kip Up
-Headspring
Required Skills for our competitive team
*In addition to the required sideline team skills, dancer must demonstrate solid completion of the following:
-Double Pirouette
-Double Coupe Turn
-Firebird
-Right, Left & Center Splits
-Leg Hold (either side, at least 4 counts)
-Strong hip-hop motions/isolations
-Kip-up
-Stall
*Dancer needs to be able to demonstrate that they have a solid understanding of the following technique/tricks:
-Turning C-Jump
-Calypso
-Turning Disc
-Headspring
-a la seconds and variations
WANT TO SHARPEN UP YOUR SKILLS FOR TRYOUTS?
TUMBLING FOR DANCERS CLASS AT TIMBERLINE GYMNASTICS
TUMBLING FOR DANCERS CLASS AT TIMBERLINE GYMNASTICS
SATURDAYS 9:30pm-10:30am - High School Tumbling for Dancers
This class is for any athletes wanting to work on Kip Ups, Headsprings, Aerials, and advanced transitions of these skills.
PREREQUISITES: NONE! (Must be entering or in 9th-12th Grade)
Cost: $126/month (prorated depending on weeks in the month)
When registering - We currently have the class set to 12 athletes maximum - this is our 1 coach to 12 athlete ratio that we use to ensure all athletes get appropriate 1:1 time with coaches. If you/your athlete is not one of the first 12 enrolled - please enroll on the waitlist.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://app.iclasspro.com/portal/xatimberline
***PLEASE ENROLL IN THE WAITLIST IF NEEDED - THE CLASS WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED TO MORE ATHLETES ONCE I'M ABLE TO SEE HOW MANY ARE COMMITTED TO ENROLLMENT AND CAN SECURE THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF COACHES***
For more information, please email or call the front desk:
Timberline Gymnastics
frontdesk@timberlinegym.com
970-226-0306
Prospective Parents and Dancers,
Thank you for your interest in our program. We invite you to get to know a bit more about our program by exploring the information provided on our website.
The Fort Collins High School Dance Team is comprised of talented and dedicated dancers selected through a tryout process each spring. We perform at home football and basketball games throughout the school year as well as various community events and competitions.
Our season is truly year-round. As such, dance team must be considered the dancer’s extracurricular priority. With that said, many of our team members are involved in numerous enriching activities and clubs in addition to dance team including school band, LASA, outside studio dance companies and many more. We believe involvement in these activities is critical to each dancer’s overall development, so long as it doesn’t create a burden on their studies.
Academics are a top priority for our program. Finding a healthy balance between academics and extracurricular activities is a top priority for each dancer and the coaching staff is committed to helping each dancer reach their highest potential in all areas of their high school experience.
The varsity dancers are dedicated to performing at the highest level each time we take the field or the floor, bringing entertaining, challenging routines for our crowds to enjoy. The long tradition of excellence, set by teams that have come before us, motivates us to ‘practice hard, dance harder’ throughout our season, working as one TEAM. Some of our top priorities include supporting our fantastic athletic teams and exhibiting what it means to be a dancer on and off the field. However, being a varsity dancer is so much more than dancing on the sidelines.
In addition to performances and competitions, dancers’ complete numerous hours of community events and fundraising each year. We also find time to bond as a team through fun activities several times each semester. Please take a look at our website for some highlights.
If you have any questions at all about our program, please don’t hesitate to let us know. And, if you’re ever at a game or event, please introduce yourself. We look forward to hearing from you!
Dancingly,
Ashley Meeks
Varsity Head Coach
ameeks@psdschools.org
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT:
TEAM MOTTO: THE WORK IS WORTH IT
TEAM QUOTE: “DONT WISH FOR IT, WORK FOR IT”
EXCELLENCE PILLARS OF FORT COLLINS HIGH SCHOOL:
1. ACCEPTANCE
2. PRIDE
3. INTEGRITY
4. RESPECT
5. RESPONSIBILITY
WHAT ARE THE PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE?
The FCHS Pillars of Excellence provides the foundation for behavioral expectations of students and staff and articulates the attributes that all Lambkins should value and exhibit: Acceptance, Pride, Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility. Adorning our school from the gymnasium to the cafeteria and from the hallways to the classrooms are banners and posters of the FCHS Pillars of Excellence, each pillar with expectations for behavior at that particular location in the building.
Our entire staff recognizes students and adults who exemplify positive behaviors. Students can receive Clyde Kudos Coupons from staff that they can turn in for a prize. Students who consistently model the Pillars are nominated quarterly for recognition. Staff are selected for their positive representation of the Pillars and are recognized at the monthly faculty meeting.
The consistent reinforcement of the qualities and behaviors that are represented by the Pillars of Excellence make FCHS a place where not only is excellence expected, but where excellence is taught, modeled and rewarded.
TRADITIONS
· Fight Song- this melody is often played by our FCHS band members and one that you’ll hear echoing a few minutes before each of our performances. It also represents our mission: To relentlessly pursue excellence on and off the field and to make a positive and meaningful impact on our classmates, neighbors and future dancers.
· Lambkin– The lambkin is our trademark symbol, a tradition started many years ago.
· Big Sis/Little Sis – Within each team, rookies are paired with veterans for mentoring throughout the season.
· Team dinners – The Varsity squad parents host team dinners before select home football and basketball games.
IMPORTANT DATES
*Season calendars will be presented to dancers once the team has been formed*
Season Kickoff/Uniform Fitting Meeting:
-DATE AND TIME TBD
Dancers’ attendance is mandatory to ensure sizing is completed appropriately and we can order all items in accordance with our timeline
Summer Training:
-DATE AND TIME TBD
Typically held as optional technique and conditioning classes to help prepare for TEAM camp.
TEAM Camp:
-UDA: JULY 24TH- 27TH OVERNIGHT (HOSTING SITE: UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO)
Please mark this on your calendars now and advise of any major conflicts. Summer dance camp is mandatory and absolutely critical to our season - please try to avoid any scheduling conflicts and alert the coaching staff of any issues as soon as possible. We're excited to announce that our team will be attending a Varsity Brand Camp this summer. This is a 4-day overnight camp and the same camp we attended in 2021 and 2022. There is a $100 deposit fee for camp that will be due at the time of the parent meeting after tryouts (date and time TBD). This payment is extremely important so we can hold our pre-registration spot for this very popular camp that WILL sell out.
Season practices:
Dancers will also be required to begin regularly scheduled practices beginning 7/31 to start learning the dance team's FIGHT SONG, sideline dances, and perfecting their camp dances to perform for football halftimes.
· Monday- 4:30-6:30
· Tuesday- 4:30-6:30
· Thursday- 4:30-6:30
· Fridays are typically game days or practice 4:30-6:30
Season performance schedule:
· FOOTBALL SEASON: August-October
· COMPETITION SEASON: October-December (nationals, if we qualify, would be in February)
· BASKETBALL SEASON: December-February
· SHOWCASE SEASON: February-April