If you are planning on trying out for the dance team we strongly recommend that you attend this clinic, however it is not required. This is a great opportunity to work on technique and to ask any questions or concerns you may have. The clinic is typically the week before preliminary tryouts so check back in spring for more details.

All squad members must tryout out each year. Student wishing to tryout for the squad must:

• Be an enrolled UWM student or in process of applying to UWM
• High school seniors and transfer students must be admitted to UWM prior to June 30th
• Be available for the entire term (April to April)
• Must be available to attend summer camp (Early August)

The dance team supports the university's nondiscrimination policy and welcomes all UWM students to participate in the selection process. However, dancing requires a high level of physical activity and strength. If you have or have had injuries that may cause any physical limitations, you must notify the advisor prior to tryouts to determine if reasonable accommodations can be made to allow you to tryout. Medical certification will be required outlining any disability and restrictions associated with the your physical limitation. The advisor will decide in accordance with ADA standards if it will prevent you from performing dance team responsibilities and disqualify you from tryouts. The advisor's decision is appealable to University Student Court.

Tryouts consist of two parts: Preliminaries and Finals which occur on two Saturdays a week a part. They are held at Engelmann Gym which is located on Hartford Ave between Maryland Ave and Cramer St.

Candidates with extraordinary circumtances or that live too far away to come in for both days may submit a video tape in lieu of attending the preliminary tryout. To qualify the coach must be notified at least a month in advance.

Please see Video Tape Procedures for more information.

Are typically held on a Saturday and located at Engelmann Gym. Please mail in your application in early to ensure a prompt start!

Please wear all black form-fitting clothing so that judges can see all your movement. Also make yourself presentable with your hair pulled back out of your face.

Bring along with you (if you haven't mailed in already):

• Dance Team Application
• a recent Non-Returnable Photograph

Candidates will learn a short dance and fight song routine. The short dance will be more jazz in style and the fight song routine will be more traditional pom. At the end of preliminaries each candidate will be evaluated on the dance routine and select skills for self-confidence, technique, and dance skill. Only those candidates meeting the minimum skill level will proceed to finals. After all candidates are evaluated the finalists will be announced at the end of the day.

At the preliminary tryouts the instruction level will be intermediate to advance. Candidates with no prior pom pon or dance experience are helped, but other candidates are not held back for the slower learner's sake. For individuals wishing to brush up on their dance skills: Many local dance teams and pom pon squads, including UWM, offer dance clinics to help students prepare for tryouts. Call the schools in your area to get more information about any clinics they may offer.

Are typically held on a Saturday and located at Engelmann Gym. Please wear all black form-fitting clothing so that judges can see all your movement. Also make yourself presentable with your hair pulled back out of your face.

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills, dance, and fight song routines learned at preliminaries. Dancers are scored in rhythm, showmanship, skills, memory, endurance, and dance technique. The new members will be announced after all candidates are evaluated.

Judges for the final tryout are selected from regional dance team coaches or choreographers, dance studio instructors, and former dance team members who have been off the squad for at least 2 years.  High and low scores are dropped to eliminate any perceived bias.