INFORMATION ON THE GUSTAVUS DANCE TEAM

PERFORMANCE

Practices

• Team members are required to attend all scheduled practices throughout the season. The performance team will practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings with a Saturday morning rehearsal on game days. 
• Team members are expected to arrive with enough time to be ready at the start time of practice.
• Attendance is required. Exceptions will be granted based on major work, school, and family conflicts, as long as they are previously cleared by coaches.
• Hair should be in a slicked back bun and secured for the duration of practice.
• Clothes should be tighter-fitting athletic attire to allow for coaches and captains to have better viewing of technique and lines. Looser clothing and warm-up attire are acceptable for warm-ups, stretching, and first marks.
• Fridays before a performance, dancers should wear all-black; this can include tighter-fitting athletic gear that displays the Gustavus logo, emblem, or other Gustavus designs.

Football Halftime Performances

• The performance team will showcase new routines at home football games.
• Similar to practice expectations, all members are expected to be at all games on time and prepared.

Showcase Performances

• The performance team will debut at the Sauk Rapids-Rice Fall Dance Show on Saturday, Sept. 28.
• Dancers who make the team but are unable to attend should let the coaches know as soon as possible.
• Being unable to attend should not deter anyone from trying out.
• The team will always travel together for off-campus performances.

COMPETITION

Practices

• Team members are required to attend all scheduled practices throughout the season. 
• The competition team will practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings after performance season is completed, Wednesday Technique during performance season, Sunday mornings, and a lift once a week.
• Team members are expected to arrive with enough time to be ready at the start time of practice.
• Attendance is required. Exceptions will be granted based on major work, school, and family conflicts, as long as they are previously cleared by coaches.
• Clothes should be tighter-fitting athletic attire to allow for coaches and captains to have better viewing of technique and lines. Looser clothing and warm-up attire are acceptable for warm-ups, stretching, and first marks.
• On Sunday practices, rehearsals with our choreographer, and practices before competitions, dancers should wear all-black; this can include tighter-fitting athletic gear that displays the Gustavus logo, emblem, or other Gustavus designs.

Choreography

• The choreographer for the 2024-25 season is Shayna Christon from "The Movement MN."
• Choreography weekend will be the weekend following try-outs.
• Dancers who make the team but are unable to attend all or a portion of choreography should notify the coaches. Being unable to attend should not deter anyone from trying out.

Performances

• The competition team will perform at select showcases and basketball halftimes throughout the season.
• In previous years, the team has attended the College of Saint Benedict Dance Team Show, Best of the Best, and the MSU-Mankato Nationals Send-Off.

Nationals

• The competition team attends USA Collegiate Nationals in Anaheim, Calif.
• Prelims for the 2025 competition will be on Sunday, Feb. 16, and finals will take place on Monday, Feb. 17.
• The competition team will travel and stay together for nationals.