Tryouts for the Sartell High School Sabre Dance Team are held in the spring, usually at the beginning of March, for 3-4 days. We would LOVE to have you try out for our team! Tryouts are for the WINTER Competitive Team (Winter Varsity sport at Sartell High School). Tryouts are open to ALL athletes who will be in grades 8th through 12th grade next year. Dance experience helpful but not required. SSDT members...help spread the word about tryouts!
DETAILS FOR THE 2024-2025 SEASON
Dates for tryouts for the 2024-2025 season are: Tuesday March 5th: 4pm-6pm Wednesday March 6th: 4pm-6pm Thursday March 7th: 4pm-8:00pm *Tryouts will not run past 8pm. How long it takes depends on the number of athletes trying out. We will have a better idea of end time on day 2 of tryouts. We may get done earlier than 8pm.
If you are an interested athlete who missed tryouts, please contact head coach Kelly McCarney at [email protected].
In person tryouts: Location: Riverview Intermediate School Gym (RIS) The first 2 days of tryouts you will be learning and practicing your tryout combos and skills. On the last day you will go in front of the judges in groups of 3 to perform the skills and combo you have learned. You will find out that day if you made the team. What to wear to tryouts: athletic wear: sports bra, tennis shoes, shorts or leggings, tank top or tee shirt. If you have jazz shoes or turners bring them along!
Video submission tryout: If you are unable to attend the in-person tryout you may submit a video of you showcasing your dance skills and performing a dance routine. This can be any style of dance, but we would prefer you to show us either jazz, kick, lyrical or ballet (no hip hop or tap please). We ask that your video be only of the person trying out (not a group video). There should only be one person in the video. We will be accepting video tryout submissions from March 1-7th 2024. For those dancers who are trying out via video, we will contact them individually to let them know if they have made the team.
Things you can work on to prepare for tryouts:
Start stretching! Flexibility is key to dance. Also, contact a current or past SSDT member. They are more than willing to show you some skills or help you out! Common skills we look for at tryouts:
Splits- right, left and center
Jete leap
Firebird leap
Russian/Toe touch
Pirouettes: triple pirouette is the goal for ALL SSDT dancers. Double pirouette is a minimum standard when first trying out.
Quad pirouette is the minimum standard for jazz routines. Triple for competitive kick dances.
Fouettés: not required, but helpful if you can demonstrate. All dancers at the varsity level are required to be able to do one 8 count of fouettés into a double pirouette into a leap or jump for varsity kick.
Kicks: we are looking for basics at tryouts. Strong and straight upper body, straight knees, pointed toes. Kicks to be at eye level or higher.
Remember, dance experience is NOT required to tryouts!We are looking for athletic young women with a desire to learn, work hard and have fun!
Some additional important information: -Athletes will be notified in person the last day of tryouts if they have made the team. -Placements of Varsity level and JV level for kick and jazz will be decided on the first day of the winter competition season in October. -Everyone tries out every year. Even previous team members returning try out to make the team. Due to the high level of dancers that we have try out each year, veterans are NOT automatically guaranteed their spot on the team. -Dancers who make the team will be placed in the fall (on the first day of the winter competition season) on leveled teams. This year we plan to have Varsity & JV levels for kick and Varsity, JV and B squad levels for jazz. -All athletes will be placed on teams for both kick and jazz. Some dancers may be alternates at a level if they do not meet the minimum skill requirements. -Grade level is NOT taken into consideration when placement on a team. We will place dancers based on their ability, regardless of their age & grade level. Example: an 8th grader may be placed on Varsity jazz & JV Kick. A senior may be placed on Varsity kick and b squad jazz. All levels of our program (Varsity, JV & B squad) are highly skilled and competitive with other Class AAA dance programs. -We offer an extensive & wide varsity of summer & fall training options for members of our team so that each person feels prepared & ready to start the winter competition season at the end of October. Summer & fall training opportunities will be shared at our annual spring informational meeting.