2019-2020 Tryout Information
Friday, April 19- Saturday, April 20, 2019
Tryout Requirement Checklist:
- Rally Cat Application
- Application Questions
- Medical Release Form
- Copy of Current Physical (within the last 6 months)
- Copy of Sickle Cell Test Results (required by the NCAA)
- Proof of Medical Insurance
- Verification of Enrollment
- Current CU Students:
- High School Students:
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 17, 2019
The application form and questions must be submitted to Coach Leslie Spearman by 5:00pm on Wednesday, April 17th.
All remaining tryout documents (medical release, sickle cell results, verification of enrollment, copy of physical, and proof of medical insurance) may be turned in during check-in on the first day of tryouts. You will not be able to participate if you are missing any paperwork.
Preparing for your tryout:
- Review the list of individual skills and ask questions if anything looks unfamiliar to you (ex. your studio may have called it by a different name).
- A background in dance is not required but is recommended and helpful.
- Regular dance classes will prove beneficial in the tryout process.
- Familiarize yourself with Clemson University traditions.
- Pom, jazz, and hip hop are all equally required styles, if you recognize a weakness in one area, spend time practicing that style specifically.
Team Expectations:
The Clemson University Rally Cats are under the direction of the Clemson University Athletic Department. As a team member you will receive a stipend and have privileges and resources reserved only for student-athletes. With these privileges comes a responsibility to carry out all team requirements, and do so in a manner that is a positive reflection of yourself, your teammates, your coach, and the University. By trying out you are agreeing to put forth the effort and commitment that is expected from all Clemson University student-athletes. You are agreeing to be a constant ambassador of Clemson University in your daily activities, both in uniform and out.
Duties and commitments of this team include, but are not limited to the following:
- Attend preseason camp & practices beginning in late July
- 2 hour practices, 3 times per week
- 6:30 am workouts 2 times per week
- Perform at:
- All home football games - report approximately 2.5 hours prior to kickoff
- All home Menʼs basketball games - report approximately 1.5 hours prior to tipoff
- Numerous men's/women's soccer, women's volleyball, and men's baseball games.
- Various campus and community events
- Make appearances at promotional events for Clemson Athletic Department sponsors.
- Thanksgiving & Winter Break
- All Rally Cats will be required to dance in at least 2 basketball games over holiday breaks.
- Competition
- Competing at NDA College nationals is optional. Those who commit to Nationals may be required to return early from Winter and/or Spring Break.
Eligibility:
All team members must be full time students (at least 12 credits). Incoming freshmen and transfer students must provide proof of acceptance. If you are placed on the waiting list, you may try out for a position pending your acceptance. Current Clemson students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and be free of any academic or disciplinary probation to be eligible to tryout.
Method of Evaluation:
The coaching staff is dedicated to selecting a team of dancers who will be excellent ambassadors of Clemson University at all times. An experienced panel of judges will be assessing the following: technical dance skills, performance and spirit, and ability to appear/speak in public.
Video Tryouts:
Every candidate is strongly encouraged to attend the live tryout April 19-20. A video tryout will only be allowed in extenuating circumstances and upon approval of the coaching staff.
Requirements for video tryouts include:
- Meet with coaching staff for a private interview
- Demonstrating all technical skills in a video filmed by coaching staff
- Perform Tiger Rag in a video filmed by coaching staff
- Perform jazz and hip hop routines in a video filmed by coaching staff
Contact Coach Leslie Spearman to request and schedule a video tryout. Deadline for filming is Wednesday, April 17, 2019.
Tryout Weekend Schedule:
Pre-Audition Clinic: Friday, April19, 2019 (required)
- 4:00-4:30 pm: Check In & Official Tryout Photos
- 4:30-5:30 pm: Warm Up & Tryout Skill Review
- 5:30-6:00 pm: Tiger Rag Review
- 6:00-7:15 pm: Jazz Choreography
- 7:15-8:30 pm: Hip Hop Choreography
Preliminary Audition: Saturday, April 20, 2018 (required)
- 8:00-8:30 am: Check In & Stretch
- 8:30 am-12:00 pm: Preliminary Auditions
- Technical Skills assessment
- grand battements (right & left to front and side)
- extensions to front and side (right & left)
- Leg hold turn (leg of choice)
- Triple & quadruple pirouette (right & left)
- Turns a la seconde (right)
- Grande jete (right & left)
- Leap in second (side of choice)
- Firebird leap (side of choice)
- Calypso leap (side of choice)
- Aerial (side of choice)
- Headspring/Kip Up/Rubberband (show at least one)
- Tiger Rag assessment
- 12:00-12:30 pm: Lunch Break
- Preliminary Results/Interview Times emailed at 12:00 pm
- 12:30-4:30 pm: Finalist Interviews (required for Finalists)
- 4:30-7:00 pm: Final Audition (required for Finalists)
- Technical skills assessment
- extensions to front and side (right & left)
- quadruple pirouette (right & left)
- Turn combination of your choice
- Turning disk (right)
- Switch tilt jump (side of choice)
- Leap combination of your choice
- Aerial (side of choice)
- Headspring/Kip Up/Rubberband (show at least one)
- Jazz Combination assessment
- Hip Hop Combination assessment
- 7:00-7:30 pm: Call Backs
- Be prepared to demonstrate technical skills and/or perform Tiger Rag, Jazz, Hip Hop during this time
Announcement of Team: 9:00 pm, Saturday, April 20th, 2019
- Announcement will be made via email
Tryout Attire:
Pre-Audition Clinic: Friday, April 19, 2019 (required)
- Any color crop dance top
- Black spandex shorts/leggings/pants
- Jazz shoes
- Tennis shoes
- Game Day makeup & hair (may pull hair back for skills review and learning)
Preliminary Audition: Saturday, April 20, 2019 (required)
- Black crop dance top/sports bra
- Black spandex shorts/leggings/pants
- Jazz shoes
- Game Day makeup & hair
Interview: Saturday, April 20, 2019 (required for Finalists)
- Business casual attire
- Orange/Purple/White preferred
- Game Day makeup & hair
Final Audition: Saturday, April 20, 2019 (required for Finalists)
- Orange/Purple crop dance top/sports bra
- Black spandex shorts/leggings/pants
- Sweat pants (optional for hip hop portion)
- Jazz shoes
- Tennis shoes
- Game Day makeup & hair