2012 – 2013
PatrietteDance Team Tryout Information Packet
Director: Mrs. Melissa Rayburn
Dear Patriette Candidate:
I am pleased that you are interested in trying out for the award winning Atascocita High School Patriette Dance Team. Being a member of our team provides many great learning opportunities for a young lady, such as: responsibility, maturity, time management, and dependability. You will also learn the value of hard work and self-discipline.
Before you make the commitment to tryout, we want you to take into consideration the time commitment and requirementsof being a dance team member. Because of theimmense time commitment, Patriettes will become a big part of your life. Once the team is chosen, practice will begin March 27th, and will be once a week to help prepare you for next year. Once this school year is over, practices run from August through Marchuntil 5:00 or so.
Being a Patriette also involvesongoing competition. Members of the team will tryout for each dance during football and contest season. Not everyone will make every dance. Even though there will be triumphs and disappointments, being a part of this team will leave you with life long friends and memories that you will cherish.
I have attached important information that you will need to know for the tryout procedure as well as forms that must be filled out and returned before you are eligible for tryouts. Please feel free to contact me by phone (281-641-7650) or by email ()if you still have questions after our tryout meeting. Iwould like to wish you the best of luck and remember: no matter what, you are winner for trying. If you do not make the team please consider taking dance class at AHS. We would love to have you in the dance department.
Sincerely,
Melissa Rayburn, M. Ed., & theEntire Patriette Family
Important Tryout Dates
Parent MeetingTuesday, February 28th 7:00 – 8:30Red LGI
Tryout PracticeMonday, March19th 4:30–6:30Small Gym
Tryout PracticeTuesday, March 20th 4:30 – 6:30 Small Gym
Tryout PracticeWednesday, March21st 4:30 – 6:30Small Gym
Mock Tryouts*Thursday,March 22nd 3:30 –5:30DanceRm.
TryoutsFriday,March 23rd 4:00 –7:00 DanceRm.
All practices & tryouts are closed to the public. If you wish to video the tryout dance, you must askMrs. Rayburn. You will only be allowed to video the Patriette officers performing the tryout dance. This will only take place during the last 10 minutes of each practice Mon., Tues., or Wed.!
FYI – the local studios usually offer help sessions for try-outs. Please contact CPAC, LHPAC or Profusion for more information!
What to Wear:
Practice – Comfortable dance clothes and shoes.
Tryouts – black leotard, black dance pants, and your choice of performance shoes, but no tennis shoes/sneakers are allowed. Your hair needs to be in a ponytail and you need to have on performance makeup.
General Information
Merit/Demerit System
The Patriettes have a handbook, which sets the guidelines and expectations for the team. The merit and demerit system are in place and followed. Merits are given for positive actions performed by a team member. The dancers have to fill out the merit form to receive their merits, and these merits count toward earning a letter jacket and as points toward senior scholarships. Demerits are given for minor & major indiscretions. Demerits cannot be worked off, and an accumulation of 16 will result in the dismissal from the team. You can view and print the 2010-2011 Handbook at our Patriette website: The new handbook will be up soon, andalthough there may be changes, they will be minor.
Sisterhood
We may have a Big Sis/Little Sis program depending on how many new girls we add to our team and how many returning girls we have that can serve as a big sister. This is where a returning member adopts a new member to be her little sister and serves as their“guide” for the year. We also have officers that split the team into smaller groups in the hopes that all the dancers feel connected.
Standards and Conduct
The Patriettes are representatives of AtascocitaHigh School and Humble ISD at all times. Members must maintain high moral and ethical standards, and always use good judgment.
Explanation of our team’s evolution & structure:
We started with one varsity program, had a JV and Varsity one year, had 2 varsity teams another year (one with a higher technical level than the other), and the past 2 years we had one varsity team again. Right now, the plan is to continue as one varsity team. If we split into two teams, based on technical level, this will only be for the spring contest season.
During contest season we audition for each of the 3 or 4 team dances that we take. Your daughter may be in all 4 dances or only one. Her technique in each dance style that we perform will determine that. We will perform a very technical, high-energy jazz dance, a technical lyrical ballet dance, and 1 or 2 other team dances. We usually do a pom dance, but have also competed in the military, novelty, production, and modern categories. We will see the teams’ strengths and go from there.
At our weekly team meetings we will begin to help the dancers identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Summer Dates
Our most profitable fund-raiser is or Future Patriette Camp (FPC). This year’s dates are: June 18th – 21st. The camp is held at the school by our booster club, but we ask that EVERY Patriette help teach at this camp. We also need a ton of booster parents to help. This camp serves girls ages 5 – 14. More details will be given later, but we ask that you start recruiting as soon as you become a member!
Official PatrietteSummer Camp for ALL will be August 13h – 17th 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Summer Practice is August 20th – 24th: time TBD but from about 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.It is an expectation that all Patriettes attend this Summer Campand Summer Practice. This is where they will learn the football routines, stand routines, a pep rally danceand maybe a contest routine. Absences from Summer Camp could impact your chances of performingat events because you will miss valuable instruction. All camp details will be emailed to you in late June. But, know now that camp is free, held at AHS by Mrs. Rayburn & the dance officers (DOs), and is a lot of fun. The girls really begin to bond at camp, but they work VERY hard as well. In addition to camp, there will also be technique days held over the summer. More information will be given to you when you make the team, but they are typically every Tuesday & Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 in the dance room. These are optional. And, we always encourage dancers to get studio or dance company instruction on their own! If you plan to make all contest routines, this training is essential!
New Girl Mandatory Practices/Meetings
Once you have made the team, you will need to attend Tuesday meetings & practices from March 27th– May 29th. There may be cancelations due to testing, but you will be given a calendar. These practices will be held at AHS in the dance room or gym from 4:30 – 6:00. Due to the middle school bell schedule, we understand that 8th graders may be a little late to practice/meetings. At these practices you will begin conditioning working on technique. You will also go over the handbook in detail, meet all the members, have some FUN!
Spring Show: April 19th – 21stat 7:00 at AHS in the PAC
Tickets are $5.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. We would LOVE for new parents to help us out with our Spring Show, so parents whose kids are dancing can enjoy watching the show, and we will give you a free ticket for helping.
Vendor Night: Tuesday, April 3rd 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
At this event you will try on dance clothes, place your orders, and pay for your yearly supplies. Each vendor will be paid directly, so bring your check book.
A supply list will be given to each candidate that makes the team within a few weeks after tryouts. The mandatory supplies will not cost more than $550.00 for new line members. Returning members will not pay more than $150.00
Please keep in mind that your second payment for supplies will be due: Tuesday, May 1st 4:30 – 6:30.
Induction: Thurs., May17th at AHS in the PAC 6:00 p.m.
This is where we ask all members to come in dressy casual clothes, along with their parents and we publicly announce the new and returning members as official Patriettes. On this night we will also have a chance for you to join the booster club and buy Patriette Spirit Items.
Patriette Candidate Application Checklist
Before you are eligible for tryouts or tryout practice, you must have submitted the following:
______Patriette Application
______Patriette Application essay
______Patriette Student/Parent Contract
______Patriette Expense Release Form
______$10.00non-refundabletryout fee (to pay for judges and fees[checks can be made out AHSPatriettes, with #125 AND your daughter’s name in the memo])
We encourage you to turn in all your paperwork and $10.00 early. If you wait until the first day of practice, you will have to wait in a long line and may miss part of warm-up or instruction. We will be ready to take your tryout items at our parent meeting on February 28th, and we will take all paperwork and your fee until March 22nd.
Question of the Night: howare the dancers chosen?
The girls will learn a technical intermediate level jazz dance, not limited to but, that may include the following skills:attitude turns, tour jetes, R double pirouettes, R, L, and centergrand jetes, axels, chaine turns, pique turns, high kicks (many styles), R and L splits, Calypso leaps, turning “C” jumps, and R fouettes; DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED! You do NOT need to have mastered ALL of these skills to be part of our team.
Each of the 3 judges will grade the girls on technical skill and fluidity. While showmanship is important for performance, it is given only 10% of the total point value.
Each judge will give a 0 to a 10 to each candidate for each of the 10 skills, for a total possible score of 100. The girls must score at least a 75 to “make” the team. This 75 will be an average of the 3 scores.
We don’t have a set number: whoever makes the score makes the team!
How will I know if I made it?
When tryouts are over the girls will sit in the gym, by order of their tryout number. They will all be given an envelope with their tryout # on it. That envelope will contain a letter that will let them know if they made the team.
So, what happens after I make it?
Your daughter will attend the new team meetings/practices mentioned earlier and will receive pertinent information about Patriettes. Parents will have an opportunity to join the booster club and different committees.
Again, all Patriettes are required to tryout for every dance!
Due to the varying technical levels of the dances to be performed during contest and/or football games, it is unlikely that everyone’s technical skills will be at the same level. As a result, tryouts will be held for each routine and not every girl will dance in every routine. We have become quit known for our high kick routine, so flexibility and specifically the right split are imperative – start stretching now.
How much does it cost? Please know that these values are approximate & money may be used in different areas or increments to accommodate the team, but we will NOT go over a budget of $300.00 per member.
Instead of asking for small amounts of money here and there, we have a yearly fee. This $300.00 fee covers the following: Pool Party (8), composite Pic (10), Parent Social (3), Football tee (15), water and snacks for f-ball games (12), Father Social (6), flower fund (5), female and first aid supplies (5), lock-in/fall ball (12), Christmas party (15), Mom Social (6),general supplies [CDs, scrapbook “stuff”, storage bins, etc.] (15), Contest entry fees (50), Buses to and from contests (50), Banquet (70), 1Contest tee shirt (12), end of yr. video (6)
This fee will be broken up into two payments of $150.00 each.
The first payment will be due Wednesday, June 20thduring Future Patriette Camp. The second payment will be due Tuesday, August7th. Please keep in mind that our first official booster parent meeting Showtime performance be around August 14th – you can buy spirit items again then, BUT they will not be in for the first football game. You can makethese payments with cash or money order OR you can join the booster club for $25.00 and pay by check to the booster club, as they only take checks from members. This year the family membership was $25.00 and with that comeswith voting privileges!
Please know that once you pay these fees, there will only be refunds for items not yet ordered or events that have not yet been paid! If your daughter quits, is removed, or does not attend some or all of the events that the fee covers, there will be no refundsfor past events or supplies ordered. Please know that we set a budget months in advance for each event and cannot make last minute changes without financial penalty.
If next year’s dance team budget from AHS is less than that in years past, then the last yearly fee paymentmay increase, but this increase would not be more than $50.00 per dancer.
Because the following are all OPTIONAL, the yearly fee does not include the following:
Big/Little Sister gifts – throughout the year, cost varies
Team & Individual Pictures, payable directly to the photographer
Football boy “stuff” (app. $50.00 for a tee, posters, & candy – you go out & buy what you need, if you choose to have a football boy)
Project Patrielves ($50.00), you shop & spend that amount on the child you chose
Secret Santa (app. $30.00) – you go out & buy what you need
Banquet Pictures, payable directly to the photographer
Sr. parents at banquet (app. $30.00 pp)
“Date” for banquet (35.00) – this will need to be paid for in March for May banquet
Contest spending money for food/drinks, or tees/patches – varies
Contest Costumes, mostly paid for by boosters, but you may need additional make-up, hair accessories, tights, shoes, cami bras, etc.
Solo & Duet, Trip, etc. entry fees, these fees are $75.00 - $100.00 per solo & about $50.00 - $60.00 per duet dancer
MANY SPIRIT ITEMS OFFERED BY BOOSTERS, like parent tees, DVDs, yard signs, car decals, etc.
Senior Trip – boosters aid with this, but could be $100.00 per senior dancer
Spring Trip– has yet to be determined or approved – a safe guess would be $1000.00 as I am requesting Disney World in Orlando
**Spending money for various social outings!**
Hopefully, CPAC, LHPAC & Profusion Performing Arts will againbeoffering ballet and/or technique class exclusively for Patriettes or at a reduced rate. Details are pending, but I will share as soon as I know!
As a last note
Please remember that tryouts are closed. Before tryouts can begin everyone must leave the campus, except those essential to the process. We ask that parents return at 7:00 and wait outside in the parking lot by the door marked “gymnasium”.
Please understand that no one will beallowed in the building while tryouts are taking place.
If you wish to speak with someone about the tryout you will need to call AHS and set up an appointment with Mrs. Colbert, the assistantprincipal in charge of the dance team program. Her number at AHS is 281-641-7715.
Financial Recap, w/in-state trip (orNew Orleans)
April 3rd– Vendor Night, supply fee #1 due, up to $300.00
May 1st – Supply fee #2 of 2 due, up to $300.00 – at our practice time
May 17th – join booster club, pay for spirit items
June 20th – $150.00 yearly fee #1 due
August 7th– $150.00yearly fee #2 due, join boosters/pay for spirit items
August 14th – BIG booster meeting, spirit items will be sold again
September –trip fee due, amount unknown (~ $200.00)
October– trip fee due, amount unknown (~ $200.00)
November – trip fee due, amount unknown (~ $200.00)
I am not set on a certain trip for next year, but I will know by August.
AtascocitaHigh SchoolPatriette Dance Team Application
(Please Print)
Current Grade: ______CurrentSchool: ______
Name: ______
Address: ______DOB: ______
City: ______Zip Code: ______
Applicant’s Email: ______
Phone Number: ______Optional Line: ______
Mom’s Name: ______Work #: ______
Mom’s Email: ______
Dad’s Name: ______Work #:______