LaGrange High School

Leopardette

DANCE TEAM HANDBOOK

2016-2017

Dance Team Member Duties
  1. I will keep academics as my number one priority.
  1. I will be positive toward my school, team and sponsor.
  1. I will do my best at all practices and performances for the entire year.
  1. I will promote school spirit and sportsmanship by my works and actions.
  1. I will be a positive leader and role model for my team, school and community.
  1. I will be someone others can count on to be hard working, dependable, and positive.
  1. I will be the type of dancer that I would like to teach.
  1. I will help others.
  1. I will work at improving my dancing skills.

Dance Team Code

I understand that while fulfilling this primary purpose, I will practice working graciously with others, develop appropriate conduct, and maintain high scholastic achievements. In so doing, I will have the opportunity to build character, proactive loyalty to the school and to my fellow students, develop a sense of duty, and help build and uphold traditions of the school.

MEMBERSHIP

Basic Tryout Requirements

A. Members of the Dance Team will be chosen from 2015-2016 La Grange students, grades 8-11.

B. The term of membership begins the day that member is officially notified that she made the Dance Team and continues until officially terminated.

  1. In order to gain membership, each student must fulfill all of the following requirements:
  1. All dance team members must tryout for a place on the dance team each year.
  2. Each prospective girl must tryout in front of a panel of judges.
  3. Two or three outside judges with dance knowledge will judge tryouts.
  4. Students will be notified on the school website the day of tryouts. Students are asked to be sensitive to those who were not selected.
  5. Prospective members may not be in SAC or AEP during tryouts.
  6. Prospective members and their parents must be aware of the expense of the dance team.
  7. Student must be present at the mandatory tryout meeting and tryout practices in order to be eligible for tryouts. Absence to mandatory tryout meeting and any practices will result in ineligibility to try out(unless cleared with the sponsor ahead of time).

Expected Expenses:

(All prices are estimates, actual prices may vary.)

  1. Bag…………………………………………………………….……………..……………….$30-$40
  2. Pants………………………………………………………………………………………………….$32
  3. Game Day Top………………………………………………………………………………….$26
  4. Leotard………………………………………………………………………………………………$85
  5. Top……………………………………………………………………………………………………$80
  6. Shoes……………………………………………………………………………………………….$30
  7. Tights (skin colored and black $15 a piece)………………………….….……$30
  8. Skirt………………………………………………………………………………………………….$30
  9. Hair Accessory………………………………………………………………………………….$10
  10. Black Leotard……………………………………………………………………………………$16
  11. Make-Up Kit……………………………………………………………………………………..$25

Tax will be added on all items.

Dance Team Duties

Each dance team member will:

  1. Complete all assignments as determined by the sponsor.
  2. Follow instructions of sponsor and officers.
  3. Report any problems immediately to the Sponsor.
  4. Pay attention to the game being played and support the team.
  5. Participate in all dance team activities.
  6. Perform each routine to the best of her ability (showing the audience her beautiful smile).
  7. Participate in stand routines.
  8. Enter the stadium and field with pride.

Maintaining Membership

Each member must adhere to and abide by all rules and regulations set forth in the dance team handbook, school code of conduct, and by the dance team sponsor.

A.Grade Requirements
  1. Each dancer must meet the “no pass-no play” requirements in order to participate.
  2. All grade will be checked and recorded immediately following the close of each six weeks.

FAILURE TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT:

  • THE DANCER WILL BE REMOVED FROM DANCE TEAM ACTIVITIES AT THE CLOSE OF THE SCHOOL DAY ONE WEEK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE END OF THE SIX WEEKS’ PERIOD.
  • INELIGIBLE DANCERS MAY REGAIN ELIGIBILITY IN THREE WEEKS IF THEY ARE PASSING ALL OF THEIR SCHEDULED CLASSES ON THE NEXT PROGRESS REPORT. IF SO, THEY MAY PARTICIPATE BEGINNING THE CLOSE OF THE SCHOOL DAY AT THE END OF THE 4TH WEEK OF THE SIX WEEKS.
  • A dancer who is ineligible to perform due to grades will not be able to come to practices or performances.
B.Conduct Requirements
  1. It is expected that a dancers’ conduct be satisfactory.
  2. Any member who receives a “U” in conduct will be subjected to a conference with the sponsor(s) and appropriate discipline may be assigned.
  3. Dancers are to abide by the rules and regulations as stipulated in the La Grange Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct.
  4. Dancers assigned to SAC may not participate in practices or performances during those assignments. Practices and performances missed will count as unexcused absences and must be made up before the dancer may perform again. Any dancer assigned to SAC more than once during football season will be removed from the team. Any dancer assigned to AEP will be removed from the team.
  5. A member will be subjected to a conference with the sponsor(s) and principal to discuss disciplinary measures to be taken if found guilty of any of the following:

*smoking, drinking, drug abuse, use of profanity, defacing property, fighting, M.I.P., or any other violation of civil/criminal law. *CONFLICTS WITH THE LAW—OUTSIDESCHOOL will follow district policy!

  1. A dancer with a visible hickey or marks resembling a hickey will not be allowed to perform and will be given an unexcused absence.
  2. Cell phones may not be used during camp, practices or performances. They must be left on silent and only used with the permission of your sponsor.
  1. Attitude Requirements
  1. A dancer is expected to exhibit a positive attitude at all times.
  2. A dancer should never take part in or encourage complaining, griping, or “bad mouthing” the dance team, the school, the sponsor or faculty.
  3. A dancer will support any project undertaken by the dance team.
  1. Attendance Requirements

Dancers should be aware that when they are absent for any reason, it puts a strain on the remaining dancers. The formations and appearance of the dance team depend on everyone being present. **Excessive absences are unacceptable.**

  1. Absence from any drill team activity is unexcused except for the circumstances listed below:
  2. Personal illness or accident.
  3. Death in the family.
  4. Prearranged special activities with approval by the sponsor.
  5. General requirements
  6. Doctor appointments should be scheduled around practice and performances.
  7. Any member who misses practice will be held responsible for any instruction missed.
  8. When a dancer is to be absent, it is her responsibility to contact the sponsor before the absence occurs. If they do not, the absence will be counted as unexcused.
  9. Absences
  10. Three excused absences from practice will turn into one unexcused absence.
  11. Two excused absences from a performance will turn into one unexcused absence.
  12. Three unexcused absences would require a meeting with the dancer, sponsor(s), principal and parent and a one-week suspension.
  1. Immediate Consequence for Absence
  2. If you miss more than 50% of the practices before a performance, you may not be able to participate in the performance if the sponsor feels you are not prepared.
  3. Excused absence — run 1 mile, no walking.
  4. Unexcused absence — run 3 miles, no walking.
  5. All make up kicks will be completed on the morning the absence occurs, or the 1st morning the member returns to practice. All make-up miles will be done Friday mornings. Make-ups must be completed before a dancer may participate in a performance.
  6. Excessive Absences May Result In:
  7. A dancer being removed from the team.
  8. A dancer not being recognized at the Band Banquet.
  9. A dancer not receiving a letter jacket.
  1. Tardiness for practices, games and returning from breaks is unacceptable.
  2. Dancers who are tardy will do one eight count of high kicks for every minute late up to 10 minutes.
  3. A tardy is 1-10 minutes late. If the dancer is more than 10 minutes late, the tardy becomes an excused absence.
  4. Dancers will receive an unexcused absence upon the 3rd tardy.
  1. Summer Requirements

a. All members are expected to attend a mandatory camp.

  1. Practices will begin immediately following camp.
  2. Absences from any of these practices will result in unexcused absences.
  1. Transportation
  2. Dance team members are required to ride a school bus to all activities, except for Fayette County Fair Parade.
  3. Dance team members may be released after a function to their parent or guardian, only if the parent or guardian is present at the appointed location with the member and signs a release form for the member.
  4. Being signed out by a person other than your parent/guardian must be approved by the superintendant and submitted to the sponsor prior to leaving the high school.

Practice Guidelines

  1. Dance team members are expected to arrive in the gym by 6:15 am on practice day mornings during football season.
  1. Stretching will begin at 6:30 am. Anyone arriving after this time will be counted tardy and will have consequences applied.
  1. Dancers will be dismissed by the sponsor at 7:45 am.
  1. If the sponsor calls an extra practice all members must be ready to practice at that time.

UNIFORMS AND DRESS CODE

  1. The selection and purchase of equipment and uniforms will be handled by the sponsor in accordance with school policy. All uniforms must be paid for prior to being issued.
  1. No uniforms may be used, changed, or altered in any way without prior permission of the sponsor. Uniforms or parts of the uniform may not be used by any other individual or organization, without prior permission of the sponsor.
  1. Dance team uniforms cannot be worn to class.
  1. Dance Team Game Day shirt must be worn every game day unless the member is participating in the theme day dress.
  1. Some uniforms/equipment are the property of La Grange Independent School District. Dancers who abuse or mishandle the uniforms may lose the privilege of using the uniform/equipment.Which may result in not being able to participate in a game one week.
  1. Dance shoes or tennis shoes must be worn at all practices and performances. No slippers or bare feet.
  1. Jewelry of any kind, including earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, toe rings, belly button rings, tongue rings, etc, shall not be worn at practices, games or pep rallies.
  1. Medium to long hair should be worn pulled back from the face during practices.
  1. Chewing gum or candy will not be permitted during practice or performances.
  1. Hair will be fixed according to the sponsor’s guidelines for performances.

Lettering Requirements

  1. Minimum Requirements
  2. Dance team members must meet school attendance requirements for thefreshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year.
  3. Active participation in all dance team activities for two years is required.
  4. Jackets will be ordered in the fall of the member’s second year.
  5. Exclusions

1. Any dance team member receiving more than one SAC or one AEP assignment will not be considered for a letter jacket.

2. Any dance team member with more than three unexcused absences from practices or performances will not be considered for a letter jacket.

3. Any dance team member with less than 85% attendance at all activities will not be considered for a letter jacket.

4. Any dance team member with more than one off-campus violation of the non-school alcohol/drug/misdemeanor offense policy will not be considered for a jacket.

5. Satisfactory participation at camp is required to be considered for a letter jacket.

Officer Selection:

  1. Prospective Leopardette officers shall be members in good standing and shall be tested and selected by a group of judges who have knowledge of the fundamentals of dance and dance team work.
  2. Academic and discipline requirements must be met.
  3. Tryouts may consist of a 1/4team tryout scores, 1/2 officer tryout scores and 1/4 drill team vote. Officer tryouts consist of an original dance routine of 1-2 minutes and judges interviews. Drill team vote will be conducted after officer candidates either assist in teaching tryout routines or run several practices and will be based on leadership and teaching ability. Each candidate will attend all workouts scheduled for officer tryouts.
  4. Each candidate must have at least one year of drill team experience.

Officer Duties

New officers’ duties begin immediately after their selection by the judges.

  1. General Requirements
  2. All officers are required to follow all standards set forth in the handbook explicitly.
  3. All officers must maintain the consistency of the dance technique throughout the drill team.
  1. Specific Duties of Officers
  1. Colonel
  2. To motivate others and promote positive attitudes.
  3. Assist in the construction and instruction of dance routines.
  4. Complete all assignments as determined by the sponsor.
  5. Prepare and participate in drill team awards.
  6. Work with head cheerleader when asked to do so.
  7. Watch sponsor at all activities for instructions as needed.
  8. Report any problems immediately to the sponsor.
  9. Set and model the proper standards of dance and behavior for all members.
  10. Keep the drill team on task at all events.
  11. Organize all stretching activities.
  12. Explain needed improvements to other members in a positive, helpful manner.

2. Lt. Colonel

  1. Take over the job of Colonel, when she is not available.
  2. To motivate others and promote positive attitudes.
  3. Assist in the construction and instruction of dance routines.
  4. Complete all assignments as determined by the sponsor.
  5. Prepare and participate in drill team awards.
  6. Report any problems immediately to the Colonel.
  7. Set and model the proper standards of dance and behavior for all members.
  8. Keep the drill team on task at all events.
  9. Help the Colonel organize all stretching activities.
  10. Explain needed improvements to other members in a positive, helpful manner.
  11. Serve as historian – take pictures and compile a scrapbook.

3. Major

  1. Take over the job of Lt. Colonel when she is not available.
  2. To motivate others and promote positive attitudes.
  3. Assist in the construction and instruction of dance routines.
  4. Complete all assignments as determined by the sponsor.
  5. Prepare and participate in drill team awards.
  6. Report any problems immediately to the Colonel.
  7. Set and model the proper standards of dance and behavior for all members.
  8. Keep the drill team on task at all events.
  9. Help Colonel organize all stretching activities.
  10. Explain needed improvements to other members in a positive, helpful manner.
  11. Serve as quartermaster – responsible for all uniforms and equipment. Make sure that all members are informed of what to wear. Insure all hair and make-up is uniform. Make sure all equipment is stored properly and is taken to all events and returned to the drill team room (pom-poms, hoops, stereo, run-through).

4. Captain

  1. Take over the job of Major when she is not available.
  2. To motivate others and promote positive attitudes.
  3. Assist in the construction and instruction of dance routines.
  4. Complete all assignments as determined by the sponsor.
  5. Prepare and participate in drill team awards.
  6. Report any problems immediately to the Colonel.
  7. Set and model the proper standards of dance and behavior for all members.
  8. Keep the drill team on task at all events.
  9. Help Colonel organize all stretching activities.
  10. Explain needed improvements to other members in a positive, helpful manner.
  11. Prepare fitness and conditioning routine for daily workouts.
  12. Serve as social chairperson – plan and organize parties, team building activities. Ensure that members participate in spirit theme days.

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Notification of Handbook Receipt

I ______have received and read the Dance Team Handbook. I understand and agree to abide by all of the rules and guidelines stated in the handbook.

Signed ______

(Dance Team Member)

I ______, the parent or guardian of the above signed Dance Team Member, have received and read the Dance Team Handbook. I understand and agree to hold my child responsible for following all the rules and guidelines stated in the handbook.

Signed ______

(Parent or Guardian)

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