Honest Advice & Some Hard Truths From Behind The Scenes
- Your face and energy gets you noticed, your body and feet just confirm it.
You might execute every count perfectly, but if your face says “I’m doing algebra in my head,” you’ll fade into the crowd. College coaches want performers who connect with their audience, not just technicians. Expression and projection matters. - Being talented isn’t rare. It’s character that stands out.
College coaches are watching more than how you execute your 8-counts. They’re noticing how you act when you’re in a novel or stressful situation, in the registration line, stretching, standing on the side observing others, helping a fellow dancer, interacting with your parents or receiving corrections. Attitude, acts of kindness, and professionalism counts. Authentically be the person a coach would want repping their school. - Coaches don’t need or want clones of their current dancers.
Clean is good. But in this environment, don’t be afraid to demonstrate your style, your flair, and your personal vibe (but within dance team genres aesthetic and movement qualities, of course). They want dancers who bring something unique to the table, not robots. Be more than just the steps. - You’re not the only one trying to get noticed or earn a spot.
Yes, stand out! But don’t be obnoxious, or even worse, dangerous. No one wants to a) be kicked in the face alongside someone trying too hard or b) witness an injury of a dancer hitting a wall or table. Show awareness, read the room, and bring strong solo energy while still being a polite participant. - It’s not about being the best dancer…It’s about being the right fit.
One of the hardest pills to swallow: You can absolutely crush the choreography and still not get recognized by your dream team at a specific event or clinic. That does NOT mean you failed! It just means it wasn’t the right time. Respect the process. Many, many past and present dance athletes never received call backs at recruitment events. Stay composed publicly if things didn’t go the way you had hoped, and save the big emotions for the ride home. In the same vein, if things did go your way (congratulations!!), now go back and read numbers 2 and 4 again. Be humble, being aware of those around you that could be struggling a bit.
Remember, this is only part of your college dance team journey. Give yourself a bit of time to decompress, then make sure you reflect and regroup. Most importantly, always keep going! You’re growing…and that’s exactly where you’re supposed to be.
~Ramona Kitching, College Dance Launch Program Director, SharpenUp Dance Team Training