High School Dance Teams

Somewhere between the sport jocks and the cheerleaders are the members of the high school dance teams. While they practice and compete as fiercely as any other part of the school, some groups struggle to survive and even excel.

The motivation behind high school dance teams lies in the fact that many students (usually young women) have been taking dance classes for a large portion of their lives. Ballet, jazz, modern, tap – these are skillsets that are valuable and to discontinue practicing them just when a person reaches high school is a waste.

So groups of students began to come together, rehearsing choreography that was both more complex and less stunt-based than cheerleading routines. The question was: where would they perform? Some, calling themselves "Pompom" teams, would perform at pep rallies and community events, but the spirit of competition is fierce in any high school, and organizations such as the United Spirit Association or USA began running summer camps and competitions for dance teams along with cheerleaders and band "auxiliaries" (such as drum corps and flag twirlers).

The USA has been around since 1958, but it is certainly not the only dance team organization in the country. The National Dance Alliance was started in 1976, and has as its goal "to address and cultivate the needs of the entire dancer". More focused on the actual dance than the USA (which also covers cheerleading), the NDA has a wide range of weekend and summer camps, as well as specialized choreography that can really take dance teams to a high level of professionalism and competition. Beyond students, the NDA also provides many resources for coaches and parents alike.

Falling somewhere between the cheerleaders and the sports teams can be an awkward place to be, especially in cash-strapped school districts. Many dance teams receive little or no support financially from their schools, which means all of the related expenses have to be covered by the parents. These can include:

• Uniforms
• Transportation to competitions, camps, and showcases (such as the Macy's Day Parade, which features dancers from the NDA)
• Rehearsal space (which may not be available at the school)
• Coaching fees
• Specialized Choreography (many teams hire professional choreographers for their competitions)
• Insurance (like any athletic activity, dancers are prone to injury, and the school may not carry the dance team on their own insurance waiver).

The end result of all of these expenses can amount to hundreds and even thousands of dollars paid by parents just to enable their sons and daughters to live the dream of competing on a dance team.

This dream is reinforced by Hollywood movies such as Bring It On which dramatizes a competition between an inner-city dance team and an affluent suburban school. While the movie is typically melodramatic, the passion and devotion of the students to their art and their team is not exaggerated at all.

Unfortunately, sometimes the reaction of teachers, parents, and students can be less than positive. Not only do dance teams have to struggle to find opportunities to perform outside of competitions (an essential experience if they hope to maintain their edge), but they also are performing for people who may interpret many standard jazz or hip hop dance moves as lewd.

This happened to the Jonesboro dance team in January of 2009, when their Bob Fosse-inspired dance routine was videotaped and then posted on YouTube, where they were called many disrespectful names. Rather than support their students, the school banned the group from performing or even practicing, and the coach was put under investigation by the school.

This kind of attitude is enough to discourage any dance team, and yet they still are an active part of many high schools across America. This is a testament to the passion and talent of the students and their coaches as they strive for excellence in their art.

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