Sofi Olliver

Oct. 1, 2018

Gonzaga University Dance Team holds tryouts for upcoming season

The Gonzaga University Dance Team held tryouts for their 2018-2019 team earlier this
month in the Theater and Dance Studio on campus. The team performs primarily at GU
basketball and volleyball games and​ ​was looking to add to their roster that already
consisted of captains Christine Carero, Katie Lasko, and Priya Tandon.

The team now has 13 members: three captains, six returners, and four new team
members. To join the team, each member (including returners) had to learn an across
the floor routine, a jazz routine and display skills such as splits, toe touches and turning
disks. They also danced in small groups during callbacks to observe how well they can
dance in cohesion with others.

The audition process lasted three days. The first day was an informational meeting
which gave a basic overview of the team and a practice session for skills. The second
day was when the audition routines were taught. The third day was the final audition,
held in front of the judges.

The judging panel did not include the three team captains. Instead, the panel was made
up of professors from the Gonzaga University dance program and dance team alumni.

“The reason we do that is…we want to give people trying out the opportunity to get
corrections and pointers and help from people who aren’t deciding if they’re on the
team,” explained Tandon.

This is the first year Carero, Lasko, and Tandon are serving as captains and they had to
go through their own audition process to earn the titles. They meet every Monday for
two hours to choreograph new routines for the dance team and are looking forward to
what they can achieve with the team during the upcoming season.

“One of the goals dance wise I think we have…we really want to amp up the skills and
big things we put in our dances because that’s what gets the Kennel engaged. Splits, if
we do a big kick line, that’s what the Kennel gets really pumped about,” said Tandon.

The enthusiasm seen in the crowds during Kraziness in the Kennel is also felt by the
members of the team and it is part of what drives them to keep performing.
“I remember coming off the floor my freshman year after Craziness in the Kennel and I
felt like I was soaring. It was crazy and it’s just been like give me that feeling, give me
that feeling again,” said Lasko.

During the beginning of the season, the dance team focuses on building a strong and
supportive community. They hold bonding events and go on retreats to solidify their
commitment to each other and the team. The support that the members have for one
another is what makes the team great, according to the captains.

“It’s so empowering to have a group of girls who are all for the same cause. All for
school spirit, and literally just built in friends who share a common interest. I really just
love…to have that group of girls that’s always on your side and always empowering you
and to have that close bonding aspect as well as dancing,” said Carero

Their first performance is on Oct. 4 at the volleyball game vs. Santa Clara in the Martin
Center and they will also be at the upcoming Kraziness in the Kennel on Oct.6.