Constitution
BLACKOUT DANCERS of VCU
Blackout Dancers Dance Team Constitution
Being a dancer on the Blackout Dance Team is an honor. The dancers are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and sportsman-like manner both in and out of uniform. The dancers are expected to be role models for all of their fellow students and should excel in both academics and dancing. With dedication and determination, the Blackout Dance Team can accomplish great things while representing the Virginia Commonwealth University.
Purpose:
To uphold the good name of the Blackout Dance Team and Virginia Commonwealth University both in and out of school.
To develop agility, poise, body coordination, endurance, and muscle tone.
To participate in competitive events throughout the state and nation.
To facilitate a bonding atmosphere for team members
To promote school spirit.
To promote physical fitness
Membership Qualifications:
Membership will include participating in either the fall, winter, or both seasons.
Members must be able to give freely of their time and efforts for any Dance Team activity throughout the season including after school, evenings, and weekends.
Dancers must be drug and alcohol free.
Membership is open to any freshman, sophomore, senior, junior of VCU, and any other dancer in the community age 14 or older.
Tryouts:
There will be two teams. An open team and a Collegiate Level Team. For the Open team tryouts are held in a camp selection style process. Starting the first weekend of the academic school year and ending the last rehearsal of October technique classes will be offered. Turns, Leaps, Leg skills and choreography will be taught at these rehearsals. The choreography taught will be the choreography for the first competition. These classes are opened to the VCU student body and anyone in the Richmond area ages 14 and older. Interested candidates are allowed to attend as wanted/needed as no attendance is recorded however it is HIGHLY recommended all candidates taking participation seriously attend ALL rehearsals. During the camp selection process candidates will be observed by judges based on the following criteria
Skill Level
Attitude/Team Work
Attendance
Stamina/Physical Appearance (can you keep up with our choreography and look presentable in our costume)
Enthusiasm
Room for growth
Performance/Crowd Appeal
There will never be less than 4 participants or more than 30. Participants will only be cut if there are more than 30. Cuts are not necessary and will be done when needed. All dancers, and those interested are invited to join and are welcome to be a member.
For the college team, a maximum of 14 dancers will be chosen from the entire squad.
Length of Seasons:
Fall – Competition Season starts with camp in August and nationals Choreography Camp in December
Winter - Competition season will in start December and end with Worlds in May or April.
Officers: -The Blackout Dance Team will be led by the team’s student staff which will include captains and managers. Officers must also attend all events hosted by the student activities, leadership initiative teams, and SGA.
1. Captain(s)-(will be a veteran member of the dance team)
a. Qualifications
1) Must be a member of the team
2) Maintain good standing both in and out of dance team
3) Must have been a member of the team for one season prior to selection
b. Selection
Will be elected by a majority vote of the members from the old team.
Coach has final say in all ties and disputes.
c. Duties
Serve as a leader of the team.
Lead Captain’s practice and take charge when Coach(es) is not present.
Represent the Team’s viewpoint when decisions need to be made by the Coach.
Demonstrate enthusiasm, school spirit and be a good role model
Delegate duties to other members as needed.
Assist Coach(es) as needed.
d. Vacancy:
If any captain is not doing her duties or is unable to fulfill her obligations as an officer, a person will be appointed by the coach to fill her position.
Practice Requirements:
Times will be a decision of the coach and/or team members on a yearly and/or monthly basis. Any additional practices or schedule changes will be determined two weeks in advance. All team members are required to attend if time constraint is met.
Everyone is required to attend all practices for the entire length of practice.
Each member is responsible for her own transportation to and from all practices.
All practices are closed to the public. This means NO friends, boyfriends, relatives, etc. are allowed to attend practice without prior approval of the Coach(es).
All team members are required to be dressed and ready for practice at the designated time.
Proper Attire for all practices:
1. Sports bras
2. Shorts
3. Bare feet or dance shoes,
4. T-shirts
5. Hair pulled back with proper hair pieces
6. No cell phones are allowed during practice.
7. If for any reason you cannot attend practice, it is your responsibility to meet with a captain outside of scheduled practice times to learn the choreography missed if any.
8. Practices questions or concerns related to injuries should be directed to the Injury section of this document.
9. ONE verbal warning will be given for any unruly behavior. This includes talking, non-participation, or any behavior disruptive to the team. A dancer will be asked to leave practice in lieu of any other warning and will be expected to find transportation home and not hang around the practice area.
Performances/Competitions:
The Blackout Dancers compete in the jazz/lyrical performance categories and perform for entertaining purposes for student functions. Team members are required to be at all performances/competitions at the specified time.
If dancers are not performing to the team standards, cuts will be determined by the Coach and individuals will not be allowed to perform.
All dancers are required to maintain at the designated venue with the team until dismissed. Leaving the team is NOT Permitted
If a dancer is determined to be in an alternate dance position, not attending or dancing at all practices will put her on probation. She then will need to be reevaluated when she returns to full practice status.
Dancers may be pulled from performance/competition for any of the following reasons:
Lack of knowledge of routine
Lack of ability to perform at required skill level for said routine
Attitude not promoting teamwork, sportsmanship
Disregard for constitution and the guidelines governing this organization.
An absence within five (5) days prior to a performance or a competition may cause the dancer to lose her spot in the routine.
Attendance:
Attendance in proper attire and remaining with the team is required at all scheduled competitions, performances, practices, and other official events.
You must attend at least ¾ of the practice to be counted in attendance.
The Coach must approve any absence.
Excused absences (requiring parent/guardian notification) are as follows:
Family emergency
Illness
Doctors and Dentists appointments
Note: Always try to schedule apart from practice times.
Unexcused absences are as follows:
Work
Other school activities such as: homework, study groups, etc.
Hair, tanning, or nail appointments, etc.
Non-school activities
Consequences for unexcused absences are as follows:
One unexcused absence = Excluded from 1 performance/competition.
Two unexcused absences = Excluded from 2 performances/competition.
Three unexcused absences = Dismissal from team.
Tardiness:
“Tardy” shall defined as arriving late or leaving early.
Punctuality is expected at all events.
Repeated tardiness is grounds for dismissal from the team.
Any tardy over ½ of the practice time will be counted as a full absent.
Excused tardiest are arriving late with a pass or note.
Consequences for excused tardies
4 excused tardies = 1 excused absence.
7 excused tardies = exclusion from 1 performance/competition
Unexcused tardies are as follows:
A. Arriving Late or Leaving Early from Non-school Activities
Consequences for unexcused tardies are as follows:
5 Unexcused tardies = 1 unexcused absence (Note: see unexcused absences for consequences)
8 unexcused tardies = 2 unexcused absences
9 or more unexcused tardies = 3 unexcused absences and dismissal from the team
Fundraising:
While the Blackout Dance Team is sponsored and there is a membership fee. This fee includes costumes and competition registration. It may be necessary for the team to hold fundraising activities to help defray the costs of running a top notch program.
Participation in these activities is strongly encouraged but not required for membership.
One fundraiser a year can be bought out for a set amount.
Costumes:
Each member will be solely responsible for the costumes assigned to her.
All costumes and accessories are property of the dance team member.
Required Maintenance: Must be clean and in excellence shape at all times. (Follow Instructions given by manager)
Injuries:
All injuries must be reported to the Coach immediately.
If dancer is not able to return to regular practice the next day at her normal level, a doctor’s appointment is needed.
Dancer will not be able to participate until written clearance is obtained from a doctor noting the injury an expected recovery time.
Conduct:
In the case of the following violations, an excused tardy will be issued:
Use of cell phone while at practices, performances, or competitions
Inappropriate language
Disrespect shown at any time.
The use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco will not be allowed at any time during competition or practice. All members are required to remain with the team during practices and performances. Any special requests should be directed to the Coach.
A member may be dismissed permanently or suspended temporarily by the Coach for conduct detrimental to the good name of themselves, or the Dance Team.
Decisions concerning dismissals and/or suspensions of members will be made by the Coach with notification to the Athletic Director.
Withdrawal:
Because the Blackout Dance Team is partly sponsor funded and money is being spent on our behalf, if a member quits for frivolous reasons a $50 withdrawal fee shall be collected (Please note any fees paid and items received throughout the season by the dancer in question will be forfeited and not returned). Such reasons are:
1. Refusal to come to practice
2. No further interests
3. Time conflicts with other activities
4. Dismissal from the team
Being a member of the Blackout Dance Team is a huge time commitment, however it is an exciting, and rewarding experience to be a part of our award winning program.