Dance Club Constitution

I.           MISSION STATEMENT

A.      The Dance Team will help build a sense of community and cooperation within a group of women.

B.      The Dance Team is an athletic club for women, combining art and sport, and promoting physical fitness

II.            PURPOSE

A.      To promote physical fitness

B.      To represent CSB/SJU at statewide and national competitions and invitational exhibitions

C.      To entertain audiences at football and basketball games

D.     To promote school spirit

E.      To facilitate a bonding atmosphere for team members

III.            QUALIFICIATIONS

A.      Must be a registered student attending the College of St. Benedict by the Fall of the coming school year.

B.      Must have a physical within the past three years on file 

IV.            MEMBERSHIP

A.      Full-Time College of Saint Benedict Students are all able to join the CSB Dance Team.

B.      St. Ben's Dance Team tryouts will be held in the spring of each school year for the following dance season. These tryouts will determine placements for the Competition Team, Football and Spring Performance Teams, alternate positions and club members.

V.             FOOTBALL PERFORMANCE TEAM

If your rank member number is higher than 70 at tryouts, you are considered a club member, therefore, that club member will not be able to perform for the season. Club members will still be expected to turn in all team fees and participate in all team practices and events. Any St. Ben's student can join the team at anytime and become a club member. If this club member did not attend tryouts and did not make a team, she cannot perform. If a club member drops out of the dance team during the season, she will not be remitted again during the same season. Dancers ranking numbers 65-70 will be considered alternates. Alternates will participate in football team performances only in the case that a regular member is sick, injured or absent, or under the discretion of the captains and coach. Judges who are not affiliated with the dance team will evaluate candidates. A member can be on the football team and/or alternate position if she wants to study abroad in the spring. 

VI.            SPRING PERFORMANCE TEAM

In order to be eligible for the spring performance team you must try-out for the football performance team in order to have a written score. Dancers are not required to participate in the football performance team in order to be eligible for the spring performance team. Fall abroad students can participate in the Spring performance team but they will still be required to try-out in the spring prior to the upcoming season.

VII.           COMPETITION TEAM

According to UDA rules the top 10 scores at competition try outs will be placed on both pom and jazz. This number of dancers may increase according to the coach's discretion. The following 6 spots will be determined by the next 6 highest scores for each respective team. The competition team is required to participate in the football season and has the option of participating in the spring season. Competition members will be expected to participate in both football tryouts and competition tryouts. Dancers that do not make the football team at try-outs will not be able to proceed to the competition try-outs. All competition dancers are required to attend UDA camp the summer prior to the upcoming academic school year. They are also expected to attend all competition events on- and off-campus. No member is allowed to be on the competition team and also study abroad.

VIII.          TRY-OUTS

Those who are unable to attend the day of tryouts have the option to send in a tape with all the required skills and predetermined dance combinations. Tryouts will be judged on, but not limited to, the following:

1.      Dance Skills - sense of rhythm, sharpness, and precision, finishing    of steps, etc.

2.      Execution - knowledge of routine, mistakes, recoveries, etc.

3.      Performance ability - projection of confidence, smiling, poise, energy, etc.

a. The acceptance to the all teams will be closed after spring try-outs. Any videos received after try-out date will automatically be considered club member status.

b. The team coach will organize the dance team by try-out scores and will notify the participants of the results.

VIIII.         FEES

•A.   The first payment will be due on April 30. (See Part B. for specific team fees) The dancer's fee is a commitment to the St. Ben's Dance Team. No payments will be accepted after the deadline and the dancer will not be able to participate in the upcoming season. No refunds will be made.

•B.   On April 30^th, all new members of the dance team will need to pay $275, covering the clothing fee (including a warm up jacket and pants, backpack, sweatshirt, and T-shirt) and football performance team member fee. Veteran dancers will need to pay $150, covering the clothing fee (including a sweatshirt and T-shirt) and football performance team member fee. All competition team members will need to pay $300 additional on April 30^th as commitment to the team. This amount will not be refunded. If a new member is on the competition team, they will pay the $275 football team member fee and the $300 competition team member fee. If a veteran is on the competition team, they will pay the $150 football team member fee and the $300 competition team member fee. Turning in these fees is a sign of commitment to each team. The dancer will not get a refund after this date. The remainder of the competition fee, $250, will be due on Homecoming of the upcoming season. The spring performance team payment ($150) will be due in full on Homecoming.

•C.   Dancers who are not participating in the football performance team (only participating in the spring performance team) will pay a $75 clothing fee due on April 30^th. The spring performance team payment of $150 will be due on Homecoming of the upcoming season.

•D.   If these payment deadlines are not met, the dancer will be taken out of one performance during the upcoming season. The coach and captains will use their discretion if this circumstance occurs.

X.             POLICIES

•A.   Attendance: Dancers must clear all school-related absences, including night class attendance, with the coach. Excused absences include family emergencies, illness, night class or professor-led study groups. These still need to be cleared with the coach. If excused absences become too frequent, the coach and captains reserve the right to have a discussion with the dancer about their absences. Captains reserve the right to prevent a member from performing in the event that a member is not prepared due to missed practices, have not met performance qualifications or medical issues. A warning will be given to any member who is not prepared and if their behavior does not change, they are subject to removal from a performance.

•B.   Alcohol and Drug Use: Dancers shall not possess or consume alcoholic beverages or use drugs before or during any dance team event, including transportation to and from any dance team event.

•a.    Dancers shall not consume alcoholic beverages or use drugs before or during a game or practice. This includes consumption or drug use within 24 hours of any dance team events, performances, choreography sessions, fundraising events or other events that arise during the season.

•b.    Dancers are not allowed to provide alcoholic beverages or drugs to any team members under the age of 21 under any circumstance.

•c.    Dancers who violate these rules shall be subject to serious disciplinary measures up to and including immediate dismissal from the team.

•d.    Dance team apparel is not to be worn while consuming alcoholic beverages or drugs. This applies even if the dancer is around others consuming alcohol or drugs (i.e. parties).

XI.            CAPTAINS

a.      Captains will be elected by a majority vote at the end of each season by former members of the Dance Team. This election process will take place after tryouts. The team advisor will tally the captain votes and present the results to the former members of the Dance Team.

b.      Captains will include two competition, two football, & two spring captains.  Duties include making purchases, organizing travel, making space reservations, helping with practice, and organizing team events along with organization of the dance show and kid's clinic.

c.       There is an established team account position for the 2013-2014 school year.

d. A media relations correspondent will be elected at the same date at the six captains. This position requires commitment to all three seasons even if that dancer is on all three teams. The role of the media relations correspondent includes but is not limited to the active updating of dance team events via facebook and twitter, handling incoming and outgoing emails from the dance team email account, active communications to the club sport webpage director, and organization of the alumni brunch.

d.      Captains must have been active members of the CSB Dance Team previously. A member can run for captain of the competitive team if they have previously been on the competitive team in the past year. In order to be eligible for competition captain, the dancer must be on both pom and jazz teams. A football captain must be participating in only the football team and the spring captain must be participating in the fall/spring or just spring team.

XII.           FUNDING POLICY

a.      The Dance Team will engage in fundraising activities to finance a substantial amount of the expenses for travel, competitions, invitationals, uniforms, and other club-related activities.

b.      Personal uniform items, which remain permanently in the possession of members, (shoes, warm-ups, sweatshirts, T-shirts, etc.) will not be funded by club finances. These items are included in the team dedication fee due April 30^th.

c.       The Dance Team captains will seek funding from the CSB Senate.

d.      All dancers must pay a fee for their personal uniforms on April 30^th.

XIII.          AMENDMENTS

a.      The constitution may be amended by current team captains of the season.

b.      The constitution may be amended if so required by the Department of Student Activities.

c.        The Dance Team admits students without regard to their race, religion, color, age, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and other activities, generally accorded or made available to members of the organization.

d.         The Dance Team considers hazing to be a degrading and destructive activity, which is inconsistent with the standards of this student organization.  The Dance Team recognizes the dignity of every person and opposes all forms of hazing.

e.         The Dance Team agrees that its activities, mission statement and goals are consistent with the Benedictine Values.