Team members are selected through a dance team tryout process. Taking only correspondence, extension, or UWM Waukesha classes does not qualify a person as a student. The team size ranges from 10 to 18, depending on what the talent pool is during the selection process. All team members must try out each year. Students wishing to try out for the team must:
  • Be an enrolled UWM student or admitted to UWM
  • ​Be in good academic standings
  • Be available for the entire term (May to May)
  • Be available to attend summer camp (Early August)
  • Be available for our national competition (Winter Break)
Tryouts consist of 2 parts. Step 1 is choreography and then Step 2 is final tryouts on Sunday, May 4th. Candidates who have a conflict with the final in person tryout can continue to audition through video. To qualify to continue the audition through video, the coaches must be notified in advance. The tryouts process is closed to the public.

STEP 1: 
If interested in the tryouts, please first fill out this interest form: Tryouts Interest Form 

Email in your application to the coaches and pay the tryout fee of $10 through PayPal (PayPal.Me/pantherdanceteam).  Be sure to put in the comments "Your Name" with "Tryouts 2025" when submitting your payment. 
Include in the email:
  • Proof of Admission - Copy of acceptance letter (new students)
  • Dance Team Application
  • A Recent Headshot​​​
Dance Application
File Size: 122 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
There are 2 options for the 1st step: in person or through video. If you would like to audition in person there are 3 dates to choose from: Tuesday, April 8th, 15th, or 22nd at 7:30pm at the Klotsche Center (3409 N Downer Ave). If you want to attend the in person tryout email the coaches with the date you will be attending. If you want to tryout through video email the coaches when you are ready to receive the links for the instructional videos. You will have 7 days after receiving the videos to send your video back.

Please wear a solid black fitted top and a solid black booty short so that judges can see all your movement. Also please wear nude jazz or half jazz shoes. Make yourself presentable with your hair pulled back cleanly and neatly out of your face in a bun and put on performance-ready makeup (lipstick, eye shadow, blush).

Video Requirements:
  1. A short introduction including your name, where you are from, and why you want to be a part of PDT.
  2. Demonstrate each of the following skills:
    1. Double and Triple Pirouettes - Left & Right ​
    2. Center Leaps - Left & Right 
    3. Toe Touch
    4. Split Leaps - Left & Right 
    5. Calypso - Left & Right 
    6. Fouettes - The combo will be sent to you
    7. High Kicks - 1 eight count, facing the side
    8. Left & Right Front Leg Hold - facing the side
    9. Jazz Skill Of Choice - You can combo up skills as long as they link seamlessly together
    10. Hip Hop Skill Of Choice - You can combo up skills as long as they link seamlessly together
  3. We will then send you a jazz combo to include in your audition.
  4. Any additional videos you would like to include of yourself dancing.

You should be the only person on the video. Please follow the sequence listed in the video requirements above for the format. It is important that your full body is shown at all times and your face can be easily seen. When filming be sure to have a straight on view of the combo.  That way all your movements and expressions throughout the dance are seen. The jazz combo should be from one take and the music should not be edited into the video for the jazz combo.
 
Videos are due no later than Friday, April 25th. We will email the finalists for both the in person and video tryouts on Monday, April 28th.
STEP 2: 
Finals will be Sunday, May 4th at the OHOW Center (3409 N Downer Ave). Finalists will be sent a hip hop combo that will need to be learned before the final audition. Warm-up will be on your own starting at 10:30am. There will be a review of the combos starting at 11:00am with auditions happening immediately afterwards.

Please wear a solid black fitted top and a solid black booty short so that judges can see all your movement. Also please wear nude jazz or half jazz shoes. Make yourself presentable with your hair pulled back cleanly and neatly out of your face in a bun and put on performance-ready makeup (lipstick, eye shadow, blush).

Candidates will audition in groups of 2-3. Each candidate will be evaluated on the select skills, hip hop, and jazz combos. Dancers are scored in rhythm, showmanship, skills, memory, endurance, and dance technique. The new members will be announced after all candidates are evaluated.

Skills For Finals Are:
  • Right Triple Pirouette
  • Toe Touch
  • Fouettes (Combo that was sent)​
  • Left & Right Front Leg Hold - facing the side
  • Jazz Skill Of Choice - You can combo up skills as long as they link seamlessly together
  • Hip Hop Skill Of Choice - You can combo up skills as long as they link seamlessly together
    ​
Schedule: 
  • Check in and warm-up (on your own)
  • Review of the combos
  • Final cuts (skills, hip hop, and jazz combos)​
  • Meeting afterwards for new members