Performing for any audience is jitter-inducing enough. But how about an audience of 100,000 rowdy game-day spectators? Dance teamers face unique pressures in their highly unpredictable performance environments, and inevitably, things go awry. We asked dancers and coaches from four champion teams to share some of their most embarrassing stories—and how they recovered like the pros they are.
LINDSAY SPRAGUE (Head coach, Carolina Girls, University of South Carolina)
Normally, we just dance on the sidelines during football games. But this past fall, our team performed on the field for the first time. It was the first game of the season, too, so the stadium was packed. The dancers were so excited, and waited eagerly on the sidelines for their big moment: the first timeout of the second quarter. Finally, we heard yelling: "They're going to call a timeout! Send the dancers out!" Of course, dancers are trained to hustle and be in place as fast as possible, so they got out there in no time—only to realize that a timeout wasn't actually happening. They had to get off of the field as fast as possible, because the football team could have been penalized for people being on the field. When a real timeout was called, about ten seconds later, the dancers ran right out again. Unsurprisingly, they were a bit frazzled and embarrassed, but they pulled it together, and we received really positive feedback from fans and the school's athletic department.
SHERYL KNIGHT (Head coach, Ladybirds, University of Louisville)
Games are completely unpredictable. A few years ago, we were planning to debut a new routine during a timeout of a basketball game, which was going to be televised. Our moment came, and the girls ran onto the court and got in position. Unfortunately, the people in charge of the music played the wrong song—not once, not twice, but three times. The girls just had to stand there. All of us on the sidelines were frantically scrolling through our phones, making sure we'd emailed the correct music to the marketing team. Our emails confirmed that we'd sent the right song. Someone just literally played the wrong one over and over again. In the end, the performance went really well—and our fans were very supportive. When the music started and the girls didn't move, they knew something was up, and they started clapping for us. I think that helped the girls feel better.
CAILYN COTA (Senior dancer, Rebel Girls, University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
During my sophomore year, my coach gave me a small solo during our hip-hop routine where I was supposed to hit a few improvised poses with attitude and confidence. That season, we made it to the finals at UDA College Nationals, and I really wanted to go for it during my solo. In the moment, adrenaline totally took over, and I ended up ripping my costume—a one-piece tracksuit—from my chest down. My underwear was showing! I actually didn't notice it had happened until the end of the routine. But of course I couldn't have done anything differently anyway—I wasn't going to stop dancing because of a costume malfunction. When the music ended, I just had to gather my composure, gather what I could of the costume's material, and stand there with pride. I was scared that the judges wouldn't realize it was a wardrobe malfunction, and that our team would be disqualified—it's such a family-oriented competition. Luckily, we weren't disqualified, and we all laugh about it now.
JULIE BERARDI (Head coach, Lionettes, Penn State University)
Before the preliminary rounds at NDA Nationals two years ago, our team headed onstage for our sanctioned eight-minute warm-up. We were running through all the lifts, most of which featured a single dancer, Becky, who's very flexible and looks great in the air. All of a sudden, in one lift—a pitch arabesque, which is like a penché, but with a more extreme back arch—Becky completely passed out, midair. Our staff ran over to her, so anxious: Was she dehydrated? Sick? Did she need fluids? All of a sudden, we realized that the costumes—which the girls had never worn before—had very high, rhinestone-encrusted collars that weren't stretchy. Becky's collar was too tight, and when she arched backwards, it cut off her air supply. Once we loosened her collar, she was completely fine. We didn't get to finish our warm-up, and everyone was really flustered—especially Becky!—when it was time to go on 15 minutes later. But the team performed beautifully under pressure, and we ended up finishing in first place with the highest score of the whole day. In finals, we finished second, but no one passed out—so we considered it a win!
How to Prevent (and Recover From) Dance Team Disasters
Troubleshoot as a team.
"Practice in any new setting as much as possible," says Lindsay Sprague, head coach of the Carolina Girls at the University of South Carolina. "We try to run our dances on the court prior to basketball games to set our spacing. And while we don't often get to practice on the real football field, we can work out kinks on the school's practice field. It really helps to get acclimated, because there are so many other things to think about in the moment. Your dancing has to be second nature."
Be consistent.
"Doing the same tricks or choreography in the same space every day can get a bit monotonous—but you can't let that make you complacent," says Cailyn Cota, a senior member of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Rebel Girls. "If you consistently put in the effort and take each practice seriously, you'll be able to hit all skills or tricks no matter where you're performing."
Expect the unexpected.
"Know that anything could go wrong, and plan accordingly," says Sheryl Knight, head coach of the University of Louisville Ladybirds. "If the music stops? Continue dancing and count to each other. If the music doesn't play? Stand there until it does."
Find ways to stay focused, despite the crowd.
"At basketball games, you're performing so close to the stands—sometimes a fan might be only 20 feet away," says Sprague. "It can be so distracting to focus on a certain face. I tell my dancers to look at the crowd like it's just one big blank canvas. Don't make eye contact if you think it'll distract you."
Stay engaged the entire game.
"Our team performs at football games for more than 100,000 people," says Julie Berardi, head coach of the Penn State University Lionettes. "We know not everyone is watching. But with that many people, you never know who is watching at any moment. So it's crucial to stay engaged and professional the whole time."
Breathe!
"Remember that you're doing something you love," says Knight. "Your love for dance will shine through. And know that you've got a team full of sisters who are all feeling the same way."
A version of this story appeared in the April 2019 issue of Dance Spirit with the title "Dance Team Disasters."