Tryouts 2020

How to prepare & Requirements to tryout

  • Be enrolled at Texas A&M University at the time of tryouts
  • Be in good standing with Texas A&M University at the time of tryouts
  • Have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPR at the time of tryouts
  • Submit an individual application for membership. This means that you and your partner will fill out separate applications.
  • Find a partner (you need one to tryout; we do not take individuals). Check out our partner search if you need help! Couples will tryout together and make the team together.
  • Review our approved Tryout Jitterbug Moves as you choreograph your jitterbug routine for tryouts and mock tryouts. We typically suggest choreographing 8-12 moves into your routine, and you must include a Jesse Flip, a Can Opener, and Cliffhanger, and an Airplane to Hip-Dip
  • Attend Advanced Lessons, Mock Tryouts #1, and Mock Tryouts #2
  • Reach out to current team and alumni for help leading up to tryouts!

Requirements if you make the team

  • Dedicate at least eight (8) whole weekends the summer following tryouts for workshops and membership development programs. During these workshops, you will learn all the routines as well various jitterbug moves. It is recommended to be in town during the summer as well as being flexible with your summer schedule. We highly recommend not having prior summer commitments if you are wanting to be on the team.
  • You must be enrolled at Texas A&M University throughout your membership.
  • You must maintain at least a semester and cumulative 2.0 GPR and be in good conduct and academic standing with the University.
  • You must be able to commit to the team for at least one year.
  • You must attend weekly meetings/practices (Currently on Tuesdays evenings)
  • You must teach and/or assist at least two sets of lessons each session (2 sessions per semester, including summer).
  • You must attend 25 percent of all team performances each semester.
  • You must love dancing and want to have fun.

Important Dates

TBA

Advanced Lessons are held once a year in the spring semester. During these lessons, you will learn advanced moves and get help refining your current moves. Find the sign up link on our Public Lessons page!

February 18, 2020

These will be a preview for the first half of tryouts. There will be polka, two-step, and jitterbug sections. These are highly encouraged for tryout couples to attend. Please bring a notebook and pens for critiques.

March 3, 2020

These will be a preview for the first half of tryouts. There will be polka, two-step, and jitterbug sections. These are highly encouraged for tryout couples to attend. Please bring a notebook and pens for critiques.

March 27, 2020

There will be a dinner prior to tryout day where tryout couples have a chance to interact with alumni and current team members.

March 28, 2020 (8 AM to 4 PM)

Come prepared with a completed liability waiver and your insurance information. Round 1 will be in the morning, and those that make it to round two will learn a brief routine in the afternoon.

April 4, 2020 (All Day)

During the second round of tryouts tryout couples will perform the routine learned the previous Saturday and then interview.

Practice Songs

Here are some polka, two-step, and jitterbug songs that can help you gain a perspective as to what songs are generally for which step. Due to copyright, we cannot distribute these songs but we can point you in the right direction. Good luck and have fun dancing!

Polka

  • Fightin’ Texas Aggie – Highway 6
  • Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
  • I’m Still Here – Pat Green
  • Dust on the Bottle – David Lee Murphy
  • Tight Fittin’ Jeans – Conway Twitty
  • Tomorrow – Chris Young
  • How Should I Know – Eli Young
  • Love Your Love the Most – Eric Church

Two Step

  • 1000 Miles From Nowhere – Dwight Yoakum
  • Easy Come, Easy Go – George Strait
  • Don’t Rock the Jukebox – Alan Jackson
  • Amen Kind of Love – Daryle Singletary
  • Small Town Saturday Night – Hal Ketchum
  • Raining on Sunday – Keith Urban
  • It’s a Great Day to be Alive – Travis Tritt
  • Big Green Tractor – Jason Aldean
  • She’s Like Texas – Josh Abbott

Jitterbug

  • Boogie Til The Cows Come Home – Clay Walker
  • Cadillac Ranch – Chris LeDoux
  • Born To Boogie – Hank Williams Jr.
  • Trouble – Travis Tritt
  • Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til The Sun Comes Up) – Garth Brooks

As a general rule, you can two step to any polka song, but you cannot polka to every two step song. Also, you should not two step or polka to the jitterbug songs listed as they are too fast and more difficult to maintain smoothness.