If you want to be a cheerleader, there’s one nerve-wracking experience you have to go through. Tryout! But although it makes you tremble, you have to perform flawlessly, without showing a hint of fright and nervousness.
It sounds impossible, but if you are committed to doing your best, you will forget anything about your nervousness and concentrate on the most important thing at the moment: getting a spot in the cheerleading team. To help you, here are a few tips.
Prepare ahead of time
A few months before the tryout, make sure to do your preparations. Come up with an impressive choreography and practice your routine.
Dance in front of the mirror, so you can immediately spot your weak points. But remember not to overdo it. You might injure your body if you push yourself too hard. Remember: an injury is the last thing you want days before the tryout.
Prepare everything you need
On the day of the tryout, you must have all your things neatly prepared. These include your tryout clothes, sneakers, and ponytails.
Bring snacks and water, too. Put them in one bag. Before leaving your house, check if everything is in.
Be confident
Confidence is important. If you are confident, it will translate into your moves and help you make a good dance. Have the “I can do” attitude.
Shake the nervousness away and focus on the tryout. You have put so much effort into this, so think that you can do it all the way to the end.
Let go
Don’t hold yourself back during the tryout. Avoid focusing too much on the technical because that will make you look stiff. Instead, enjoy yourself. Just go with the music and allow your body dance to the rhythm. Shout aloud. Throw the words clearly and audibly. Show life in your movements and not a robotic routine and voice.
Smile a lot
Make a good eye contact with the judges and charm them with your smile. You have to be good to look at. If you look too serious, the judges might not enjoy watching you, even if you really are good at dancing. You know you have charmed them if they are smiling back at you. Their eyes seem to say, “I want to dance with you.”
Watch your behavior
The judges will not only look at your skills, they will also evaluate your attitude. This is why you need to conduct yourself in a friendly and professional manner during the tryout.
Show the judges you are teachable and level-headed and that you can go along well with the other cheerleading team members. Just one show of unimpressive behavior is enough to ruin all your chances of being accepted.
If you make a mistake, don’t fuss over it. Start again if you are allowed to do so. If not, continue with the routine. Don’t ever let the mistake get in your head because that can distract you. Instead, focus on the present and have the same enthusiasm you had at the start of your tryout.