There is something very new to the Jacksonville J’ettes for this upcoming dance season.  The J’ettes will be introducing new coaches Katie Armstrong and Sara Grey into their program and will be saying goodbye to 16-year coach Tiffany Hickox.  With new coaches comes new ideas and an exciting year ahead for the J’ettes.  Tryouts this year for Jacksonville J’ettes dance team 2016-2017 season will be held on Monday, May 16 to Tuesday, May 17 and then again on Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24.  This is different compared to past years for the J’ettes when tryouts usually took place during the month of April over a span of four consecutive days.

Girls trying out will be given a week in between the first two days and last two days of clinics in order to prepare themselves better for the final tryout on May 24.  Clinics will take place from 4:30 to 7:30 on the first day, May 16th.  On this day, girls will be taught their final tryout routine and perform skills.  They will be judged on how quickly they are able to pick up on difficult choreography and their skills will be scored based off of technique and dance ability.  The second day of clinics, on May 17 that will run from 4:30 to 5:30.  This day is primarily served for performing one-minute solos which the girls are required to choreograph themselves.  The solos must be at least one minute long.  The style of dance for the solo does not matter.  These solos will be scored based off of the girls’ ability to choreograph as well as showmanship and overall performance.  Girls trying out should have already signed up for a solo time at the J’ette informational meeting on April 25.  It will only be required of the girls to show up at these designated times and they are free to leave after their performance.  

The last day of clinics will take place on May 23 from 4:30 to 6:30.  This day mainly serves as a review session for the girls before the final tryout on May 24.  For the final tryout, girls will be expected to know and perform the final tryout routine in groups of three to four in front of a group of judges.  Girls must wear tight, all-black dance clothing for this day with no jewelry.  Each day, girls will be scored based off of attitude and appearance as well as the final tryout day, so it is important to come to tryouts with a positive attitude and a smile.