Future Buckeyes,
Thank you for your interest in The Ohio State University and our Dance Team! We are looking for confident, talented, and passionate dancers to be a part of The Ohio State University Dance Team. Members of the team are responsible for representing The Ohio State University in the classroom, on the field, and on stage at the national level. Being a member of the dance team comes with many exciting opportunities, but it is also a major commitment and requires an extraordinary work ethic. Please be sure to thoroughly review the website and the time commitment required to familiarize yourself with our program.
We are in our sixth year operating with a recruiting-based model for team selection, and want to ensure that you have the most up to date information on how this process works. Please reference the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below for more information. If you are serious about attending Ohio State and being on the 2024-2025 OSUDT, please fill out the recruiting questionnaire to be considered. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Assistant Coach, Katie Devine at devine.125@osu.edu.
We understand that your decision on where to attend college is very important and are thrilled you are interested in Ohio State! We are excited to get to know you and watch you dance. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Go Bucks!
Melissa McGhee
Head Coach, The Ohio State University Dance Team
mcghee.65@osu.edu
Prospective dancers should complete these few steps to be considered:
General Timeline:
2024-2025 OSUDT Recruiting Timeline:
Please note that the below timeline is for all incoming transfer students (planning to start at Ohio State during Fall 2024 semester) and 2024 High School Graduates.
2024 High School Graduates & Transfer Students: January 1, 2023 – September 1, 2023
2024 High School Graduates: Recommended timeline to submit recruiting video is between January 1, 2023 and September 1, 2023
There is an opportunity to upload TWO videos on the recruiting questionnaire.
Video #1: Required
This video has four segments, please submit them in this order: 1. Introduction 2. Required Technical Elements (filmed consecutively) 3. Optional Technical Elements 4. Combinations
Video #2: Optional
General Note: These videos do not need to be professionally edited, but do need to be PUBLIC or UNLISTED YouTube Links in order for our coaching staff to be able to view them (please test your link before including it on the questionnaire).
The coaching staff will be reviewing the questionnaires on a rolling, bi-weekly basis and will take the necessary time to evaluate all relevant information before reaching out with next steps. The staff will reach out to those dancers who best fit our program to engage on a rolling basis, and all questionnaires will receive a response.
Though there is no requirement to attend a clinic to be on the team, it is strongly recommended. While we do understand that scheduling issues at times can prohibit dancers from attending, it is important to prioritize. Making the trip to campus for a clinic or a visit demonstrates an initial level of commitment and interest that we are looking for.
Information on the application process for the school can be found here: http://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/freshmen-columbus/apply-step-by-step
It is important to note that all dancers will need to be able to speak to their cumulative GPA, standardized test scores and class rank. This field must be completed on the questionnaire for the application to be reviewed holistically. Admission into the University (Main Campus – Columbus) is required in order to be on the team.
Besides a strong technical background and a mature quality of movement, we look for well rounded individuals. We search for those who are able to conduct themselves professionally (our dancers frequently engage in conversations with many alumni, university employees, donors, and fans) and have strong academic success! Our team culture and familial atmosphere are vital to the team’s success, therefore a team oriented individual is also important.
We believe the more exposure the better! We strongly recommend coming to a clinic and reaching out via email as it is a great way to meet the staff while also getting to dance with both other prospective dancers and current members of the team. Another way to connect is at the Tribe 99 and/or UDA College Combines. Finally, our staff travels to most major national competitions and often meets with dancers on site, when permitted by University guidelines.
The most important thing to make sure you do is communicate! Meet and stay connected to the coaching staff and continue to update us on the application process. If you are serious about coming to Ohio State, share that with us! We highly value transparency and communication both in the recruiting process and on our team.
Potentially! Similar to how we held interviews during our in-person, formal tryouts, there may be an interview requirement as the recruitment process proceeds. More info will be provided to those dancers that will need to fulfill this requirement when the time comes.
We are looking for someone who knows and can speak to your character, not your dance ability. The letter should offer a perspective of who you are as a person and offer supporting examples. Though that might be a dance teacher, it could also be a school teacher, a boss, or another individual that knows you very well. We do ask that your letter is written by an adult that is not related to you. The person that writes your letter of recommendation can also be a person that you use as a reference.
