What it Takes to Become an NBA Dancer
Walking through the journey and the audition process of becoming an NBA dancer.
People always ask me, “How did you become an NBA dancer?” or “How do you become an NBA dancer?”
Well – every process varies a bit depending on the team but ultimately we show up to a 2 week long open audition that tests every skill that is required to become a professional dancer.
The journey to becoming an NBA dancer is a lifelong dream that takes a lot of hard work, dedication, consistent training, determination, accountability, and talent.
Some people seem think what we do is just a profession full of glamour – having a great body, wearing costumes, and getting glammed up for games. BUT - what people don’t understand is that these teams mold our lives and that there is so much more that goes into being able to even have the opportunity of showcasing those things in the first place.
Although I must admit that we do love the glamour that comes with game days, that is just the cherry on top of a finished product. We are constantly working to have a professional level physique, we train hard at our skill sets, and we maintain a respected representation of our organization on and off of the court. Being an NBA dancer is a professional sport in itself and if you spend a week in our shoes you would find many similarities to be in-line with that of the athletes we dance for.
Professional dance and cheerleading teams encompass some of the best athletes to look up to, due to the high accountability and requirements to be on these teams in the first place:
Full time employees outside of dance
Engineering, medical, law, communications, nursing, etc.
Full time students
Bachelors, MBA, law degrees, dental students, medical students, etc.
Ambassadors for the community on behalf of the team’s organization
Mentors, coaches, and instructors to young aspiring dancers
Dance team “juniors” programs, local dance team coaches, dance class instructors, aspiring pro dance mentors, etc.
Public speakers
Always speaking in the community, interviews by media, etc.
Empowering and strong representation
Following strict rules regarding professionalism
So you’re wondering about the journey of becoming an NBA dancer:
Dance Background
Just like any sport – some of us start at a young age while others find their passion in middle school, high school, or college.
Every dancer has a different background and journey. Personally, I didn’t start dance classes at a young age like many of my past and current teammates, I grew up in gymnastics. I tried out for the cheerleading team in high school and immediately fell in love with it from there. I was a cheerleader for three years until I decided I wanted to ultimately pursue dance and be able to take it to the professional level one day.
Needless to say, I started dancing late in the game, especially if I wanted to go pro - around 17/18 years old. I definitely had to work twice as hard but as long as you put in the extra work and have the determination, you can truly accomplish anything you set your mind to.
No matter the journey, if you fall in love with the idea of being on a dance team or dancing for a professional sports team, it is due to the opportunity of doing what we love for our home teams, stadiums packed full of our peers, friends, and the community.
It becomes an all encompassing passion that we never want to give up:
· The empowering feeling of being able to step into a character bigger than yourself.
· The athleticism and accountability that comes with being on a team and in a sport.
· The lifelong friends and bonds you create.
· The prestige of making a team and being a part of something.
· The excitement of performing/competing/sharing your talents with the community.
· Of course, the dance costumes and uniforms!
The dream
The dream of being able to step into a legacy greater than yourself on an iconic stage, being a part of an empowering team, and cheer on your hometown/favorite team is a powerful one. It keeps us continuously growing in our craft and auditioning time after time, without any thought of giving up until we reach it.
The ability to become a professional dancer shapes you in so many ways along the way:
· It keeps you on the right track with a greater goal to always work towards.
· It gives us a sense of purpose. A hard-earned skill set and talent that we are ultimately able to give back with.
· Mentors and role models to look up to and aspire to become.
Auditions
Every dance team has a different style, requirements, and the type of dancers that they are looking for. With that being said, every dance team’s audition process may vary!
Ultimately, we show up to a 1-2 week open audition that tests every skill that is required to become a professional dancer.
I will be completely straight up - professional dance team audition are intense and difficult - yet some of the best memories of my life! It is both physically and mentally difficult but that is why it is soooo important to prepare as best you can beforehand.
Prepping for auditions? www.thesidelinesecrets.com/blog/auditionprepchecklist
We have open auditions which provides the opportunity for anyone to come and audition each season. Every dancer has an equal opportunity to make the team, as no one is guaranteed a spot year-to-year, not even veterans. You are always working hard to better yourself and stay at the top of your game each season.
Dancers typically prep on their own months before the audition day, along with attending the prep classes held by the dance team before-hand. This gives us a chance to meet the director, judging panel, other dancers, and get a sense of the team’s style.
If you make it past the first day of semi-finals, a small group is chosen as the finalists that will join the team for a week-long training camp. This is where dancers are tested and judged in all necessary skills required for the team. Training camp is meant to not only test your skills for the position but give you the opportunity to see what it is truly like to be an NBA dancer.
Finals week dives into:
- Dance ability
- Dance technique
- Performance ability
- Confidence and demeanor
- Time management
- Interview skills
- Public speaking
- Physical fitness
- All-around personal character
*To show you what a week in the life of being a professional dancer encompasses and if it is also right for you.
Becoming an NBA dancer: Training Camp
The first day of auditions is to pick the top dancers that season they can potentially see on the dance team. Training camp is where you are really proving all of your hard work and showing off your skill sets.
As an NBA dancer our practices are typically 3 times a week for about 3 hours, attendance of every home game, community appearances/charity, and additional dance team events.
Training camp is meant to be all encompassing of how our weeks actually look during season - allowing finalists to see if they have what it takes to fulfill the hard work behind the scenes.
An example of how a finals training camp week looks:
Monday
Dance rehearsal - 3 hours
Across the floor dance technique (around 30 minutes)
Run/clean our dance from semi-finals
Start to learn new choreography
Tuesday
Individual interviews: scheduled throughout the day.
Individual interviews go all week long with dancers having different scheduled times to go in.
We generally have a panel of up to 8 judges in a conference room during the interview.
Wednesday
Individual interviews scheduled throughout the day.
Dance rehearsal - 3 hours
Thursday
Individual interviews scheduled throughout the day.
Photo shoot and uniform fitting - each dancer has a scheduled time throughout the day.
Friday
Dance rehearsal - 3 hours
Saturday
Choreography showcase/final dance audition
This is the day we showcase everything we have been working on through training camp in front of the judging panel. Typically up to 8 judges.
Every dance we have learned (usually one in every style), dance technique across the floor, and small group performances.
Check-in is typically in the morning and the final team is announced later that afternoon.
Becoming an NBA dancer is such a journey because it takes time to become the best at what you do. The dream and opportunity to make it to the professional level, alongside an established dance team legacy, is worth all of the hardships and challenges that may come along the way.
Although it is a tough a dream to accomplish - it will be worth every minute when you get to live out your passions with an incredible legacy.