Orchesis Dance Company Captain(s)/CoCaptain(s) Requirements

The director shall determine the requirements and the process used to determine the captain. The director may choose to appoint a company member as captain based on their experience with said company member in previous season(s). The director may also choose to appoint a company member as captain based off of an official captain audition.

The captain is selected each year by the Director of the company, as the Director is responsible for observing on a daily basis the work ethic, dance skill, leadership, academic scholarship, performance ability and personality of all dancers and is best qualified to make this selection.

The captain is a member of the company tasked with upholding the vision and  artistic standards established by the artistic director. They are the link between the company and the artistic director. As captain(s) and co-captain(s), the dancer represents Grambling State University and the Orchesis Dance Company. Therefore, the dancer is expected to present themselves positively in and out of the studio and on all social media platforms. The captain(s) and co-captain(s) are also expected to possess the following qualities:

  • Responsible
  • Respectful
  • Reliable
  • Strong leadership skills
  • A wide range of technical skills and artistic sensibility
  • Professionalism
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Teachable
  • Proactive
  • Ability to perform under pressure
  • Positive attitude

Responsibilities and duties:

  1. Maintain peak physicality to be able to perform at your highest level.
  2. Commit to further developing your technical skills and challenging the company members to do the same.
  3. Lead stand routines during football and basketball games.
  4. Lead the dancers when marching in and out of the stadium.
  5. Keep company on task at rehearsals and at all performances.
  6. Remain approachable and willing to help and motivate all company members.
  7. Maintain a positive relationship with all company members and the artistic director.
  8. Work creatively and collaboratively with the artistic director
    1. Stay prepared to help with choreography (field shows/ half time routines, stand routines, pep rally routines, formations ect.) Record band music weekly.
    2. Lead warmup/ teach company class if asked to do so.
    3. Meet with the artistic director regularly. Willing to arrive early, leave late, and attend extra rehearsals if needed.
    4. Relay messages to the company from the artistic director. Contact company members when asked to do so by the artistic director.
    5. Help with game day packing, checkout costumes, send performance checklist to all participating dancers. (costumes, shoes, tights, hair, makeup, water,  ect.) The day of a performance: go through checklist with company, make sure everyone is there, make sure everyone looks presentable ( hair, makeup, nails, no bonnets/hair scarves, neat attire. After game: check in costumes.
    6. Address all concerns, issues, etc. with the artistic director.
  9. Must be organized and timely. Timeliness may be determined by the dancer arriving to rehearsals “prior to” call time and at the end of rehearsal, the dancer should be observed assisting in ensuring that all equipment is properly stowed and staying after to assist other dancers who may require additional help with the choreography.
  10. Must maintain an appropriate appearance that is representative as the lead ambassador of the organization. Hair, attire and personal grooming must be maintained daily as the captain is representative of the entire group. A disheveled appearance at anytime is completely unacceptable.
  11. The captain should ALWAYS avoid gossip and remain tactful, respectful and courteous at all times. Outbursts of negativity should never be displayed.
  12. To be considered captain, a record of outstanding participation in the fall dance season as well as the spring concert season must be observed. This may be determined by field and stand performance during the fall semester and lead roles during the spring semester. Exceptional performance ability and showmanship is also considered.

The Director is at liberty to make changes to the student leadership as she deems necessary if a case so arises throughout the academic year.

Who is eligible? 

Any female that is at least a sophomore and has completed a full year with the Orchesis Dance Company.  Must be available for a full year. In the event that a dancer is not available for a full year (a fall graduating senior), the Director has full authority to appoint said dancer in a leadership role if deemed capable. In the event that a dancer has not completed a full year with ODC (transfer student), the Director has full authority to appoint said dancer in a leadership role if deemed capable.