The Aristocrat of Bands Sophisticated Ladies auxiliary team is a collegiate dance team program that is nationally recognized and rich in tradition.  They represent the Aristocrat of Bands and Tennessee State University during the band’s performances. The members of our team carry themselves on and off the field as ladies with style beauty and grace. They pride themselves on passion, dedication, and heart for our team, our university and dance.  If you are dedicated and motivated and want to be part of a TEAM in every sense of the word, the Sophisticated Ladies auxiliary team is a tremendous opportunity available to you during your college years. 

In order to audition, you must provide proof of admission to Tennessee State University for the upcoming fall semester and be able to demonstrate your acceptance to the University via acceptance letter/housing form. Current TSU applicants must provide an unofficial transcript at the time of the interview as proof of enrollment in the university All forms must be received at the start of the tryout clinic in order to participate. While it is not necessary to mail the forms in prior to the tryout, the paperwork needs to be completed upon arrival to the first workshop. Spring auditions are a 3 day process that include an interview, closed technique auditions with cuts, and an open audition, "The AOB Explosion" on the last day. 

Academic Expectations: 

The Aristocrat of Bands believes that academics come first. Other than classes, the Sophisticated Ladies are expected to be the first priority of every member (i.e. over jobs or other extra-curricular activities). All members must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to be part of the team. 

Approximate Monetary Costs/Fundraising: 

The Sophisticated Ladies has several out of pocket expenses each auxiliary member is responsible for i.e. shoes, boots, warm-up, shorts, shirts, bag, sweatshirts, hair, makeup, etc. These payments are due at the beginning of the season to cover all team apparel. Upkeep of apparel and hair is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills are included in tryouts for the Sophisticated Ladies? 

Dancers auditioning for our team perform a set of technical skills as part of the tryout. The skill list includes: double and triple pirouettes, leaps on the right and left (split leaps, leaps in second, and switch leaps); fouette turns, fouette turns a la seconde, calypso, C jump, and toe-touch. Other dance skills may be changed or added. We will detail and review skills at the clinic.

Can I tryout more than once? 

Yes! There is no limit to the number of times you can try out for our team. 

How many spots are there on the dance line? 

We do not have a set number of dancers but spots on the team are limited and only the best of the best will be selected. The number of new members each year will depend upon graduating seniors and overall talent level of the audition pool. Our team usually ranges between 8 to 15 dancers.