Coaches Union is designed to bring you helpful resources throughout your season. This page was created FOR you, BY you, and we will be adding to this web page continuously with ideas gathered from around the coaching community. United, we will succeed! 

COACH CONNECT

JOIN US AS WE CONNECT COACHES FROM 

AROUND THE COUNTRY!

Coach Connect is a recurring virtual discussion just for coaches where you can share your ideas on various topics. This is an opportunity to connect with coaches from around the country while learning from each other. DTU will be there to facilitate and help generate ideas!

​

Sign up now for our next Coach Connect and we will email you a link to the virtual Zoom meeting with instructions on how to join. Choose a date and time that best suits you! As slots fill up we may add sessions to our site. Check back for updates!

​

You don't need to have attended a Coach Connect previously in order to attend now. Each session hosts a new group of coaches and we would love to have you join! 

COACH CONNECT RESOURCES

FINDING A CHOREOGRAPHER
  There are many factors that you should look into when searching for a choreographer...

1 - Do your research

2 - Decide your budget

3 - Plan early

4 - Communicate and build a relationship

Check out some great choreographers in the industry by clicking the link below. 

HANDLING SELF-DOUBT AS A COACH

As coaches, we all experience self-doubt at one point (or many points) throughout our season and career.  Check out this article from Chelsea, the Passionate Coach, that shares common doubts that all coaches experience and the actual truths, along with some resources to help start your season strong and build your confidence.  

TEAM MOOD CHART

Check in with your team members at the start of each practice by asking them where they fall on the mood chart that day. Knowing where your dancers are at mentally and emotionally can be helpful in creating a positive culture!

FIRST-TIME COACHING

Navigating your first year as a coach can be difficult at times. Finding a support system of other coaches can help keep you on track that first year! Check out the link below for a great article on first-time coaching, and be sure to sign up for a Coach Connect session for the opportunity to connect with other coaches!

BUDGETING & FUNDRAISING

One of the topics we discussed this week was how to budget and fund raise during this unknown time.  We discussed potential fundraisers that could be beneficial all year long.  We also brainstormed different ways to save the team and individual dancers money. Check out some ideas below! 

ASSISTANT COACH RELATIONSHIPS

Click the button below to see ten ways to foster a positive relationship with your assistant coach!

​

COACHING DURING QUARANTINE

There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to coaching and planning during this time.  As you begin a new season, and even though times are different, it is important to develop the team culture and team discipline you want for your entire season. Check out some ideas and articles below to help you start your season!

ALUMNI MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

​Make pairs of willing alumni and current team members by matching similar characteristics, hometowns, or match by request. Ask the alumni to send letters of inspiration or advice to their "adopted" team member throughout the season. An alumni mentorship program is a great chance for your past and current team members to connect and form relationships, strengthening the legacy of your program! This can be done through e-mail, text, phone calls, or coffee dates! 

TEAM

CONNECT

SIGN UP FOR A TEAM CONNECT SESSION WITH A DTU CREW MEMBER!

​

Dance Team Union is excited to bring you and your team the resources you need to strengthen your bond! We will periodically provide new activities and exercises here on our Coaches Union page. If you would like to have a team bonding session facilitated by a DTU Crew Member via Zoom, please submit your request by selecting an activity, date, and time after clicking "Sign Up." Check out more fun ways to keep your team connected throughout your season below!

1 ROLL THE DICE - This fun get-to-know-you game will have your team answer unique questions about themselves, their interests, and their dance favorites. Roll the dice, read the question next to the number that was rolled, and have the team member answer. It's that simple! 

2 GRATITUDE CIRCLE - This exercise is designed to connect teammates, to bring awareness of how every team member contributes to the team, to practice gratitude, and to build confidence. 

3 100% PURE LOVE - Pick one team member to be the “number keeper” and they will keep track of adding the numbers together.  Going in any random order, each team member will say a fact about themselves that involves a number. Example, “I played soccer when I was younger and my number was 50.” 

4 PERSONAL TIMELINE - Each team member will create a personal timeline featuring significant events that have happened in their lives. The team will then share their timelines and get to know one another on a deeper level.

5BABY PHOTOS - Take a trip down memory lane with your team! Collect one baby picture from every member and ask your team to guess who is who from their baby photos!

​

​

​

6THEMED VIDEO CHAT

Meet with your team on video chat weekly and add some fun by making each call themed (70s, 80s, movies, animals, etc.).

7SENIOR SHOUT OUT

Dedicate a video call to the seniors and share favorite memories involving them.

​

8NAME THAT MOVIE

One teammates shares their favorite dance related movie line. The first person to guess correctly will be the next to share.

​

9SCAVENGER HUNT

Make a list of things around the home (can be dance / school specific or generic).  Have team do at the same time and the first person to find all of the items wins. 

​

​

​

10NAME THAT TUNE

The coach will play a song for the team to listen to for  two or three seconds. The first teammate to guess the song gets a point. The teammate with the most points at the end of the game wins.

​

11DIDDY CHALLENGE

Each member choreographs four 8-counts to no music and submits a video. All team members and coaches will watch and vote for their three favorites. The top three can be used for performances for the

next season.

12HIGH POINT 

Have each team member share what they are grateful for as well as share their high point from the day or week.

​

13POPCORN CHOREO

Pick one teammate (or coach) to start the challenge.  That person will teach one 8-count to the entire team using one of the communication tools listed above. After teaching, that person will select the next person to teach by saying "popcorn" and the teammates name. That person will teach a second 8-count, and then popcorn to another teammate. This continues until all team members have contributed. Challenge your team by having them perform all 8-counts from start to finish.

14VIP 

Select one team member to be the VIP that day or week. Have each teammate and coach write them a letter saying what they love about them or highlighting their strengths. Then you can either have everyone email the letters to the VIP, or you can all meet in a virtual meeting and have a few teammates read their letter out loud to the VIP.

​

15FAMILY MASHUP

Pick your favorite routine of the year and have your team members try to teach one of their family members the dance. Have all of your dancers submit their videos and create a mashup of their performances using a simple video editing tool. Post the final product to your team Instagram and share for laughs!

16 Pass The Pom With Your Team On TikTok!

The University of Saskatchewan dance team is heading into their third season. Run out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, they are an elite, competitive dance team made up of U of S students from all over western Canada. The team competes in the styles of Pom, Jazz and Hip Hop and have won multiple grand champions, choreography awards and compete at the University World Cup in Orlando, Florida.

STARTING YOUR SEASON

GEAR UP FOR THE SUMMER

Check out all that DTU has to offer for the summer of 2020! We are here to bring you a whole new experience to keep your team on track for their next season! Learn more about our Virtual Camp packages!

LIVE VIRTUAL TRYOUTS:

If you are looking to keep your audition process live, but need to go virtual, we recommend using an online meeting platform like Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, Skype, or Microsoft Teams. Here you can schedule group or individual sessions where candidates can perform tryout material live! You can even have multiple judges join each meeting as well.

TECHNIQUE & FITNESS

NUTRITION GUIDELINES

COUNT your meals. You should aim to eat 5-6 times a day (3 meals and 2-3 small snacks). Shoot for every couple of hours. This will keep your metabolism burning all day long!     

LEAN protein! Each meal should contain about a palm-sized serving of lean protein (white-meat chicken/turkey, fish, black beans, egg whites, etc.) Find your favorites and keep them on hand.

​

EAT your fruits and veggies! They’re delicious, filling and packed with what our bodies need.

AVOID processed and refined foods. White flour, sugar, bread and pastas are no-nos. Replace them with complex carbs such as brown rice and whole wheat. Also, read ingredient lists. A long list means ‘not clean’.

NEVER eat mindlessly. Too often, we tend to grab food and toss it back without even a thought. The next time you go to eat something, ask yourself, “Will this do anything positive for my body?”

From

MASTER CLASSES

Dance Team Union has partnered with Inferno Dance to bring the dance community our Spring Training Master Class Series. Check our social media pages to see when our next live Master Class will be. Until then, have your team take one of our past Master Classes!

AB WORKOUTS CAN BE FUN!

Have team members create their own ab sequence to a different song and teach the team. Try a new ab sequence every week! Check out the video below for a fun example.

AT HOME WORKOUTS

Check out these workouts you can do from home! Share these with your team to keep them moving! Have your team get creative and make their own workout using household items. Post on social media and tag us!

DON'T FORGET TO STRETCH

Check out these step-by-step stretching guides for splits.

Your team can do these “together” virtually or on their own!

NEWS &

MEDIA

Trends are constantly changing in the dance world! Be sure to stay up-to-date by checking out some of the helpful links below.

MUST-READ ARTICLES

MEMBERSHIPS

PODCASTS

INSPIRATION