Constitution of the Dickinson Diamonds Dance Team

We, the members of the Dickinson High School Diamonds, in order to create an
organization of the school which will expect and maintain the highest standards for each
of its members and through which maximum support will be given to all school activities,
do hereby ordain and establish this constitution.

Article I: Name
The name of this organization will be the Dickinson Diamonds.

Article 2: Membership

Section 1- Qualifications of membership

• A current member of the Diamonds will not be required to re-tryout each year
as long as she is a member in good standing. All fines must be cleared for all
school organizations and activities in order to maintain good standing as a
Diamond. All Diamonds must have 200 merits in order to be allowed to stay
on the team for the following year.
• All candidates must be entering grades 10-12 in the fall following tryouts in
the spring.
• All candidates must have an overall satisfactory conduct grade for the year in
which tryouts take place.
• All candidates must have a good overall disciplinary record for the year in
which tryouts take place. No candidate will be allowed to tryout if she has
more than 3 assigned days of SAC for the semester in which tryouts take
place, any suspensions from school for the year in which tryouts take place,
and any DALC assignments.
• All forms must on file with the Director before the candidate will be allowed
to tryout.
• All candidates must have a physical on file with the trainer before the tryout
clinic begins.

Section 2- Tryouts
• The candidates will be required to be a member of the “Diamonds in
Training” class for the Fall semeseter in order to be eligible to tryout for the
“Diamonds in the Rough” class for Spring Semester. No one may try-out who
is not a member of this class. The “Diamonds in the rough” will automatically
become member of the Diamonds the following Fall.
• On the day of tryouts all candidates will be required to wear a black hip length
top or a black leotard, black bottoms that are longer than the knee, and dance
shoes or Keds style tennis shoes. Hair must be in a bun and parted on the left
side, and makeup is encouraged.
• The tryout will be judged by a panel of three judges with Dance/ Drill Team
experience and chosen by the Director. The judge’s decision at tryouts is final.

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 • All Candidates must earn a minimum of 50 merits in order to tryout for
Diamonds in the Rough. Candidates must have no more than 5 Demerits
earned in order to tryout for Diamonds in the rough.
• Any candidate who does not make the Diamonds in the Rough class, will
automatically be placed in Dance 1.

Section 3- Loss of membership/ removal from office

• Reasons for loss of membership include but are not limited to:
o Ineligibility- a member will be placed on probation if she receives a
failing grade at the report card. Should the member remain ineligible
for the following report card, she will be removed from Diamonds.
o Suspension from school for any reason, assignment to DALC for any
reason
o Three or more days of SAC assigned to a member will result in
removal
o Consistent bad behavior and attitude of the member.
o Inability to follow rules set forth in the Diamond Constitution or
Diamond Contract.
o Accumulation of 25 Demerits

• Procedures for the loss of membership

o Dismissal of a member based on any one an incident, must be of
serious nature such as stealing, threatening any person, or any act the
committee deems immoral or illegal (This includes possession of or
consumption of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco)
o All documented offenses will be reviewed by the Director and parents
will be notified
o The student will then be removed from the Diamonds class period, and
all uniforms and supplies issued by DISD must be returned within one
week of dismissal or the student will be placed on the Fine List until
cleared.

• Reasons for loss of position of Office

o 1 day of SAC assigned to an Officer will result in removal from the
position as an Officer.
o Accumulation of 6 demerits will result in the removal from the
position as an Officer.
o Any conduct unbecoming of a Diamond Officer as deemed by the
Director.

• Procedures for loss of position of Officer

o All documented offenses will be reviewed by the director and parents
will be notified and a meting with the principal in charge of Diamonds
will be set.

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 o The Officer will be removed from the Diamond Officer period, and
placed into a squad as a line member. She will lose all responsibilities
and privileges of the position of Officer.

Article 3: Officers

Section 1- Eligibility
• An Officer Candidate, of either slate, must be have been a line member for the
school year prior to trying out for Officer, and she must be a member in good
standing.
• A candidate for Dance Officer must have accumulated a minimum of 150
merits for the school year in which she is trying out for officer.
• A candidate for Social Officer must have accumulated a minimum of 150
merits for the school year in which she is trying out for officer.
• No member may try out for Officer if she has been on any disciplinary
probation or plans to graduate in December of the following year.

Section 2- Tryouts
• Officer Candidates will be judged by a panel of judges selected by the
Director.
• Dance Officer Candidates must attend the after school clinic the week of
tryouts in order to learn the process, routines and to encourage each other
throughout the week. Failure to attend this clinic will result in forfeiting her
position as an officer candidate.
• The judges scores will be based on the following:
o Technique combination
o Solo choreography and technique
o Notebook/Tasks Graded by Director
o One interview with the judges
o Candidates teaching ability
o Directors points
o Team Vote

• The Social Officers will be judges by a panel of judges on the Following:

o Notebook
o Interview with Judges
o Team Vote
o Interview with Director and Senior Social Officers

• Tryouts will be closed to everyone except the Judges, candidate, Director,

Assistant Director, and Administrator

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 • Senior Officers may work the door and play music at tryouts, but will not be
inside when candidates are interviewed, NO EXCEPTIONS!
• The Notebook/Tasks portion of tryouts will be handed out by the Director
well ahead of the tryout date and will be turned on the date designated by the
Director each year.
• The Judges decision is the final decision as to which candidates make the
Officer slate and the positions designated

Section 3- Dance Officers

• The Dance Officer slate shall consist of Colonel, Lt. Colonel, 1st Lieutenant,
and Lieutenants.
• The Director and Judges will determine the number of Officers each year.
Special situations may occur and will constitute special arrangements, which
will be determined by the Director, for example- Co- Colonels, Co-Lt.
Colonels, etc)
• All Dance Officers are required to attend Officer Camp, no exceptions! If an
Officer does not attend Officer Camp along with the Officer Line, she will
forfeit her position as an Officer for that year.

Section 4- Duties of Dance Officers

• Colonel- The Colonel shall be the highest ranking Senior at tryouts. The
Colonel must be a Senior. It shall be the duty of the Colonel to act as top
ranking officer and to have complete control of the members in both
performance and practice. The Colonel must set the ultimate example for her
team mates and school community at all times. She is never off duty until she
graduates. It shall be the duty of the Colonel to conduct all practices and
maintain discipline of her team at all times, in practice and performance. She
is responsible for retaining all choreography for the team and officer line, and
may be placed in charge of ensembles at the directors discretion. She is
responsible for technique advancement, pep talks, attitude, and morale of the
team. She is responsible for taking Roll in 7th period each day and at all
performances. She will responsible for choreographing an advanced ensemble
in Spring Show. She will perform her solo in Spring Show.
• Lieutenant Colonel - the Lt. Colonel shall be the second highest ranking
officer candidate at tryouts, she does not have to be a Senior. It shall be the
duty of the Lt. Colonel to carry out that commands and perform the duties of
the Colonel in her absence. The Lt. Colonel will assist the Colonel at all times.
When the Colonel and Director are absent, the Lt. Colonel is in charge of the
team. She will maintain discipline and order at all times in practice and
performance. She is responsible for maintaining a well- informed and
disciplined squad. She is responsible for teaching technique and routines as
assigned by the Director or Colonel. She will choreograph an advanced
ensemble for Spring Show. She will perform her solo in Spring Show. She is
responsible for discipline of the team at ALL times.

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 • 1st Lieutenant - The 1st Lieutenant will be the 3rd highest ranking officer
candidate at tryouts. The 1st Lieutenant will be responsible for all hand
routines during football season. The 1st Lieutenant will maintain a well
informed and disciplined squad each year, and will lead the Lieutenants at
practice and performance. She will be responsible for recording and
maintaining an updated list of earned MERITS/DEMERITS for the entire
team for the year. The 1st Lieutenant will choreograph an ensemble each year
for Spring Show. She will perform her solo at Spring Show.
• Lieutenants- the Lieutenants will be the 4th highest ranking candidates at
officer’s tryouts and the number of lieutenants will be determined by the
Director and judges at tryouts each year. The Lieutenants will maintain a well
informed and disciplined squad. The Lieutenants will be responsible for all
music for each practice and performance, this includes all stereos, CD’s, and
all other equipment needed for each performance.

Section 5- Social Officers

• The Social Officer line shall consist of President, Vice- President, Historian,
Secretary, and Treasurer.
• Social Officers will be required to attend a Social Officer Camp each summer.
• They will be responsible for all social activities and assigned fundraisers for
the team, including car washes, garage sales, parties, motivational activities,
etc.

Section 6- Duties of Social Officers

• President- the President will be the highest ranking candidate at Tryouts; she
must be a Senior. The President is responsible for Homecoming Dance
preparation, initiation activities, and the Diamonds Banquet. She will organize
Banquet and will delegate accordingly all duties that are assigned for the
banquet. She will oversee all Social events and be in charge of organizing Car
Washes over the Summer. She will be assigned costumes for inventory and
must keep an accurate count of inventory each year. She will be responsible
for choosing and acknowledging Spirit girl of the week during Football
season. She will be responsible for choosing any team gifts to be presented to
the Diamonds throughout the year. She will be responsible for treats for
judges at all tryouts throughout the year. She will be responsible for the
Morale and Spirit of her team and Social Officer Line throughout the year.
She will issue Demerits to her Social Officer Line when they have not
completed an assignment.

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 • Vice- President- the Vice-president will be the second highest ranking
candidate at tryouts each year. She will be responsible for organizing the New
Girl Activity and Christmas Party each year. She will be assigned costumes
for inventory and must submit an accurate count of inventory of those
costumes to the President. The Vice President will be in charge of organizing
Slide Show for Spring Show as well as collecting/organizing any and all
pictures for the team for the year. (ex. Yearbook, football program, etc)
• Treasurer- The Treasure will organize the Costume and Social Closet and
keep an accurate inventory list to be submitted to the President. She will aid
the Director and Booster Club Treasurer in fundraising activities and money
collected. She will assist the 1st Lieutenant in record keeping of Merits and
Demerits. She will aide the President in the organization of Banquet.
• Secretary- The Secretary will be responsible for acknowledging and
celebrating Birthdays for all members. She will submit the Team Directory to
the team before the end of May each year along with the President. She is
responsible for opposing team gift during football season. She will aide the
president in the organization of Banquet.

Section 7- Vacancy
• Should there be a vacancy of any office, the Director will make the decision
as to whether or not to assign a new officer into that position or promote a
current officer into a higher position.

Article 4- Duties and Responsibilities

Section 1- Expenses of the organization

• Membership expenses for the Diamonds may vary from year to year. Each
candidate will be given an estimated cost sheet at tryouts each year.

Section 2- Practices/ Camps

• All members must attend the Line Camp designated by the Director each year.
Certain exceptions can be made, but only by the Director. Should a member
not come to line camp, she will relinquish her position on the team.
• Practices will begin after Line Camp Monday thru Friday on the date
designated by the Director and at the times designated by the Director each
year. All members will be given this information before the summer begins
and will be contacted by the officer in charge of her respective squad during
the summer as well. These practices are mandatory.
• In the event that a member must miss a practice, she must call her Squad
Officer before the practice begins in order to be excused. However, only the
Director may excuse an absence.
• Any unexcused practices missed will result in the removal of dances rehearsed
at that practice. Only the Director may excuse an absence.
• Beginning the first day of school, any member who misses a practice,
including 7th period, during the week of school, will not perform Friday night
at the football game.

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 • Band practice will be on Thursday at 3PM each week. This is a required
practice for all girls performing on Friday night.
• All practice schedules will be handed out at least two weeks in advance.

Section 3- Performance Screening

• Each member will be required to audition for each routine before the Director
sets the formations for each dance performed. The Dance Officers are required
to perform; therefore, they will not be required to audition before the Director
sets formations. However, it is at the Directors discretion as to whether or not
an Officer is allowed to perform each week.
• Any member who misses school the day of the weekly audition will
automatically be removed from the routine for that week. She may re-tryout
the following Monday.
• All members who are cut from a routine for any reason other than UIL
ineligibility will still be required to attend all practices and performances in
full uniform, as they are still an alternate for that performance. It is the
discretion of the Director as to whether or not an alternate will perform should
they be needed.
• Alternates must attend all practices, including Thursday Band practices.

Section 4- Transportation
• A Diamond shall ride the bus to all events as designated by the Director.
• A Travel release form must be filled out and on file for the member to ride
home via any other means other than the bus.
• The member will not be allowed to ride home with anyone under the age of
21, no exceptions. The parent must fill out the proper travel release form and
turn it in to the Director.

Section 5- Uniforms/ Costumes

• A uniform will be issued to each member over the summer practice session.
This uniform costs $250 each, and the member and parent will be required to
sign a contract to take care of this uniform before the uniform is issued out.
• Only the member is allowed to wear the uniform, any misuse of the uniform
will constitute the member receiving 5 permanent demerits.
• The uniform is to be worn to all events and performances as designated by the
Director. When performing inspection the following items must be on the
Diamonds body properly:
o Uniform bodice
o Gauntlets
o Body tights
o Boots

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 o Hat
o Make-up

• Once dismissed from an event or performance the Diamond must change out
of the uniform and hang it up in a hanging bag before attending any other
activity. If seen anywhere in uniform without permission, she will receive 5
permanent demerits for insubordination.
• Costumes issued out at Contest season and Spring Show will not leave the
Dickinson High School Campus, unless excused by the Director.
• All members will be required to bring a garment bag to school with her name
on it for distribution of costumes, and will hang her garment bag in the closet
until the end of contest season or Spring Show; she will then be allowed to
take home her garment bag.

Article 5- Performances

Section 1- Football Games

• All Varsity Football Games are required for each member, unless she is on
probation for UIL ineligibility.
• Failure to attend a game with prior approval from the Director will result in
being suspended from performance the following week.
• No outside visitors will be allowed to walk thru or talk to the members of
Diamonds during the game.
• Cell phones are not permitted for the duration of the game without Directors
permission
• Only parents who are volunteering for the game will be allowed into the
section of the stadium for the duration of the game. All other parents must sit
elsewhere or behind the Diamonds in the stadium.

Section 2- Contest Season

• All Diamonds are required to compete with the team each year we go to
competition, it is not optional. The routines designated by the Director will be
an optional tryout; however, all eligible dancers will compete in a minimum
of two routines each year.
• The Director will determine excused absences each year during Contest
season. The Director will make the final decision on all Contest routines and
performances.
• All members are required to attend all competitions, and stay for duration of
the event as designated by the Director.

Section 3- Spring Show

• The Spring Show will be held each year as designated by the Director.
• The Spring Show is mandatory for all members. It is her grade for the six
weeks in which Spring Show falls that year. All Diamonds must perform in a

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 minimum of Opener and Finale for her grade. Should she be removed from
one of these routines due to lack of participation, she will receive a 75 for the
six weeks. Should she be removed from both of these routines, she will
receive a 50 for that six weeks grade.
• All practices are mandatory; the member may miss 2 practices during the
preparation for the show, upon the third practice she will forfeit her place in
that routine.

Article 6- Awards/ Special Teams

Section 1- Letter Jacket

• All members in good standing who have participated fully in Football season,
Contest season, and Spring Show for one full year (all three seasons in one
full school year) may be eligible for a letter jacket. This includes managers
and escorts.
• A member may receive a letter jacket after one full year of membership if
he/she has competed in two competitions with the team, or ensembles and
received a 1st division rating and has not been on grade probation for the
duration of that year. Should we not compete in a certain year as a team, any
Diamond who performs a solo at competition and receives a division 1 rating
will receive her letter jacket, as long as all other criteria are met in that year as
well.
• The letter jacket will be awarded the following semester of the members
qualifying year.

Section 2- Awards
• Each year at Banquet, the team will elect the following, and an award will be
given to the recipients.
o Outstanding Officer
o Outstanding Sophomore, Junior, Senior members
o Miss Congeniality
• Diamonds of the week
o During football season, the Dance and Social Officers will select a
Diamond of the week based on work ethic and attitude
o During football season, the Dance and Social Officers will select a
Diamond Spirit girl of the week based on her team spirit and attitude
during practice that week.

Section 3- Radiance Company

• Radiance Company will be auditioned at a time designated by the Director
each year.
• Members who make the Radiance Company or become an alternate will be
required to attend extra practices to learn the Radiance Competition routine(s).

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 • Members of Radiance may miss only ONE called practice. Upon the second
missed practice she will be removed from the Company.
• It is to be understood that this company is to consist of the Elite members of
Diamonds, both in terms of dance technique and moral.

Section 4- Bling Company

• This company will audition before the end of the previous school year and
will consist of veteran members of the Diamonds. The number of members of
Bling will be determined by the Director each year.
• Members of Bling will be required to attend a workshop to learn dances for
performances for the following school year.
• Bling will perform at all pep Rallies, designated Basketball Games, and
Spring Show. They may or may not compete in competition that will be
determined by the Director each year.
• The members of Bling may be required to pay for and attend an outside Dance
Clinic during the summer and/ or school year.

Article 7- Merits/ Demerits

Section 1- Merits
• Merits are given for any act of good deed for the Team. They are a reward
system as well as a way to establish the commitment of each Diamond
Member.
• Merits may earned, but are not limited to, the following actions:
o Fundraising- 1 merits per $5 raised
o Grades- 5/A; 3/B;1/C
o Outside Dance Classes at Studio- 5 merits per class attended, proof
needs to be supplied by Diamond
o Clubs and organizations- 5 merits per club/organization
o Performing solos in competition= 25 merits
o Any reason and number designated by the Director or Officers (Dance
or Social)
• Each member must earn at least 100 merits to remain on the team for the
Spring Semester and 200 Merits to remain on the team for the following year.
Any member who does not earn 200 merits before May 15th each year, will
forfeit her position on the Diamonds Dance Team.
• Officer candidates refer to Article 3, section 1 for merit qualifications for
Officer Tryouts.

Section 2- Demerits
• Demerits will be assigned to Diamond Members for failure to comply with
policies and procedures of the organization. Demerits will be used as a
disciplinary agent for our Dance Team.
• Summer Demerits- Each member is allowed up to (10) demerits during
Summer Camp. Once (10) demerits have been earned by the member she will

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 sit out of the first football performance. Each (5) demerits earned after that
during summer will equal another football performance. Once school starts
the regular Demerit system will begin.
• Regular Demerits will be recorded beginning the first day of school by the 1st
Lieutenant.
• Demerits may be earned for the following, but are not limited to the following
as designated by the Director:
• Squad Work offs- Each girl is to be responsible for her squad members, and
when the following infractions occur, the entire squad will work off the
members infraction:
o Squad work- offs- 8- 8- cts. Straight kicks, walking lunges, 250 sit-ups
( the director will decide)
 Not dressing out
 Wearing wrong practice wear
 Chewing gum
 Wearing jewelry at roll call
 Failure to get hair up for practice at roll call

o Practice-
 Public Display of Affection- 1
 Talking while Director or Officers are talking- 1
 Wearing jewelry- 1
 Unexcused absence from practice- 5
 Talking at practice after 1 warning- 1

o Performance-

 Wearing uniform without permission- 5

 Wearing Diamond articles without permission- 5
 Talking to non- Diamonds without permission- 5
 Missing items on uniform- 5
 Food or drink without permission- 5
 Unexcused absence from performance- 10
 Using cell phones without permission- 5

o Insubordination
 To director- 10
 To officer from line member- 1
 From officer to team or line member- 5 (assigned by Director)

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  Use of profane/vulgar language- 10
 Leaving without permission- 5
 Failure to meet a deadline- 1
 Tardy to any Diamond event or practice- 1

o Other
 Any reason deemed by Director, including amount assigned

• 5 Demerits equals sitting out of performance of the following week

• After Football season, Demerits will affect the member’s grade in Diamonds
class. For each demerit acquired, the daily grade for the Diamond will drop 10
per day. They will be permanent!
• Once a Diamond earns 25
demerits, she will be dismissed from the team.
WE WILL NOT WORK OFF DEMERITS! They are permanent once a
member earns them.

Article 8- Interpretation
• The Diamonds Director and the Dickinson High School Administration has
the sole ability to interpret this constitution. The rules stated above may be
amended at anytime throughout the year as the need for change may arise.
This is the sole responsibility of the Diamonds Director, with the best interest
of the team in mind.

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