Gonzaga Dance Team in front of College Hall

Gonzaga Dance Team

The Gonzaga Dance Team Mission Statement

The Gonzaga Dance Team is a devoted group of dancers that dedicates their time and energy to contributing spirit to the Gonzaga University community near and far. The team works hard to bring showmanship, progessionalism, and talent to all events we attend, while holding connectivity and pride at the core of everything we do. We aim to increase the sense of belonging of Zags through dance and energy, always wanting to represent out university in the highest of regards.

Dancer on the Gonzaga Dance Team is posed with the PAC-12 Logo photoshopped.

What is new this year for the Gonzaga Dance Team?

The 2026-2027 season is an incredibly exciting one for our team! As the Zags step into the PAC-12, we are dedicated to that transition, modernizing our team to operate as the most professional collegiate dance team we can be. Our team is excited about stepping into a more involved role with gameday events and activities, prioritizing bringing as much energy into the Kennel as we can. As of this year, you can catch us welcoming Zags into the McCarthey Arena and being involved with the beloved Zombie Nation ritual of Kennel games.

Additionally, our team underwent a change this year that brought tryouts earlier, and team auditions took place over the summer. We had dozens of talented dancers try out for our team both in-person and virtually, and we built an incredibly strong group of dancers ready to represent the best of our university at events all year long through spirit and athleticism. We are eager to perform for the Zag community at every event we are able to attend, and so excited for a year of modernization and increased opportunity!

Five members of the Gonzaga Dance Team smile with the bronze Spike bulldog outside of the Kennel.

Who We Are

The Gonzaga Dance Team is a student-run club that performs at dozens of events on and off Gonzaga’s campus throughout the year. The Dance Team performs at many Gonzaga Athletic Events, and travels to games in Las Vegas and the Spokane Arena. The team can also be seen at every school spirit event throughout the year. The team is a close group of dancers from various backgrounds, each bringing their own strengths to the team. This club is not affiliated with the Gonzaga Dance Program, but it is a wonderful and incredibly unique way for dancers to participate in unmatched spirit and build friendships during their time at Gonzaga University. You can find the Gonzaga Dance Team dancers performing at the home basketball and volleyball games, selling basketball programs in the Kennel, performing at events around campus, and perfecting skills in practices every week. More information about the team and how to get in contact with the Captains can be found below, along with more frequently asked questions.

Gonzaga Dance Team

Performing at Kraziness in the Kennel

Gonzaga Dance Team in front of College Hall
Gonzaga Dance Team

PERFORMING AT FAMILY WEEKEND PEP RALLY

Five members of the Gonzaga Dance Team pose with the bronze statue of Spike outside of the Kennel.

Gonzaga Dance Team Through Numbers

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21

Dancers on the 2026-2027 Gonzaga Dance Team

17.2

Average Years of Dance Experience

28+

Performance Opportunities Per Year

18

Different Majors on the 2026-2027 Team

Two Gonzaga Dance Team dancers smile and pose with Poms in the Kennel

Team Information

Performance Opportunities

The Gonzaga Dance team performs at half of the basketball and volleyball games in The Kennel. The Team also travels to the Spokane Arena and Las Vegas for conference games for the basketball teams.

Learn more about Athletics
Dancers pose together

Team Information

Time Commitment

The Team's commitment is anywhere from 6-10 hours per week: practices are ~2 hours long, occurring 3 times per week. Performances occur up to twice per week with 1.5 hours of commitment each time.

See more about our team
Dancer poses with poms

Team Information

Required Skill Level

Every dancer brings their own unique strengths, but every dancer has clean double pirouettes, leaps, turning jumps, and kicks on the left and right, as well as strong turns in second on the right.

Watch a pom performance
Three dancers holding poms and a basketball

Team Information

Auditioning for the Team

Auditions have taken place over the summer or for a week in September. They consist of an info session, a class, a clinic, and a formal audition, and results are released that same day. Inquire with the team for more detailed information.

How 2026 Auditions Went

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can audition for the team?
The team is open to any student at the university to audition for! Students of all years, majors, gender identities, and dance backgrounds can try out for the Gonzaga Dance Team, and there will be a spot on the team for them if the dance style is a good fit.

What if I want to study abroad and be on the team?
Studying abroad as a member of the Gonzaga Dance Team is extremely common! Dancers on the team who want to go abroad will be a member of the team all year long, but will only be expected to hold a time commitment for the team for the semester that they are in Spokane.

What happens in team practices?
The team practices three nights a week to learn choreography, stretch, strengthen, and bond. Practice consists of cardio time, strengthening, flexibility and technique training, and learning and perfecting the dances that we perform.

What styles does the Gonzaga Dance Team perform?
The team performs jazz and pom routines. These dances are done in jazz shoes and tennis shoes, dependent on the routine and the environment of the performance. There is a relatively even ratio between jazz and pom performances throughout the year.

What are the benefits to being a dancer on the Gonzaga Dance Team?
Being a member of the Dance Team provides personalized uniforms and warm ups, team makeup, a team backpack, team tennis shoes, and team merchandise provided throughout the year. However, most importantly, the team provides dancers with a wonderful group of teammates and an incredibly unique way to be very involved with the Zag spirit!

What is the cost of being on the Gonzaga Dance Team?
Because we are a club, there are club dues that are paid at the beginning of the school year to cover the cost of the items given to dancers while on the team. Club dues vary depending on the year and the dancer being charged, as returning dancers can sometimes purchase less items because they already have them from previous years. Dues will be a few hundred dollars in a one-time payment. If dancers choose to travel to Las Vegas for the basketball tournament in March, there is a Vegas fee of $100-$150 per dancer to cover any outstanding travel and housing costs while in Las Vegas.

Meet the Team Captains

The Gonzaga Dance Team Captains pose together with their names with the text displayed as Meet the 2026-2027 Captains, Ainsley Nelson Class of 2027 Nursing, Abigail Fewel Clas of 2027 Computer Science, Annabelle Hoeft Class of 2028 Kinesiology.

Six women pose on the steps of College Hall at Gonzaga University wearing formal wear and Gonzaga Dance Team sashes.

Meet the Team

Sophomores

From left to right: Chloe Manningsmith, Mia Franco, Addison Laton, Alyssa Kershner, Olivia Gullette, Gracey McGuire.

Learn more about the sophomores

Page designed and developed by Abigail Fewel ('27), Gonzaga Dance Team

    Contact the Gonzaga Dance Team!

    Inquire with questions or for more information about our team.

    502 E Boone Ave
    Spokane, WA 99258
    (509) 313-6662
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