The BYU Cougarettes are a pom and dance team for
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
, in
Provo, Utah. They perform at athletic events on the BYU campus and compete in national events in various genres including
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and
hip-hop. As of 2019, they have won 19 national championships.
About the team
The Cougarettes are an audition only team. In order to be considered for the team, those auditioning must be accepted as students at Brigham Young University, must be experienced dancers, and must learn and perform the audition material provided. The dancers are required to have knowledge and practical abilities in
ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
,
modern
Modern may refer to:
History
* Modern history
** Early Modern period
** Late Modern period
*** 18th century
*** 19th century
*** 20th century
** Contemporary history
* Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Phil ...
, and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
techniques. Each year over 100 dancers audition for the team of 16 to 18 dancers.
History
The Cougarettes were originally established in 1946. In 1998
"Dance Spirit"magazine named the Cougarettes as one of the top 25 collegiate dance teams in the nation, and in the year 2000, the Cougarettes began performing with the Cheer Squad at sporting competitions in halftime performances.
As of 2019, the Cougarettes have won 19 national championships since 1997: five
National Dance Alliance (NDA) Open Division/Jazz IA championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019), five NDA Hip Hop Division IA championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019),
eight NDA Team Performance Division IA championships (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010), and one Dance Team Union Hip Hop Division IA title (2017).
They were also United Spirit Association National Champions in 2005 and 2006,
and they won first prize in the New Prague Dance Festival in 2012.
References
External links
byucougarettes.comOfficial website
byucougars.com/cougarettesOfficial Cougarettes athletics website
Official Cougarettes dance
Video of 2012 championship hip-hop performance
{{Brigham Young University
Cougarettes
American college cheerleading squads
Performing groups established in 1946
1946 establishments in Utah