Welcome!

Open to all girls and boys in public, private and homeschools in all communities, Bulldogs Spirit Poms and Dance is a non-profit organization promoting the importance of sportsmanship, commitment, determination, teamwork, self-confidence, enthusiasm and team spirit, a passion for the art of dance, and the value of community service in our area youth.

"Dance Big, Dream Big, Care Big!"

Q. When was Bulldogs Spirit Poms and Dance founded? 

A. The groundwork and funds were being laid out in 2017, and finally implemented in 2018. 

Q. What grades/ages is this program reaching out to?

A. In Fall 2018 we had Princess Poms, and as of Spring 2019 we have quadrupled in numbers to add ages 4-8th Grade.  We were proud to have children from seven different towns from surrounding areas for Spring 2019 to come together to learn dance and have a great time!

Q. What info do you have on requirements like games and practices?

A. We will not be dancing/performing for any games.  We will be participating in community events and performing at special events.  On top of getting the chance to compete and learn with fantastic volunteers in the community with an amazing amount of dance/poms/performing backgrounds, we want the girls to have the opportunity to perform. As for practices they will be indoors. We have partnered with Volo Sportsplex, Village of Island Lake, Wauconda Post 911, Wauconda Township, local schools and other facilities in past/present for our practices.

Q. Are you members of IRCA?

A. Yes, we are in our second year of membership. We are also going into a second year of membership with the Wauconda Chamber of Commerce. 

Q. Who are you working with for uniforms/dresses and spirit items? We want quality!

A. And you will get it! :) We are partnering with American Outfitters, Weissman, Reverence and a few other big name distributors to get the best quality at the best price! 

Q. Will there a be a no-bullying policy?

A. Absolutely. We have a no-tolerance policy, and the parent/guardian who is registering their child will sign this confirming that they, and their child, are aware that if this policy is not followed, they will be removed from the team with no refund. This will be a team that is encouraging, uplifting and working together. We are a no-drama and no-bullying organization, and want our dancers to get the best experience out of Bulldogs Spirit Poms and Dance. 

Q. How do you plan to keep prices so low?

A. We are a non-for-profit. That is what we stand on, and we are not going to charge any more than what is needed to get the best quality items for your girls, to go to competitions with a wonderful organization, and our volunteers are just that - volunteers. They get no money, no commission; they truly enjoy giving back to the community. Most of them have been raised to do so and it is their passion. Most of our volunteers have professions in the community and work with youth, and want the girls in the surrounding communities to make friends, have a no-drama, bully-free zone that they can enjoy dance, perform, and learn how to become the best they can be, inside and OUTSIDE of the studio.

We will be relying on donations and sponsors to cover any additional costs we may need. All the info of what it costs you is on our flyer, as we are very determined to keep all info open and transparent to anyone who has questions. Our Director/Founder has personally funded all costs to start this Organization/any extra costs not included.  Any donations are gratefully accepted. And please remember, if you bring in a $500 sponsor your registration fee is waived!

Q. Is dance experience required for your program?

A. No, we are mixed-level teams.

Q. What is taught at class? 

A. Foundations of ballet (Cecchetti Method) and jazz are a must, so that will be a big part of class along with learning their routine. The little ones will have more activities in class such as tumbling, learning rhythm/music with instruments and much more.  In Spring we do tap and jazz (for Princess Poms) and in Fall we do ballet and jazz. 

Q. Are all the events that the dancers can go to required? 

A. No, but we hope they take advantage of being out in the community to perform and give back! We want our dancers to have as many opportunities as possible, we want to have a lasting impact on the community when we give back AND wonderful memories/experiences for our dancers!

Q. Scheduling - How does it work? 

A. We take care of everything! Parents run around a LOT, and we keep our schedule as consistent and up-front as possible.  We don't like surprises (unless it's fun event or two!).  We try to plan the whole season's class schedule (and most of our events) ahead of time so it's ready to give to you when you register your dancer.  We use a few different facilities throughout the season to help with costs, so we want to make sure parents have all the info immediately.  We know parents are tired of last-minute changes, and entire weekends wrapped around activities.  We don't want that either!  We want you to have all the info you need so you can plan accordingly.  The only thing that could be "last minute" is a special event or two we may want to sign up for, and those are always fun, but those are optional to our dancers.  (Most of our events are discussed and signed up for before the season starts)  But we do hope they take advantage of them, we want to give the All-Star experience without the All-Star cost! :) 

Q. "Spirit Booster Events", how does that work? 

A. Those are special events we do throughout the year.  Some events will become a staple from year to year, and some events our staff find as the year goes on.  We have staff that have been working on special events and working in the community with children for decades, so you can be sure we are ALWAYS keeping our eyes out for new and exciting events for our dancers! ;)

Q. Why doesn't your organization aim to open a studio if you have volunteers with dance experience? 

A. We do not want to pass that expense along to our students.  As of now, our registration costs only cover a small part of rental fees and insurance, and the rest has been covered by donations and fundraisers.  We are careful which fundraisers we choose (if any); we want to pick ones that have useful items and the less the kids have to sell, the easier for the parents ;)  we've all been there!  Your registration covers uniforms, bow, poms, trophies, competition fees and much more.  And what's GREAT is your child brings home their uniform to keep, along with bow and poms. We're not going to charge you a fee and keep the uniforms.  Every facility we've gotten ahold of to rent we are extremely grateful for, we're trying to save YOU money any chance we get without lowering the quality of the experience.  No fees, keeping uniform/poms/bow, practices that are easy on your schedule and at the same time keeping the quality!  We've heard you and we want to deliver! :)

Q. What level are these classes? 

A. These are mixed-level (multi-level) classes.  Since we are a NON-TRYOUT team, we may have basic beginners to advanced.  We do our best to highlight those skills in routines as best as we can.  This depends on the size of the group, choreography, skill levels, etc. 

Q. Where do you go for competitions?

A. We have chosen a few organizations this year and we always take feedback from the parents as to which ones they like the most.  Of course, winning is NOT always everything, we want our girls most importantly to learn, make friends, and grow closer together as a team while having fun.  But we do like to switch it up and try a few different competition organizations and sometimes we have opportunities to add more throughout the year if the parents like.  Each organization has something different to offer, and we like to have our dancers enjoy as many of them as possible!