The Wake Forest University Spirit office is the home of the Demon Deacon Cheerleaders, Dance Team and mascots. Varied scholarship money is available for two dancers, up to 8 cheerleaders and 2 mascots.

The cheerleading squad is made up of 8 to 12 co-ed couples and cheers for 3 highly regarded ACC teams. The Dance Team is made up of traditionally 10 to 18 girls with high dance ability and performs at both football and basketball games. The season for both teams begins the first week of August with pre-season camp. The Demon Deacon Spirit teams begin cheering and dancing at the first football game and a select group travels to all away football games. In November the teams begin cheering and dancing for the nationally ranked Wake Forest Men's Basketball team and for the Women's team.

There is no travel during basketball season which runs until late March. At the end of the season a select group does travel to cheer on the teams at the ACC Tournament.

All athletes have to maintain a 2.5 GPA. Both teams practice at least 3 times a week for no less than 2 hours at a time. All teams also lift weights at least 2 times a week with the strength coaches. Team members must attend a weekly study hall.

Assistant Cheer Coach Tanya Bowles joined the Demon Deacon Coaching staff in the spring of 2002. Bowles is the former director of the North Carolina High School Cheerleading Association and coached 5 time High School state champions, Davie County. Bowles has been coaching cheerleading for over 12 years and worked extensively with All-Star Cheerleading programs and championships across the country.

Assistant Dance Coach Erika McInnis joined the Demon Deacon staff in the summer of 2002. A long time UCA/UDA instructor Erika danced on the nationally ranked NC State Dance Team for four years. Erika has since dropped her Wolfpack ties and in her first year choreographed material and helped coach the Demon Deacon Dance Team to its first ever top 20 national ranking with NDA.

The coaching staff can be reached in the Spirit Office at (336) 758-4902.

For dancers a try-out dance routine is taught and the coaching staff looks at how fast the dancers can pick up new material. If necessary, cuts are made and final try-outs will be held before cheer and dance coaches and choreographers on the final day. Girls will be judged on performance of a variety of leaps, turns, and other basic technical dance skills, as well as their performance of the learned routine. Interviews will be conducted by the head coach and will account for 10 percent of the final score.

Cheerleading try-outs also run over a 2 day period. Final try-outs are held before a panel of judges on the last day. Interviews will be conducted by the head coach and will account for at least 10 percent of the final score. Cheer girls have to have a standing back handspring, a standing back-tuck, and a running tumbling pass. Guys are required to perform a standing back-tuck and a back handspring. Toss to hands extension with a twist/full cradle is required by everyone and they will be asked to execute 2 other optional partner stunts of their choice. Girls and guys will learn a fight song and will be judged on motion placement and overall dance ability.

Both dance and cheer girls are required to wear crop tops or form fitting (lycra) tops for try-outs. Cheer girls should not wear slick shorts. Cotton shorts work best. Cheer girls also need to wear smooth bottomed shoes.

If you are an incoming freshman, on the first day you must bring a letter of acceptance from the University. You will be required to sign an injury waiver upon arrival.

All who make either squad will be required to be at Wake Forest the first week of August and sign a team rules and regulations contract. We will practice several days and then be attending UCA./UDA Summer Camp. Camp is mandatory.

All try-outs are held in Reynolds Gymnasium room 402 and are open for anyone to watch. If you have any further questions feel free to call the Spirit Office at (336) 758-4902.

Spring Try-out dates for 2003 are 3pm until 7pm on April 26 and 1pm until at least 6pm on April 27th. Call the spirit office to sign up.