Over the past decade, collegiate dance has exploded in popularity with competitions like UDA and NDA Nationals breaking into mainstream pop culture and gaining attention on social media. College dance teams are becoming increasingly competitive, with steep technical requirements and a prerequisite of standout showmanship.
Yet despite this growth, dance teams often lack resources when it comes to recruitment. Many college coaches pay for recruitment expenses, like travel and lodging, out of pocket. Carsen Rowe, founder and CEO of TRIBE 99, sought a solution by connecting aspiring collegiate dancers and coaches through a single national recruiting event. Now approaching its 10th anniversary, TRIBE 99’s DANCE COMBINE has become a fixture of the college dance scene.
Dance Spirit spoke with Rowe about creating TRIBE 99, the world of collegiate dance, and how to get recruited.
Getting the Ball Rolling
The daughter of a dance studio owner, Rowe grew up in Richland, Washington, steeped in dance team culture. She trained and competed with an all-star dance team throughout her childhood, and by 16 had begun choreographing for other local teams. By 18, she was working with nationally ranked teams at the high school and college levels. Rowe took those skills with her to the University of Cincinnati, where, as a member of the dance team, she created dances for games and competitions.
In May 2016, while continuing to choreograph and teach for college dance teams, Rowe began TRIBE 99 as a choreography company, which quickly grew into an agency. She’d noticed a shift in college dance—away from auditions and toward a recruitment model—starting with the nation’s top programs. In 2017, TRIBE 99 held its first recruitment event. There was no blueprint for its model; measurements in college sports (points, scores, yards) often don’t translate to dance. So Rowe carved out a space for herself, gathering input from college coaches and adapting as needed. “It’s terrifying, but also exciting, that I don’t have a path to follow,” she says.
Since then, TRIBE 99’s presence in college dance has ballooned, with hundreds of dancers attending the flagship DANCE COMBINE in Dallas, Texas, and regional COMBINEs, every year. Most of the recent UDA Nationals–winning teams now include former COMBINE attendees, and Rowe says that the 2024 event granted approximately $827,000 in scholarships and awards. “It’s crazy to watch these dancers get the recognition that they don’t get anywhere and walk away with next opportunities in their lives,” she says.
Inside the DANCE COMBINE
Rowe designed the COMBINE to give high school dancers maximum exposure to collegiate dance team coaches over the course of one weekend. Attendees take master classes, perform combinations for coaches, meet with head coaches or program scouts, and network with current team members. Dancers also receive a TRIBE 99 COMBINE score, a measurable data point indicating where they stand in their recruitment class.
Rayna Reid, an incoming University of Minnesota first-year and rookie dance team member, says that attending the event and meeting fellow dancers inspired her to work harder toward her goal of making a team. “It pushed me to believe that I can succeed in the college dance world,” she says.
Savannah Vigevani, a second-year kinesiology major and dance team member at Texas Tech University, appreciates how the COMBINE showed her how she stacked up against other recruits. “Being in a room full of people where everyone is talented really helped me self-assess,” she says. Vigevani adds that analyzing her COMBINE score helped her understand where to improve. “I was the number-one dancer for jazz, but for hip hop you saw me a lot lower.” Vigevani spent the months after training in hip hop and other styles to become a higher-profile recruit.
Rowe also prioritizes creating opportunities for dancers at every skill level. “Every kid that attends our event can dance in college,” says Rowe. “It might not be the school that they think it will be. But there are opportunities.” Reid says the COMBINE allowed her to fully consider her options. “If Minnesota wasn’t my path, I got to meet all of these other coaches,” she says.
Advice for High School Dancers
Rowe stresses that high school dancers hoping to land a spot on a college team should, along with developing excellent technique, refine their movement quality and expand their versatility. She suggests training in as many different styles as possible: “To be a top-level collegiate dancer, you have to be extremely versatile,” she says.
Rowe adds that dance team hopefuls should develop their communication skills, like speaking with confidence, making eye contact, and being able to hold a conversation. “It’s hard to find the kids that can come up and be super-confident, and be themselves,” she says. Vigevani says that continuing to build connections with coaches after in-person events makes a big difference in the recruitment process. “Keeping up with your communication and showing these college coaches that you’re interested is key.”
What’s Next for TRIBE 99?
Looking forward, Rowe wants to continue maximizing opportunities for high school dancers and legitimizing the college dance team recruitment space. She plans to use experimentation and adaptation to her advantage as TRIBE 99 continues to grow. “It’s a moving target,” she says, “and that’s what keeps it exciting.”
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