The Sirens officially launched their new season this fall, bringing fresh routines, new members and energy to campus. As the Rollins Dance Team, the Sirens play a major role in shaping school spirit and are working toward being recognized as an NCAA team.
Training and Athletic Demand
Practices often involve endurance and technical training. The physical expectations are high, and the dancers balance these multiple hours a week of commitment alongside academics. Their preparation includes conditioning and strength training while also working on their technical skills, practicing turns, jumps, leaps, and tricks. Logan Sofferman (‘28), a new member of this year, explained that they do “intense cleaning and drilling to keep our stamina up and our movement clean. The physical demand during these practices is high as we are running numbers multiple times to perfection while still learning brand new movements.”
NCAA Recognition
An ongoing issue for this team is the fact that they are not recognized as an athletic NCAA program on campus. Many of the dancers feel that their level of commitment to practicing 3 days a week, for two hours each day, and the amount of performance on top of that aligns closely with any other sports team. Kealani Goss (’27), a captain of The Sirens, said that “it’s a bit disheartening that the school doesn’t recognize us as an athletic team when we put so much time and effort into being committed to dance and to supporting our school. Dance requires physical strength, agility, stamina, and endurance, just like any other sport. We are performing athletes, and I think we should be recognized as an official athletic team at our college.” Although there is no set list of qualifications to be considered as an NCAA team, The Sirens’ high training intensity and practice schedule match that of many other official teams on campus.
Showcasing Skill
The Sirens spend most of their season bringing energy to the home games for the Rollins’ men’s and women’s teams, performing on the sidelines and taking the court for halftime routines. The long hours on their feet, and the physical demand of dancing between them, often go unnoticed by spectators, but the team approaches each game with enthusiasm. Sofferman said, “Performing at Rollins’ basketball games is honestly my favorite. We get to show school spirit and engage with the crowd. I love doing sideline routines to the loud, fun music and feeding off the players’ energy!”
That energy carries into one of the team’s biggest annual traditions: performing at an Orlando Magic game. Each year, the Sirens bring Rollins’ spirit to a professional arena, giving them a chance to showcase their work in front of a much larger audience. Goss said, “It was such an awesome experience! Definitely a bit nerve-racking to be on such a big ‘stage.’ Having the cameras in your face and seeing yourself on the Jumbotron is surreal.”
Where Do They Go from Here?
While the Sirens continue to operate without NCAA classification, the conversation around recognition remains important to many on the team. For now, the dancers hope that increased visibility and continued engagement on campus will help strengthen their case for being considered student-athletes. Although there is no official process underway at this time, members expressed that recognition would not only reflect their commitment but also affirm the dedication they bring to representing the college each season.
To learn more about the Sirens and follow their season, visit their Instagram @thesirensdanceteam.
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