Each year the seniors in the group graduate and their vacancies need to be filled for the following year. Every April, tryouts are held for current Stoughton High School students that are interested in being part of next year's group as a Dancer.

One week is set aside for interested freshman and another week for interested sophomores and juniors. During the lunch period on Monday and Tuesday of their designated week, the interested students learn three simple dances from the current dancers. On Thursday they return to perform these dances in groups of 5-6 couples at a time, in front of a panel of eight judges.

Current dancers are paired with prospective dancers to assist them. In addition to their dancing scores, the students are also required to obtain five confidential recommendations from teachers or coaches and they need to have their school counselor sign a form verifying their current grade point average.

Students interested in playing the keyboard for the Norwegian Dancers should also attend the noon practices. They may choose to try out as a dancer and a keyboardist or only a keyboardist. At this noon practice they will receive the music for one dance and be given a week to practice it. A time will be set up with the Director to audition for a keyboadist position. At the audition, the student will be asked to play the piece they were given, a piece of their choice that they have worked on and also to sight read music for another dance. The director and a current keyboardist will be judging the students. Prospective keyboardists also turn in teacher recommendations and gpa verification.

Students who play the violin or viola may also audition to play for the group, but would need to make it on the group as a dancer or keyboardist as well.

Once the three areas are considered (dancing/music scores, teacher recommendations and gpa), as well as the needs of the group, the new dancers and keyboardists are chosen and announced after Stoughton's Syttende Mai Celebration, the third weekend in May. With only 8-12 vacancies each year and many qualified students trying for these spots, it is indeed an honor to be chosen as a Stoughton Norwegian Dancer.

Students are not required to be Norwegian. Students of all nationalities and ethnicities are welcome and encouraged to tryout. Dancers are students of high character, excellent work ethic, are not in violation of the school's athletic/activities code, are good students and generally know how to get along well with others. Dancers are expected to have a 3.0 gpa or higher due to the fact that they miss a fair amount of school due to performances in area schools.

Similar to athletics, there are some out of pocket expenses and fees, however, no student will be turned away due to lack of financial resources. Parents of Dancers are expected to contribute their time and talents to the parent group. It is because of this highly dedicated group of parents that the Dancers continue to function in the capacity that they do.