Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the LA Wranglers?

• The LA Wranglers, or the Wranglers for short, are a country-western performance dance team based in Los Angeles that hold a true passion for all things country.  Originally founded in 2002 as a dance troupe, the Wranglers now operate as part of the nonprofit organization Wranglers Los Angeles Dance Association.  

What is the Wranglers Los Angeles Dance Association?

• The Wranglers Los Angeles Dance Association (“WLADA”) is dedicated to promoting country-western, swing, line, and ballroom dancing through instruction, performance, and the presentation of public dance events without discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation in the greater Southern California area.

Where do the Wranglers perform?

• The Wranglers generally perform at three types of events: performances, parades, and special events.  

• Performances are generally at large-scale events, such as WLADA’s flagship event, Wrangler Weekend Los Angeles, a four-night, three-day, country dance weekend held in Burbank every year!  

• Parades include dancing along the parade route in celebrations such as WeHo Pride and Long Beach Pride.  We modify dances so that we can line dance for and engage with the crowd along the route.  

• Lastly, the Wranglers perform for special events where we’re requested.  In recent seasons, this has included at the Disney Pride Nite at Disneyland, Disney employee appreciation events at Disney’s California Adventure, Angel City FC Fan Fest, the Music Center’s Dance DTLA summer series, and private events.  These events usually include some performance as well as some line dance instruction.  

What is Wrangler Weekend Los Angeles?

• Wrangler Weekend Los Angeles, or WWLA as we like to call it, is WLADA and the Wranglers’ flagship event:  a four night, three day long dance convention featuring instructional workshops during the day in all styles of country dancing (line, two step, waltz, shadow, west coast swing, etc.) and social dancing at night with special performances by dance groups, including the Wranglers!  WWLA 2026 will be held August 20-23 at the Burbank Marriott.  

When do you hold auditions?

• The Wranglers hold open call auditions at minimum once a year, generally at the beginning of our performance season.  

What should I expect in the audition?

• Auditions generally consist of a quick introduction to the Wranglers, a warm-up of a few line dances, and then instruction on some choreography for our upcoming performance season, so that no time is wasted and new members are ready to jump in with the rest of the team!  

• Audition decisions will be made primarily by the Dance Captains with minimal Board input unless absolutely necessary.  

What do I need for the audition?

• Bring water or something to drink, a snack if you want, and whatever makes you feel comfortable!  Cowboy boots are not required for auditions, and street or dance shoes are perfectly fine.  Similarly, you’re more than welcome to dress up or down as much as you like, whether that’s full Western finery or workout/street clothes. Please no metal-soled shoes or tap shoes, per the studio’s requirements.

When will I hear back?  

• We aim to have decisions to auditioning dancers within a few days, and definitely before the next rehearsal.  

What are the expectations for becoming a Wrangler?

• We have a Code of Conduct that we agree to as a team.  We’ll hand it out and discuss it at rehearsal after auditions.  

• As outlined in the Code of Conduct, a key expectation for team members is showing up to rehearsal consistently and on time.  We often have demanding performance schedules with little time to do make-up work, so attendance is a priority, and it is also expected out of respect for other members of the team.  

• We understand that life happens and things come up.  Work, family, and illness are generally the primary reasons for missing rehearsal that are excused.  We ask that you communicate with the dance captains and/or Board as soon as possible when you know you can’t make a rehearsal.  

What is the time commitment?

• Performances:  Most of our performances don’t involve significant travel and will take up a few hours, but it varies based on the event.  For parades, expect a 4-6 hour time commitment.  For events like WWLA, they are generally a weekend-long commitment.  Special events also usually run for a few hours.  

• Rehearsals:  We rehearse once a week for two hours each, and add additional rehearsals right before a performance if needed.  For the 2026 season, our rehearsals will be Wednesday night from 8-10. 

What is the financial commitment?  

• First and foremost, no team member is turned away due to cost.  Many events, such as WWLA, have volunteer options that allow free entry, and the majority of our events and performances do not require a specific entrance fee - just your time.  Where there are issues with cost, the team will always figure it out and make sure every Wrangler who wants to attend an event/performance is able to do so.  

• We have some costume items but costumes are generally the responsibility of the individual Wrangler - meaning they can be made to work with any budget.

What sort of costumes do the Wranglers wear, and are they provided?

• Our standard attire is generally black cowboy boots, denim bottoms, a black cowboy hat, and a Wrangler shirt or a plaid.  The Wranglers will provide Wrangler shirts to all members, but other costume items are the responsibility of each Wrangler.  

• Some performance numbers have more specific costumes. 

What happens if I can’t make it to a performance?

• We understand that life happens:  weddings, family events, work, unexpected emergencies, and more.  We ask that you communicate with the dance captains as soon as you know that you may or will be unable to attend a specific event so that we can adjust the performance as needed with as little impact on the rest of the team as possible.   

What happens if I have a problem while on the team?

• The Dance Captains and Board are your resources in the event you have an issue you don’t feel comfortable addressing with the team at large or an individual team member.  As outlined in the Code of Conduct, we will do our best to reach a resolution and address the issue amicably.