sleepyjean

I liked her too. It seems like they're doing everything early this year. What is this, week #2, and they've already done makeovers, uniform fittings,kickline, and cut a veteran?

If the purpose of this show is to show that little people are just like everyone else, they're accomplishing it. It's nice to know average-sized people don't have an exclusive lock on the attention-seeking, self-absorbed personality type.

Thanks for the info on Amy. I would've blamed some of that on bad editing, but I believe Kelli has control over that, so it's all her. I thought I remembered reading on TWOP that before the CMT show, just about everyone who made it to training camp made it onto the team. There were very few cuts. Then when the show came around, the started expanding the number of girls they brought in to TC, specifically so they could have a good number of cuts. Now, as with all things DCC, they've been doing this for a number of years, and it has become wrapped up in all the DCC "tradition" and mystique. So even when the show is long over, they will continue to bring large numbers into training camp because it feeds into the organization's arrogance about being ultra-exclusive and because they've realized they CAN do this, and hundreds of girls will still audition, so why not? Kelli would never go back to a world where everyone who makes it to camp makes it onto the team (Even though she and Judy never had to go through TC themselves) because it would lead to training camp members assuming they'll make the team and feeling almost entitled to it and that's one thing Kelli can't abide. I've noticed the same thing with the veterans. It used to be that veterans almost always made it back, but they've cut more and more of them over the past few years. Speaking of which, I'm looking at this picture of Alex. Her stomach is as flat as can be (especially here), but her bottom half does look out of proportion with her top half. I don't know if she was always this thick, but she's not flabby, so what's the big deal? Make her a new pair of shorts and keep it moving. Assuming, that is, that weight was the reason for the cut.

I don't remember how they handled that. What did they say about her?

Have the dallas cowboys cheerleaders jumped the shark? The turnout for auditions was lower than it has been in recent years, there was very little media coverage, they had all kinds of technical difficulties with the fan vote, and even the training camp candidate photo was spectacularly bad. It's like the overall level of interest from everyone has declined. I would love to see the breakdown of the ratings over the years. More than that, I would love to see this series done for other teams in the NFL. I have never believed the "DCC are the best in the whole wide world" hype. They're the most famous, that's for sure, but I would like to see what other teams have to offer.

This is the first time I've seen an up close picture of the DCC Barbie. I wonder why she's looking off to the side. Is that a normal Barbie thing now? And I just found out the dolls aren't posable. Is that a thing they do with collectible dolls? There's a website with descriptions of the three dolls and describes the hispanic and african american dolls as each having one bent arm and one straight arm, while the blonde doll has two straight arms. Funny that two of the dolls are identified by race/ethnicity, but they carefully avoid calling the other one white barbie or caucasian barbie. And finally, it appears that mattell is no longer selling the barbies, but you can still get it other places.

I wasn't impressed either, but we should consider the circumstances. They'd learned the dance just that day, it was an audition, there was a lot of choreography to remember, they were being filmed for the vote AND the tv show, and they were being scrutinized and evaluated by everyone, including each other. Overall a very stressful situation and everyone's nerves were showing. Put your high school drill team in that same situation and they'd completely fall apart. This environment isn't the same as a game day, when the cheerleaders have had days to rehearse and the audience is there to enjoy and be entertained, not to judge their performance. For all their experience with studios, dance teams, and cheer squads, these women aren't professionals, and the DCC audition is much more intense and higher stakes than what they are accustomed to. (Of course, all of that stress will continue on throughout training camp, so they'll either learn how to overcome their nerves and perform like pros despite the nerves, or they'll get cut.)

I don't care for the highlights Jacie and Jasmine got this year. They look a little cheap. I hope they put their hair back the way it was. Jacie does have great arms though.

I'm also surprised that Anncell didn't make it. She was definitely a standout, so if she didn't get chosen, it must be for something other than her dancing. Maybe she didn't perform well in kickline or interview. She's in the photo, third row next to Samantha. I had to look at the DCC site to remember her. I had no memory of her ever existing.Was she on the show at all last year?

No, that's Alexandra from AA. Lauren tweeted that Chandler is in. Breelan tweeted that she's in Some guesses about rookies: Victoria back row, 5th from the left Chandler, second row from the front, on the right, between Rachel and Kelsey Carolyn second row from the back at the right end Meagan (bucs) front row, 4th from right, Christina on the left of her and Courtney R (bucs) to the right of her Loren second to last row, to the right of Rachel Back row, to the right of Nicole, I think that's either Anel or Mary rookie candidates definitely not in the photo Both Asian girls: Ai and Yijiao All of the African American girls except Alexandra: Anncell, Danielle, DeAmber, De"Janae, Kesha, Robin, Shante, Whitney Both short haired girls: Michelle P (seahawks), Keeley Blondes: Courtney J, Courtney C Brunettes: Lacey Redhead: Heather (spurs) It seems like the returning veterans have been instructed not to tweet/facebook anything about who made TC

I don't understand how anyone can fault Vivian for chasing the votes. It would be extremely foolish of her to assume that she will make it to TC just because she did last year. Kelli is forever saying that nothing is guaranteed. Even after you're on the team. It is darn near impossible to join the DCC and Vivian obviously wants it very badly. Why wouldn't she do anything and everything possible to stack the cards in her favor? I would. Especially if I already knew that the shape of my body was a black mark against me. Having said that, I would also like to see someone else win, and have those bragging rights. But when the stakes are this high (and you've put as much time and energy into it as she has) it is not the time to be "nice" and "let" someone else take the lead. A couple of people have commented that the fan vote puts pressure on Kelli to put the winner on the team and if Vivan wins again, and gets cut again, Kelli will have some 'splainin to do. I couldn't disagree more. Where would that pressure come from? The Cowboys organization has absolute trust in Kelli's judgement, and nobody but Charlotte and the owners could make Kelli put someone on the team if she's decided that person isn't up to snuff. She's got high standards and she's not going to compromise them, or let anyone "buy" their way onto the team by virtue of the fan vote. Any pressure from the fan base would be minimal. By the time the squad is announced most of the fans have long forgotten who was in the top ten. Or even the top three. Most people don't care which rookies make the team. Even people in this forum (and on TWOP) have said they don't even remember some of last year's rookies, let alone who got cut and how the vote turned out. People aren't going to stop watching the show, buying calendars, booking the cheerleaders for appearances, bringing their kids to camp dcc, or auditioning for the team because they think the vote is unfair. Maybe Kelli will get the occasional "I watched the show and you should have put susie on the team" comment. I'm sure she already deals with a certain amount of that, and it has influenced her not at all. This is an organization than loves the fact that so many women want this and can't get it. I don't think Kelli enjoys having those individual "tonight is your last night" discussions, but in a general sense, she does get a charge from the fact that her team is so elite and has so many options, they turn people away by the hundreds. Cutting someone like Vivian who is beautiful, vivacious, and very clearly dedicated to this job only underscores just how difficult it is to make this team. Every cut makes the DCC seem like an even more exclusive club than it already is and the DCC and everyone involved LOVES that.

One thing I noticed is that all of the finalists audition numbers are between 1 and 110. Did they renumber them for semi finals, or is that a coincidence? Maybe the judges got bored and stopped paying attention after the first 100 or so? I was really confused as to why Kelli would bring Vivian and Courtney C back. She didn't like the way Vivian looked in the boots, and she didn't care for Courtney's looks. Those are two things that really can't be changed. What's the point of bringing them back, just to eliminate them again? But then I realized two things. First, Kelli was nitpicking. My guess is that just about every girl they bring into training camp would be fine on the squad. Once you've eliminated the ones who don't have the kicks and can't pick up and retain choreography, Kelli has to work harder to find reasons to cut the others. That's when short legs, etc come into play. I think I read once on TWOP that before the tv show, they used to bring in fewer people to TC and only one or two would get cut each year. But now because of the show, they bring in a lot more than they need so they can cut people, make drama for the show, and make the squad look more prestigious and selective. I haven't kept track of how many they've accepted to TC each year since the show started. I wonder if it's gone up even more each year? Second, it's all relative. All of the rookie candidates will have flaws. Kelli has to line them up and decide which flaws she can live with. Last year, Vivian and Courtney's flaws put them at the bottom of the list. Maybe this year the other rookie candidates will have even bigger flaws than those two, and Vivian and Courtney will rank higher on the list and make the team.

I watched all of the videos and jotted down the ones I liked. Then I went back and look at the resumes, and realized that most of the other girls who have experience from other teams didn't impress me. Anncell, Courtney R, and Mariah did, and I thought DeAmber was pretty good. But that was about it. Several of the dancers are from that Kilgore Rangerettes team that's famous in Texas. I think they're probably more impressive with the kickline. I wish we could see those videos too. I would've eliminated anyone with bad kicks from my vote.

Courtney R was a Bucs cheerleader too.

Vivian's army has been activated. As of this moment, she's #3 behind Courtney R and Loren. I'm comparing Vivian's two videos: last year and this year. Her thighs look leaner than they did last year. But not enough to notice unless you're actively looking to see a difference. Could be the outfit is making a difference too. What do you guys think. Do my eyes deceive me, or is there a difference? She's a beautiful girl. I'd vote for her, except she has enough people in her crew so I'm saving my votes for other people I like just as well.

Whew! That's a lot of videos to watch. I bet the girls at the end of the list will get the fewest votes because by the time you're a third of the way through the videos, you're sick of them. Several messed up and I wondered if they only got one shot at it, or if they got a do-over and messed up the do-over too. A few of them were clearly thrown by the improvisation at the begining or end. The improv at the beginning was important though, because I found that it only took 15-20 seconds to decide if I liked a girl or not. If her improv was bad, I was already bored by the time she started dancing. But if she did a really high kick, or actual dancing, then I wanted to see more. A few girls just did step clap step clap or stood there and shook their poms and my mind started to wander. I thought Shante's outfit was not a flattering choice of colors. These are the ones who stood out for me because they didn't have any major mess ups, performed with that "power" Kelli is always talking about, and actually looked like they were enjoying themselves. Taylor DeAmber Courtney R Melissa Erica W Erika Robin Mariah Ally Mary Christina Kesha Vivian (although she makes too many faces) Lindsay Anncell ETA: The way they've got this voting set up is crap. Why don't they put the girls names next to their photos so you don't have to open and close every single one?

It doesn't surprise me that Tessa got cut. I was actually surprised last year when she was chosen for training camp. Her kicks are a real problem. At their highest, her toes were barely making it as high as her head. Meanwhile, girls to the right and left of her were kicking their ankles right up next to their ears. There's really no point taking her into finals when they already know that even when she works on her ass off on her kicks, they are still far below the standard. Kelli has let low kickers on in the past (Loni, Kali) but those two were both stunningly beautiful, and I think that's why an exception was made for them. I don't think that girl is pregnant, just thick.

Probably because they are celebrities. Melissa is well-known, and I think Natalie is a local celeb. I'm really surprised the fan vote videos aren't online yet. Aren't finals on Saturday? It seemed like there was more time to vote last year, but I may be remembering wrongly. I hope the choreography is better this year. All I remember from last year was that awkward hoe-down move that looked so silly. ETA: Here's a link to last year's videos. Hoe-down 12 seconds in. Very interesting to watch a year later, knowing which ones made the team. Emily and Tessa's kicks were crazy low. I hope they've worked on that. I forgot how much I liked Breelan and Whitney. I hope both are back this year. Emily has changed her look and is so much prettier with darker hair. I forgot how orange and blonde she was last year. Where are all the photos from auditions? Isn't there a local station in dallas that usually has tons of photos? And there's nothing on the DCC site or facebook. They really should hire someone to keep them up to date. I don't really care about swimsuit fittings.

I don't know whether to appreciate DJ EJ for all the selfies because they are so informative, or to dislike him a great deal because they are so numerous. He has to be in every single photo? He thinks he's adorable. At any rate, we know that now that Melissa Rycroft's 15 minutes are just about up, she's got plenty of time for DCC auditions.

The DCC would have as many as the Texans if they took out the kickline, jump splits, and three month training camp. Photo of the finalists: https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/p180x540/10342819_438634772947712_4567730504300218003_n.jpg

Kathryn Dunn did not audition. She will be re-auditioning for another year with the mavs Vivian made it to finals. Courtney Corbeille auditioned again. If I recally correctly, she was the one who was on bring it on the musical. She made it to semis. I don't know if she made it to finals.

Auditions started today. Vivian and Tessa auditioned. Chelsea Chaney did not.

It looks like there was some body oil used as well. It's just too much...of everything. It diminishes their beauty instead of enhancing it. 8 seconds in and the girl on the right almost falls over. Why didn't they reshoot that?

Kelli often refers to it as the cheerleaders "creed." From the occasional excerpts she has shared, I believe she has either adopted “The Optimist Creed” by Christian Larson or adapted it in some way for the DCC. Promise yourself 1. To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. 2. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. 3. To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them. 4. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. 5. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. 6. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. 7. To forget the mistakes of the past, and press on to the greater achievements of the future. 8. To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet. 9. To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others. 10. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. 11. To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds. 12. To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

The DCC have a new sponsor. Belk teams up with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on three-year deal Two things jumped out at me: "The deal includes endorsements, appearances and co-branded marketing initiatives." and "The retailer will provide the wardrobe for Kelli Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and Judy Trammell, choreographer." Once again, the cheerleaders image will be used extensively as a sales and marketing tool. The Cowboys will get money. Kelli and Judy will get some free clothes. The cheerleaders will do a lot of modeling for Belk for free. It's all part of the "honor" of being a DCC. What a crock. The football players would never do this kind of promotion without a healthy pay check. But maybe it's not fair to compare the cheerleaders tothe football team. So lets compare them to "real" models. Real models do work for free at times, to build up their book. The experience adds to their modeling resume. But the DCC wouldn't be allowed to use the Belk images for their resumes, and none of them are allowed to model professionally anyway. Would real models do an extensive campaign like this one for free? I don't know much about the modeling industry, but I don't think so. Yet the DCC are expected to do this work for free. Or maybe in exchange for an over priced shirt and some leggings? It's a "perk." Isn't that the argument? It's so great being a DCC because you get so many perks. I don't know one person who wouldn't rather have cold hard cash than a free outfit or hair removal services.