Bellisima08

And sadly we haven't only seen this with VK. How many times have we seen returning vets (after having a very svelte rookie season) get called into the office for weight gain and been told to get it in check or get dismissed or they don't even make it back into TC because they gained weight (like Breelan or Ashley P)? And then there's when they retire & gain the weight back. I remember talking with a friend about a photo KaShara posted months after she left and my friend commented that she look thick and I said, "no she looks normal. She's only thick by DCC standards." DCC can go on about how they encourage a healthy body image, but the fact is that their required weight is hard to maintain and takes a toll on the body and for some, it's not really sustainable. As for K&J rewarding the cycle, yeah I guess if you get on show group, are a GL or are in the triangle, then maybe it is worth it, but for the other girls who are just there, I don't think its worth the struggle. As for VK, she did seem to have kept extra weight off when she came back for her 1st season as a vet, but that was during covid when they were at the hotel and she didn't really get a lot of attention. I'm sure that before the show was canceled, there was a plan for VK's big welcome back story and honestly I'm rather glad we won't be subjected to it. I actually find it quite funny that, rather then being one of the show's shining stars where we see extra scenes of her being a mentor to a rookie as a boot buddy/roomie, being named a GL or watching guest choreographers put her front and center for their dances, all of her seasons have been marred by various issues, dramas or outside forces. For example: 1st rookie year: weight gain and entitled attitude got her kicked out of TC. 2nd rookie year: clear preferential treatment ahead of others, bumped Jalyn out of show group which didn't get her a lot of fans. 1st vet year: covid (barely any focus on her). 2nd vet year: she took a break for what ever reason. This year: no more TV show. Back when VK started this journey, I bet her and her mother were primed for her to get a lot of exposure on the show and really it hasn't been that way at all. It's almost karmic when you think about it. While part of me will miss the show, I won't miss VK's comeback story.

First let me say that I'm so glad this thread is back! I've missed it. Kylie was so sweet last season and I felt so bad for her getting cut even though I agreed with the decision. I feel the same as you do about Ashley. Inviting her to training camp if there's no sizable improvement would not be fair to her or the other candidates.

So here’s my thought’s for last Friday’s episode. Even though we all knew what was coming with Alora-Rose’s exit, it was still a bit shocking to watch. I will say I got the impression that she was surprised that they knew because she truly didn’t seem prepared to discuss auditioning for the Rockettes at that time. The way she hesitated & took a deep breath made she think she had to gather her thoughts. I will give her credit for not attempting to deceive them right out of the gate like Holly Powell did with her whole “I haven’t been talking to players” lie right to Kelli & Judy’s faces. I thought Alora-Rose did a good job of explaining herself and her reasoning behind wanting to audition for them because I’m sure she missed New York and the fact that she didn’t make show group probably gave her another push. I do think the way she said she was invited was a bit misleading because she made it should like the Rockettes reached out to her first, when its more likely that she submitted a tape of herself which would mean she’s been thinking of leaving DCC for a while. Kelli seemed like she was a lot more ticked off then she let on and I do agree with Judy when she said that Alora-Rose was probably not going to say anything about leaving until she knew if she made it onto the Rockettes. I mean its only natural that you don’t want to give up employment until you are sure of having something else. It was pretty clear that she wasn’t planning on leaving the team that night when she was telling her teammates because you could she that she was very upset. I do wonder how Kelli & Judy found out, but I suspect that maybe Alora-Rose let something slip to someone and then it spread that way. If they had found out because the Rockettes contacted them for a reference or something, I think Kelli would have mentioned that when she was talking to Alora-Rose. Moving on to the cameo segment, first off can they please get a new photographer in to inject some fresh energy and poses into the process? My God, it’s the same guy for years and years with pretty much all the same poses! One arm over the head, both arms raised, one leg popped, thumbs in the belt loops, one leg crossed behind the other and holding one of the ties on the blouse. In addition to how people get confused because so many of them look alike, this might be another reason people get confused about which girl is which…because they all do the same freaking poses!! I did think it was sweet how Amber & Madeline got emotional and that Madeline was wearing her mom’s earrings. Of the rookies, I think Kline, Tori, KayDianna and Madeline looked really stunning in their cameos. Ava was pretty, but for some reason, she seemed very low-key in her photos. Lea was the most awkward which was probably due to being nervous and that she’s never done professional photos on this level. Hopefully she gets more used to it by the time they do the calendar shoot. Also, we still haven’t gotten her backstory, but since the finale is this Friday, we probably won’t be. Oh and ever since Kelli said that Lea looks like Christine Baranski, I can’t unsee it. Not that that’s a bad thing because Christine is a respected film, TV and stage actress, but as soon as Kelli said that I was like “oh My God, Lea does look like her.” As for the last part of the episode where they were nitpicking some of the smaller things/issues the girls had, I really got the sense that all of that was being included as filler. Because really, a few of the things, like Madeline being pigeon-toed or Ava stretching dance moves out, had never been mentioned before so I thought it was being done to drag out the last cut for tension and keep people guessing about who the last cut would be. And speaking of that last cut…. When Kelli & Judy mentioned that Ava had made another questionable social media post….I honestly thought I misheard them. Because after their last conversation with her, you would think she would have learned her lesson. Now we don’t know yet what she posted, but at this point, what exactly it was doesn’t matter to me because if she was stupid enough to post something objectionable again after they told her to be more responsible, then she doesn’t deserve to be on the team. Even her reason for posting it wouldn’t matter. Forgetting is not an excuse because when its something that impacts your job, you better damn well remember. And if she did it because she wanted to & didn’t care about the rules, then that shows her immaturity and a sense of entitlement. In fact, I could she her becoming like Holly Powell because she’s talented and was getting so much praise, that I could see it going to her head with her starting to think she can get away with stuff. So maybe it’s a good thing she didn’t make the team. This way she can think about what she lost and take a year to mature and learn what she needs to do to prove she’s worthy. I just can’t wait to see their conversation with her when she gets cut. Well, those are my thoughts. Onward to the finale!

I totally agree. I think Amber & Rebecca will be the most in danger of being cut when next year's auditions come around. I think Christina & Madeline will be ok as they showed steady improvement during this season & will hopefully become more settled in as this game season progresses. Personally I think the so-called issues that Kelli & Judy were talking about them while they were deliberating were just being pulled out of the air to create drama over who would be the last person cut because the things they were mentioning hadn't been brought up on the show before. I mean I'm pretty sure Madeline didn't just become pigeon-toed overnight. Also, I think the number of long-term vets retiring after this season will play a role in their decision to cut any returning rookies.

Finally caught up on the last three episodes. Posting this while watching tonight's episode and will do a new post for that later. In the episode for week six, I’ve always enjoyed watching the girls learn the entrance onto the field. The process really does weed out the weaker ones. I don't think I've heard the term "shimmer walk" before". Seeing Alora-Rose helping Kline and the other rookies, knowing that she leaves is a bit jarring. I mean you get the sense that she is invested in the team by her helping them out so based off of this you have no inkling that she wants to leave. The kick clinic segment was a cool new addition. Those stretches they had them doing really do are effective. Loved learning about Jordann, but it’s a shame we only got her backstory on the episode that she was cut from the team. I did feel sorry for Kylie as well, but I do think it was right for her to be cut as she was making too many mistakes. In the show group episode, I didn’t see the need to bring up how Jalyn went into the locker room after being cut from show group for Victoria. That seemed like rehashing, but I was glad to see her kick ass in the team dances. Glad that she made it back onto show group. It was cool to see Kitty back, but what was up with her being kind of snarky with Melissa Rycroft? I would love to know the backstory behind that tension. I really liked MJ Acosta-Ruiz as she seemed pretty fair in her opinions so I wouldn’t mind seeing her back on the show. Love Jacie Scott & thought she looked amazing. My favorite solos were Armani, Caroline, Claire, and Kline who is Maddie 2.0 for me in terms of her attitude, nice vibes and dancing. As to when they announced show group, you could tell Ava & Lea both seemed very disappointed that their names didn’t get called. Makes me wonder if that, because several guest choreographers placed them in prominent positions in the dances and then praised their abilities, Lea & Ava got their hopes up and expected to make show group. I suspect one of the reasons Ava didn’t make it was due to the inappropriate video, but I can’t fathom why Lea didn’t make it as they sing her praises. Alora-Rose also seemed upset at not getting picked for show group so maybe this was one of the reasons she was thinking about trying out for the Rockettes. Lastly I do think it was right that they cut Ashley, because even though they liked her she just was not consistent enough in her dancing, but I do hope she tries out next year. When it came to the makeover episode, I thought it was interesting that they singled out 9 girls. I wonder if they’ve always done it this way and they just decided to point it out this time, but it was rather weird. Yeah they didn’t come out and say “these are the ones that REALLY need help with their looks”, but the implication was there and if I were one of the girls trying out, I don’t think I’d feel too good about it. LEA SPEAKS! I mean seriously we’re 8 episodes in & this is the first time she talks on camera. And boy she talks a lot in this episode. Between the makeover segment, practicing with Kline and chatting with Kelli about her hair on the sidelines, she was all over the place. It’s like someone in the editing department of the show finally realized that there was no footage of her talking and went “whoops, we’d better get some footage of her speaking stat if she’s gonna be sticking around.” Kelee and KayDianna were probably the most improved by their makeovers. Kelee got what looks like a very high quality wig that was flattering to her face shape and looked very natural. KayDianna looked adorable with those curls (kind of like Maddie before she started letting her hair grow long) and I was glad the mass extensions went away. They were really wearing her and to have half a pound of hair swinging around while you dance must be a strain. Christina & Megan looked a lot brighter and it seemed that the makeovers really gave them that extra push. While I liked the red on Presley, I think they also should have given her some bangs or layers around her face & & it really didn't give her that pop & spice so I though her cut was right. I have to ask, do they have no one else other than Melissa to come into practices and give insight? Are there no other former DCC’s or notable Cowboys affiliated people in the area? As to the selection of the points of the triangle, my favorites that they were considering were Lexie, Caroline and Ashley. I also think that Kelcey, Chandi & Claire would make great candidates for point in the future. In watching Lisa’s speech, while she was never one of my favorites, I did feel bad for her as she talked about being in pain every day. You could tell that it was hard for her to leave. She must have a really high pain tolerance to have been able to stay in training camp as long as she did given how they’ve been practicing the kick line and jump splits and she was also at the show group auditions. I agreed with all their choices for group leaders and was really happy for Jaylyn to be named as a leader. In the case of Alora-Rose (btw, boo on the cliffhanger), I do wonder how Kelli & Judy found out. I know Kelli said she was hearing rumors, but did those come from the other cheerleaders or did the Rockettes contact DCC to ask about her job performance there? If they heard it from another cheerleader that She maybe told the new in confidence, it’s a shame that someone spilled the beans, but if Alora-Rose truly wanted to try to audition under the radar, she should never have talked about it. If it was me, I would not have told anyone that I was even thinking about trying out for the Rockettes because I wouldn’t want rumors to start. I am very curious to see how she explains this to Kelli & Judy. Ok, back to watching tonight's episode.

Wish I could say I was shocked!

What do we all want to bet that Tina Kalina is going to get featured at that halftime reunion?

I agree about Ava having Victoria's "acting before thinking" quality although Victoria learned from her first season and reigned in her impulsiveness when she came back. I will say though that Ava's dancing is WAY better than Victoria's. If Ava & Victoria both audition next year, they better not put Victoria next to in a lineup or have her following after Ava during solo's because her dancing will not hold up. As to if the DCC will take Victoria back if she auditions? Yeah they have her boots & uniform in a place of honor waiting for her. Unless her weight's gone way up, she does/says something really stupid publicly or her dancing's gone really south, a spot on the team & that uniform are in the bag! Also she didn't really quit. She made the mature & unselfish decision to take a break.

I noticed that as well. It could be that the “brave, mature and unselfish" wording is used as the token response for when a DCC is making a choice to leave that is not framed as retiring (I'm trying to recall if I heard that wording used in previous seasons when vets left during training camp). It's like when celebs cite "irreconcilable differences" while getting divorced or when the wives of astronauts always said they were "proud, happy and thrilled" about their husbands going to space even though they were secretly terrified.

Agreed. I don't know if Alora-Rose was expecting to make show group, but yeah, her disappointment was obvious. The only ones who seemed more upset at not making show group were Ava & Lea. Both of them looked very upset and I think they both had their hopes raised by the fact that some of the guest choreographers put them in prominent positions in their dances & called them out for how well they did at the rehearsals. Maybe they both thought making show group was in the bag.

I totally agree about Kat dialing it in. I've always thought she seemed more like a blender although she manages to keep some attention on her due to how expressive she is. Personally I am very unimpressed with how she conducts herself in the talking head segments where she seems to overcompensate on the excitement by repeating words multiple times in an increasingly higher pitch or by overemphasizing certain words. It reminds me of infomercial salespeople who act like they've downed 7 red bulls and yell "do you want a deal?" at the camera multiple times in a row. When Kat starts talking, she's barely said 3 words and I'm like "girl, chill!" To me, that doesn't scream "conducts herself well with the media." As for Kelli saying that, "showgroup is made up of our more technical dancers", I don't think that statement has been 100% accurate in years. While the majority of the group is made up of truly strong dancers, there always seem to be 2 or 3 that make it despite not having the best skills.

Wow! I'm surprised they are doing this considering how much TPTB use the Cheerleaders & their social media to promote the organization. Something must have happened. I know that Kelcey was getting harassed by someone, but I hadn't heard of anyone else having that issue.

I totally agree! I recall that they have changed up stuff before when there have been difficulties at the venues so they could substitute something else for the jump splits if they are at a place that either does not have a stable or appropriate surface available to ensure the safety of the cheerleaders. To me, taking the extra steps to bring in a safe surface versus risking 1 or more girls getting injured seems like something that shouldn't even be questioned, but I guess TPTB don't have that same level of critical thinking.

Oh my God! I already wince every time they do the jump split on the field, but doing it asphalt?! Who the hell thought that was a good idea? I wouldn't be surprised if any of them had big bruises and abrasions from landing in the split on that surface. Why didn't they get one of those temporary dance floors? Also someone in the middle doesn't look like they have full extension of their split in the air.

I saw the breaking news of this last night on Twitter. I really hope it's not true. I wonder if, had this news come out before the episode with him as a guest choreographer aired, would they have canceled showing the episode?