Dr. Donna

Sorry if I missed it, but do we know who's on show group this year? Any newbies or changes?

In the comments of her latest post there are people wishing her good luck at auditions and mentioning dcc. Could be nothing but I hope she made it. I liked her.

Comments on Instagram suggest Melanie Parker from last year made finals again.

Nice to see Kat helping the younger vets. Tyra is very entertaining and their whole class seems like a really talented and supportive group. I also think Jensen’s makeup looks great here.

Ava’s also in Jenn’s latest prep Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbP2KYsg-4F/?utm_medium=copy_link

Christina has previously struggled so that’s not too surprising. I’ve noticed they’ve made the choice so far to not to mention weight or appearance concerns on the show. Since Leah is constantly being highlighted for her dance, I’m wondering if there’s been discussions about “whether she has the DCC look” that have been left on the cutting room floor. I think she’s adorable, but quirky adorable isn’t the typical aesthetic. I’m curious to see how they handle makeovers and cameos on the show this year.

Daphne’s post about the wedding on her Instagram is very sweet. I saw in another photo Kat and Gina were also there.

I like Lea! Her dancing is fun to watch. I hope they feature her more as the show continues as they often don’t with strong dancers who breeze through training camp. As far as her aesthetic, her short hair and facial features remind me in a positive way of a pixie. There’s certainly an audience for a sexy pixie.

Lily is also looking beautiful as a Broncos cheerleader. She seems way more relaxed in her photos than she did with DCC.

Does anyone remember Brianna from season 12? I remember her looking extremely young. She's modeling now and all grown up. https://www.instagram.com/briannawilhere_/?hl=en

From what I’ve seen Kat seems very self-aware. I think she understands the reality show aspect of her job very well, but it also seems like she has no fear of dropping that “character” in the real world. She has no problem posting photos both in and out of makeup and her wigs and doesn’t seem self conscious about taking classes/her lack of experience compared to the other women. She also seems well liked by the other women, so while her attitude may be amped for the show I think it’s derived from actual affection for others. It’s nice to see someone who’s so television savvy that they recognize what to play up for the camera and what really matters. I don’t know what her dancing looks like now but TPTB loved her looks and personality both on and off screen from the start. She’s also had years now of additional dance training. For what they do I don’t question choosing someone who works hard with a good attitude, is charismatic on camera, and who’s skill level may only be good (or may be more) but has the confidence (and looks) to make it feel great.

I honestly think there wouldn’t have been this pushback if they had their traditional auditions. Meredith likely wouldn’t have made it to training camp, and unfortunately maybe not Lily. While I do think she would have had a better shot I don’t think anyone would have been surprised. I think Hannah and Brennen would have likely been fine due to vet cuts after training camp starts being rare and their reviews being more weighted on one day’s performance. Keeping vet cuts earlier means people don’t get as emotionally invested in their favorites again. Easier for a viewer to move on. And it seems less cruel to the ones that they know won’t make it than keeping them the whole training camp. I didn’t see the “Dance For Your Life” but I hate the idea and can only imagine how the vets being forced to do that must have felt. I also understand a traditional year was impossible and agree with others that a season only focused on vets would have been great. Give the women who needed it extra confidence and go into the new television season with viewers having deeper connections to their favorites.

She does seem happy! That’s what interests me: learning about the girls/women and their friendships, watching and learning about dance training, and seeing how organizations utilize their cheerleaders beyond the field. Drama due to cuts isn’t as exciting as they think. Either pull a Hard Knocks and focus on training camp closer to real time or pull a Bravo and focus on story arcs for the vets, the people the audience connect to. Right now it feels like candidates should be called one on one to accept their poms for the most Dramatic. Cut. EVER. And that’s not as interesting as they seem to think.

The thing that gives me joy that I found due to the lack of openness is the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Instagram page. Well maintained, open about who’s on the team and what they are doing, and long video profiles of all the new girls. I’d say CMT should switch from Dallas to Denver, but they’d likely want to make the same production mistakes there.

As someone who stopped watching before last season I was hoping for a reason to restart. Something to draw me back in. I’m not seeing one.

The clamp down seems especially silly since the show's premiere is after the start of football season. Anyone interested in spoilers will easily figure out the roster regardless of leaks. The only reason I'm interested in certain reality shows is because of the spoilers. To go all marketing-speak, these other shows understand that part of their staying power is a multi-platform community. They officially condemn leaks but understand that the podcasts, vlogs, and fandoms that result from leaks and rumors are a main aspect of their popularity and they adjust the show editing accordingly. It's not just about the show, it's about building and encouraging a community centered around the show. Season 14 was a ratings success for DCC and CMT. I'm curious what the ratings were like for season 15 when the online community was so unhappy.

Figured it out. They didn't take height into account when cropping the photos, meaning some girls are more zoomed in than others. It's making some look bigger than they really are.

Do these photos look odd to anyone else? The proportions are freakishly off when on mobile, like they are being stretched to fill the screen. I’m guessing no one cross checked the coding from other devices. That or there was some very bad Photoshopping.

Do we know for a fact that Amanda left for vaccination reasons? Seems wrong to keep repeating that if it’s not known for sure.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPQlqCCr9cq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Lily posted about a surprise going away party hosted/attended by DCCs and alums. It looks like she was, as Kelli says, "A locker room favorite." Nice to see the women in a more relaxed setting. I didn't recognize Kat.

I feel like I only comment on this board to defend Lily! Lol I think she’s not only pretty but that she’s distinctive. I can usually identify her in the sea of blondes. The judges seem to interpret humility as insecurity, and they hate insecurity. I do wonder if their views on Lily, including in her looks, would have been different if she was more assertive. I’m not watching this year because watching them torture her (or anyone really) makes me extremely uncomfortable. Whether it’s editing or increased stress or different priorities I’m also getting the sense from the clips I have seen that the team vibe is fractured/toxic. This show just doesn’t look fun to me anymore, which is too bad because the new girls seem talented and engaging.

I’m really conflicted about watching this season. One the one hand, these early episodes that focus on dance and the newbies look interesting and there are some really strong dancers. On the other, I don’t want to encourage the new “dance for your life” ending of training camp, which I find manipulative and mean. Plus I can’t watch them torture Lilly again only to cut her this year. She seems so genuine and kind, and instead of keeping her as a trustworthy blender who would never step out of line and be a great ambassador for interacting with fans they used her as reality tv fodder.

My guess is the stickers are for show group. The girls are probably listed by ranking: highest ranking in alphabetical order, the “bubble” group that has to dance for their lives/prove themselves, and the girls below the line.

Aw, is that Alexandra in that line? I was really rooting for her season 12, but that’s a really clear difference in ability.

Did Christina post anything else besides that one picture at the winery? Because it’s more than possible she was following safe social distancing. The photo is of her with someone she quarantined with, outside, with no one else around. It’s very possible she had her mask in her pocket and the photo was taken by someone she also already accepted into her pod. Visiting a winery with a ton of outdoor space is relatively safe if everyone is smart. I think *that’s* where the major issue is: even people making good choices are hiding that they made those choices in order to get that perfect shot for the ‘Gram. People see the photos and either receive the message that it’s okay to be maskless all the time and to go anywhere or assume that people are being irresponsible. That “perfect” shot just isn’t worth it anymore. I would love to see more people using their platforms to show reality a bit more. Wearing masks, explaining when it’s okay to take them off, and showing healthy ways they and others can support local businesses. All possible while still getting that Instagram look. On another note, that photo of Christina dancing is beautiful and the best photo I’ve ever seen of her.