blairwaldorf

I would have liked to see Rachel W. in the group of veterans helping the rookies. I am another one who never got Maddie’s appeal. Oh, and “I got cut the first year I tried out! Maybe this isn’t your year, and that’s okay!” is the exact opposite of what I would want to hear if I were a rookie trying out for this team and looking for encouragement from a vet to bring out my best performance.

I don’t get Christina at all. I understand that Kelli think she’s a good ambassador, but IMO her looks and her dance skills/power/showmanship are very average compared to what they typically look for. She would have been an easy cut for me. I really like Kylie and am surprised they cut her. I think she’s cuter and more fun to watch than several who made the team. I hope she comes back. Did Victoria choose not to audition this year, or was she told not to?

I do think the etiquette classes are useful, I just am not particularly interested in watching them and would prefer more dance content in their place. I can see why the DCC would want the girls to take them though, especially girls in show group who will be at higher profile events.

The headshots are... not good. It honestly looks like the photographer was like, "OK! Now make a facial expression like you're straining to go to the bathroom!!"

What is the one day audition? Do vets have the choice not to participate in training camp?

I liked Cassie. I hope she comes back and makes it next year.

MORE In depth scenes featuring the judges' deliberations Leaderboard. I would like it if they ended every episode with that week's most up to date leaderboard. Groups working with their group leaders. Group leaders talking to Kelli and Judy and giving stickers. But I can see why they might not want to air it because of morale. LESS Time wasted making fun of round one candidates who will clearly never make it past round one. I liked jumping right into training camp this year. Non dance-related content. I didn't miss the tours of the facilities, etiquette dinner, etc. Kitty Carter. Sob stories in intro videos.

For the record, I am strongly opposed to cutting veterans or qualified legacies unless there is a MAJOR reason. Not just "You aren't Top 36 right now." If a vet or a legacy can learn and keep up with the choreography, isn't a huge ambassador risk, and doesn't stand out in a negative way, I believe they should receive a spot and should be given priority over newcomers or non-legacies. HOWEVER, Kelli and Judy clearly do not operate that way. They've made it clear in past episodes that they don't like it when people act entitled to a spot, and they don't tolerate the candidates disrespecting them. Hannah, in her cut, did both. I have to wonder if the attitude we saw come out on the Zoom call has been an ongoing issue with her and was the real reason behind her cut. To me, her tone and comments were very passive aggressive and disrespectful in a way that Brennan's and Lily's just weren't, and I was very taken aback by it. But I expressed this in the (now closed) training camp thread and almost no one agreed, so maybe I am just interpreting it differently! I thought Brennan and Lily still came across as professional while expressing their displeasure with the decision. I can't say the same for Hannah. If it were up to me, Alora-Rose would not have made the team, and I'm sure I could have found two other rookies to cut, since all but one or two blended so much for me that I can't even remember their names. I wouldn't have cut three veterans on the last day. Meredith was one veteran cut that, unfortunately, I did think was necessary. She is a beautiful girl who seems to be very talented in other areas of dance, but she can't do power pom and she can't learn choreography quickly enough to keep up with the DCC. She never should have made it in the first place. However, instead of the humiliation of being cut as a veteran in training camp, I feel that Kelli and Judy should have had a discussion with her in the spring and gently suggested that she not re-audition. But maybe they did and she chose to go for it anyway.

I found her answers and her tone to be very passive aggressive, and they would have definitely rubbed me the wrong way if I were on the receiving end of them. Maybe it didn't come across that way to other people, though.

I wasn't as crazy about Rachel W. in her rookie year, but she has really grown on me and now she's one of my favorites to watch.

This will be unpopular but I'm not a fan of rookie Claire. She's like Maddie 2.0 to me and I am just struggling to see what it is about her that is so impressive to Kelli and Judy. For me, Hannah's bitter, passive aggressive attitude during the call when they cut her shed some light on a possible reason WHY she was cut. If she's pulled an attitude like that in the past, either directly to their faces or behind their backs and they found out about it, I'm not surprised that they let her go, unfortunately. Especially if there were also some dance issues in training camp. Whereas Brennan and Lily both made it clear they were upset but still came across as graceful and professional, Hannah just seemed spiteful, mean, and immature. I also feel like if they're going to cut people for being ambassador risks because of their answers on media day, they need to make those cuts right after media day and not delay them. Or, if they don't want to cut great dancers who also happen to be inarticulate, then make media day part of show group auditions instead of part of general training camp. That way, bombing an interview won't necessarily keep you off the team, but it WILL keep you off of show group that year, where most of the high profile interviews take place.

I actually liked that this season we got right into it and there wasn't as much time wasted on the very early rounds of tryouts with people who would clearly not make it past round one. I wouldn't mind if they continued to take video submissions for early rounds and formatted it as follows: Round one (video submissions): Solo and a short, basic kick combination (two eight-counts of straight kicks, around the world, and left and right fans). Round two (in person, 75-100 invited candidates + veterans) DCC style pom and kick combinations in small groups. Training camp invitations would be extended after Round Two. Did legacy Madeline (from last year or the year before... I can't remember) ever re-audition? I really liked her and thought she would have been a good teammate and ambassador.

Prior to auditions, they probably identify veterans who have struggled so they can keep a close eye on them and decide whether they want to bring them back. I don't think it's that unusual. I don't think Lily is ugly, but I do think she makes awkward/unpleasant faces while dancing and just doesn't look as natural doing the DCC style as some of the others.

I just watched the show group audition, and I think perhaps Kristin and her friends should look at the stunt she pulled through the eyes of her employers. Show Group auditions are basically a job interview for a position as a representative, on an international stage, of the Dallas Cowboys organization, and she blew it. Kristin's decision to use the audition as an opportunity to "make a statement" in support of a controversial political agenda - and one which the Cowboys' leadership has made clear they don't support - was extremely unprofessional and inappropriate. Honestly, she's lucky Charlotte didn't cut her on the spot. I have always rooted for Kristin, but personally, I think this solo was a huge missed opportunity to show that she has the technique and showmanship to outdance the rookies and earn her spot back. If I were making cuts, a girl who hadn't wowed me with her dancing AND was using her role as a DCC to make political statements would be one of them. I don't get the hype about rookie Claire or Alora-Rose. Neither of them blow me away like they seem to Kelli and Judy. Meredith's cut was sad, but necessary. She's a beautiful dancer but she has always struggled with DCC style, and if she's still not getting it after a year on the team, she's not going to.

I can’t believe they changed things around so much just so they wouldn’t have to cut Meredith. I really hope she’s a one and done and that at some point we learn why they couldn’t cut her. What a train wreck.

Every time they say something like “There are no obvious cuts” and “this is such a tough decision” and then cut to a clip that shows Meredith dancing, it reminds me of that SNL skit where Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley are trying out to be Chippendale’s dancers.

Is Meredith an alternate? If so, that’s going to be a disaster. How is she going to fill in for anyone when she can’t pick up new choreography, can’t adapt choreography for any position in the formation, and panics/screws up when she has to make yard line changes on the fly...

Meredith has no business being on this team. I wish they would at least address WHY they won’t cut her since it’s obvious she didn’t earn a spot on her own merits. In the future when they let someone buy their way on, they should make a storyline of it. Something like, “Meredith is not top 36, and is weaker than other girls who have been or will be cut, but she’s been guaranteed a spot regardless of performance because (Jerry Jones wants her on the team due to their personal relationship/her parents cut us a check/her family is politically connected/whatever the reason), so we are making the best of the situation. And we hope she can pull it together.” Or pretend she won some fan favorite contest and can’t be cut. SOMETHING to explain why she’s still there despite not being able to do the routines or remember choreography, not getting a single sticker from group leaders, and bombing media day and cameos. She is a train wreck, and putting her on the team while pretending she actually earned a spot makes a mockery of the entire process.

Well that would explain why she was gifted a spot she didn’t even come close to earning. What an embarrassment.

I think they probably will go back to one point next year, and it will be Maddie because despite being out of shape and not having the DCC look, she's Kelli's favorite, and Amy (I think) plans to retire after this year. Maddie isn't one of my favorites, but I do think with the DCC choreography she's fun to watch and has a certain sparkle. Point should be someone who is a solid dancer and can be counted on not to screw up. Maddie, while not the most traditionally attractive IMO, at least has that. I would like to see Bridget at point eventually. I know a lot of people like Rachel W, but she doesn't stand out to me when she dances. And while she's pretty, she just always seems to have a dead-eyed, slackjawed look. She may be photogenic, but I don't think she's super expressive or fun to watch, and she wouldn't be my top pick for point.

I think Amy is what I would describe as (ironically) “cute.” She isn’t unattractive, but she also isn’t a head turner and I don’t think many men would give her a second glance on the street or describe her as sexy or beautiful.

Lily, Meredith, and Kat would have been easy cuts right off the bat for me. I am shocked that Christina wasn’t a one and done girl. Kelli must really like her.

I think Meredith is pretty, but not as stunning as most seem to find her. I don’t think she’s even one of the prettiest on the team; IMO, she just doesn’t have that young, fresh faced look. I will never understand why Kelli thought she was such an asset to the team that she was worth throwing the standards out the window. The “healthy eating competition” sounds like more non dance related fluff that I’m not interested in watching. If I want to see content like that, I’ll watch the Food Network.

More: Judges’ deliberations during tryouts and showgroup auditions Guest choreographer comments including suggested cuts Dancing Group Leader selection and group placement Less: Kitty Carter (I’ve been loving this season without her) Staged conversations that have nothing to do with dance Sob stories/backstories Tours of the stadium/etiquette/non dance related fluff Less time wasted on prelims - I don’t think they even need to show anyone who didn’t make it to semi finals. Less focus on the same 2-3 TCCs every season

I don’t think VK should be blacklisted for her weight gain last season. If someone is cut for weight and they get the weight off and maintain the preferred DCC figure, they should certainly be given the opportunity to come back. However, IF the rumors about her lying about a medical condition/lying about going to a doctor/lying about working with Jinelle/being “toxic” and disrespectful to other girls are true, I don’t think any other candidate who pulled a stunt like that would be invited back to training camp. That’s where I think some favoritism came into play. I also don’t think Kelli wanted to cut VK last year, even after all of the weight gain and drama with Jinelle, and I don’t think she would have if it had been solely up to her. I believe someone above Kelli forced her hand.