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I didn't mean to imply they're not allowed to seek feedback from others--I honestly have no idea. What I meant was they don't have DCC feedback from Kelli, Judy, or the vets (unless they have a connection to the team, which sometimes ladies do), in terms of getting corrections and feedback from people who know the choreography by heart. I believe I read earlier that current DCC Kelsey knows one of the TCCs, and she probably could have helped even on Zoom and such, but for TCCs who don't have that connection, I think it would be very tough to learn all the choreo perfectly with attention to all the small details and precise angles and such.

Love that Phil got to welcome the ladies to training camp! I won't rehash all the bubble and masks discussion, though of course it was on my mind as I watched, but I will say this: At least they put "The Bubble" in quotes on the screen when they first declared it as such when panning over the Gaylord facilities. I am glad that we got to see every group perform a dance in this episode, even if it was disrupted by the slo-mo closeups that don't show much except facials and performance energy (and flying hair and bouncing boobs). @sATL, they were not new dances, or at least not all new. I recognized the choreo from episode 1 from previous seasons (maybe by Michelle Keyes?). But, they did show a half second of Lexie on film demonstrating the dance at some point when Kelli was explaining that they're coming in knowing dances. So, I think that returning group leaders and 2nds likely did record videos for the dances they were supposed to learn prior to arriving at TC. I kind of would have liked seeing a little clip of TCCs working on learning the choreo from videos like that. I mean, it must have been pretty challenging to learn 17 dances with no expert on hand to watch you and give you corrections. I bet it helped the TCCs a lot when the vets arrived and there were more people on hand to help them clean up small errors. This challenge probably only was compounded by @Gingi1976's point that there do not appear to be any mirrors in the small studios or "the pressure cooker." Mirrors are key to not only cleaning dancers' lines as individual performers but also being able to polish group choreo to be cohesive. Seems like I'm sharing favorites with a lot of folks here! From episode 1, my favorites are Ellie, Jada, Armani, Dani, and Darian. From the audition videos posted on social media before the season premiered, I'd also add Claire W and McKenzie to my list of favorites, but I don't think they were really featured enough to have caught my eye in the episode alone if I hadn't watched the social media postings beforehand. I hope we get to see more of them! Marissa is a powerful dancer but I really don't like her look. At all. People are comparing her to Victoria here. I am zero kind of VK fan, but I would much rather look at VK, uber pink lipstick and heavy spider lashes and all, any day of the week than Marissa. Very hopeful Marissa and her seemingly 12-year-old face and personality aren't rammed down our throats as one of the most featured TCCs. Amelia is sweet and gorgeous, but she's lost, bless her heart. Cassie also is gorgeous but lacks oomph, and I rolled my eyes when she said she'd sacrificed a lot to be at training camp. She went to USC, and based on the view of her house in the videos, she did have to sacrifice anything to go there. Can someone please fill me in on the references to Alora-Rose as a go go dancer?!?

Oh, wow--I must have been looking at only the NFC records. That is dreadful that the Jets have 10 losses and the Jags have 9! The Jets could become one of few NFL teams to lose every game in a regular season. Yikes. I looked it up, and the Cowboys were the first NFL team to lose every game in a season (1960). Guess Dallas should be grateful that other teams are even worse this year. Seems like the shoddy NFL records and some of the critiques about game day DCC performances this season point to these being less than optimal conditions for top-notch execution of plays or dances. I get it. 2020 is a sh*t show. I keep thinking how hard it must be, not just for rookies, to call the dances and follow the leader on the touchdown decks. How does that work, exactly? You can't have the 2 leaders call a different tag on the same deck, like they might when on the sidelines in the four corners. Does one GL on each deck call all the tags and shots during each half of game day or something like that? I really hope they address that on the show. I like that we've gotten a couple of seasons of seeing "follow the leader" during training camp, but I also want to see how that works on game days.

Interesting deets from the NYT article @dccfangirl posted on Cowboys home games this year. All Jerry Jones wants is his money. The 'Boys are dead last in their division with only 3 wins and not one team has lost more games than they have. Per the NYT: Jones’s “aggressive approach” runs counter not just to what other N.F.L. teams have done in recent weeks, but to what medical experts say is prudent public health. The number of cases in the county has jumped more than fivefold since the start of the regular season in early September, when there was an average of 1,500 confirmed infections a day. The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus has more than tripled over that period. And last week, health officials in Tarrant County said that eight residents who tested positive for the virus told contact tracers that they had recently attended Cowboys home games. It is unclear whether they were infected before, during or after the games. The actual number may be higher because of how difficult it is for contact tracers to determine the source of an infection where the virus is spreading rapidly. . . . Dr. Sonja Bartolome, a critical care doctor and an infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, called attending games in large stadiums a medium risk relative to the parties, weddings and funerals in indoor venues to which she has traced positive cases. “We’re lucky the stadium is huge because it allows them to put people at a safer distance and there’s a lot of air circulation,” she said. Still, with another 17,000 projected deaths among Texans between now and March 1, other experts were more skeptical. Given some of these numbers, it's good that the DCC are wearing their masks the entire games, even if it is more for optics than consistent protection. Even if it is more for optics, I think that it's important they are modeling proper mask wearing for others watching (on TV, that is, since apparently, someone has been drawing masks on many of the people sitting in end zones in pictures at games). And with those many people at the games, with some of the maskless spectators sitting pretty close to the touchdown decks, I'm glad they're protecting themselves and others.

Yeah, still no posting for season 15 on iTunes or Amazon, and today is the premiere. Don't shows usually try to pre-sell seasons or at least promote that a new show is coming by posting the upcoming season at least a week or two before the premiere? It's almost like they don't want anyone without a CMT cable package to watch the show. 🙄 For those outside the US trying to get the show, I feel your frustrations! I remember being so upset that I could not access a Canadian show for a year after it aired, and I kept feeling like, Canada is right there, so why can't I get this on iTunes or streaming from the network site? Very frustrating. Fingers crossed y'all find a way.! Based on this, I'm guessing that this will be another season of very delayed episode uploads. I have preferred iTunes over Amazon over the years for getting episodes of the show, because I found the streaming quality to be poor on Amazon at times, but maybe now it will be decided by who actually makes the episodes available first. Here's hoping those of us without CMT cable get to watch the premiere somehow by Friday!

To me, there are about 30 other ladies I'd rather see front and center in the photo than Maddie, so I have no complaints there. I, too, thought Alanna was too far back at first, but it's true the center girls always draw my eye. I do not think she is any kind of dog house with K&J; I think she is a team favorite, an excellent spokeswoman, and a very clean dancer with a killer figure. Marissa looks like a 12-year-old next to her. I do not find her face or personality attractive, but I will try to reserve judgement til the show. Love that Ashlee and Bri got prime spots in the photo, too. Kind of surprised that Amanda did not get bumped up even more this year, as she seems to be the star second-year vet in terms of the triangle. The photo was looking off to me, like everyone on the left looked much taller and a little bigger than the right and I was wondering why they let that slide, and then I realize this photo is taken at an angle, so the girls on the left are closer to the camera. I'm guessing it looks a bit more balanced (aside from almost-buried Marissa) looking at it head-on than it appears here. I went on iTunes to try to buy the season and it's not even there yet. Am I wrong that the season premieres in 2 days? I will be so annoyed with myself if I've gotten myself pumped for it this week and I have to wait longer!

Jacie and her man broke up? I stan Jacie and only want her to live her best life, so if he wasn't it, good for her. But, I'm sure there is real heartbreak in any broken engagement, even if the person realizes it's for the best, so I wish her well in mending her heart (not saying I know it's best or that she feels that way). I don't think Kelsey corrected herself with the 100 yards. I think they asked a vet the answer. Based on her total lack of knowledge about other parts of football until the first year she made the team, I'm not sure I buy that it was a brain fart. That said, I looked at the first few (of hundreds!) of Quizlet flashcards with questions to prep for the written exam someone posted on another thread and I got most wrong. I do have football knowledge and still found it challenging, so if you don't study football AND Cowboys history as well as current events, the written part is not likely to go well for you. Kelsey was a beautiful young lady who seemed very personable and sweet, but her self-absorption with her looks seems to occupy the center of her life (at least as presented on social media) and that is just a turnoff to me. Thanks for the post and link about Mary's choreography! Love, love, love her! But, I was disheartened to see she was an unmasked and non-social distancing participant of Lacey's wedding and her wifelorette party thing.

It is interesting to see the lack of "power, pop, and projection" in these videos, and it helps me understand that K & J aren't just saying that all the time to hear themselves talk. These dancers need to hear it! And I agree, @Jesiklyn, that some Kitty performance training would not be out of order, even if she never comes back onto the show (which is fine by me). These videos also help me appreciate the editing work done in the audition rounds of earlier seasons of this show, which I think does make the dances look better because we see such quick splices instead of a full round of choreography. Also, as much as I dislike and find some of the audition choreo awkward some years, seeing all this other uninspired or uneven choero makes me appreciate the audition combos they have to learn each year all the more.

"I am also surprised that Maddie is so low in the rankings considering she shared the point position with Amy last year." [Not sure why the above isn't in a quote box, but it's from another poster a few pages back and I guess I copied wrong and now I can't find the original. Sorry to the original poster! I'm not trying to quote without proper credit!] I wasn't surprised that Maddie was so low in the rankings last year, because I am not a fan and I can see how judges would like her less than most of the other vets for appearance and dance reasons. What surprised me is that they chose 3 leaders last year who were among the lowest ranking vets: Maddie, Alexis and Miranda (both 2nd leaders). It also surprises me that they would blatantly pick a point who is not overwhelmingly loved by the judges. They have so many who get perfect scores, why pick one of the least favorite vets at auditions to be a point? I found it strange and telling that they make choices that go against the judges' grain and it just highlighted for me that K&J are gonna do what they want no matter what. Of course, I understand that they have different insight into the kind of team members and leaders the vets are than the judges would have. I felt rather gratified, actually, that Maddie was ranked so low, and it just verifies for me that I'm not alone in thinking she's not top DCC at all. Regarding the first-round videos: I love that they are posting them so we can "meet" the TCCs before the show (finally) begins, and I think maybe they went with these videos because they have the girls introducing themselves at the start. I don't think these are really freestyle performances; I think they all are choreographed, but some are just really bad choreography that doesn't look...choreographed. Annabelle's definitely was a hot mess hodgepodge of every style she's ever done. That back humping on the ground move was so 1980s jazzercise. What impressed me was her scissors leap. I, like others, am pretty underwhelmed by the majority of these videos (but I'm eager to see the rest!). I agree it is the crappy music, as some have suggested, and I also agree with other posters that the filming environment matters. I begrudge no one for having access to less than studio or backyard-tastic dance and filming locations, but I couldn't help but notice how nice (and large!) some of the houses are where they filmed. It reminds me of the old conversations on here about elitism and privilege and that who makes it onto the DCC are the ones who've had access to expensive dance classes much of their lives.

Well, whew again! I had to go back and watch and expand the video window to the whole screen to believe it was Bri. Her Botox eyebrows are kind of devastating in how much they change her gorgeous face. She is so freaking beautiful that I can't understand wanting to make herself look like someone else. But, I rarely understand that choice in young or beautiful people, even as I also know that I don't have to understand--folks can do what they want with their bodies, of course, but Bridget didn't need fillers and neither does Bri, and neither looked prettier to me with the injections.

Whew--I worked so hard to get caught up on 8 million forum pages, and then I come back a week later and I had so much more catching up to do! Feeling accomplished for getting through it all. Regarding that census video and multiple posters' surprise at Briana's appearance and how different she looked. I really don't want to go back to find the video in the original post here, but I have a theory: That doesn't look like Briana because...it's not Briana. I think it's Sydney, who does look kind of like Malena. As others point out, the woman in the video looks darker, taller, has more almond shaped eyes, and a differently shaped face. Again, I think all that's because it's not Bri.

Holy wow--I thought I'd NEVER catch up! I can't process it all yet, but I feel like I needed to share that I just got thru 31 pages of forum posts and the biggest BS I see in all of this is cutting Hannah. I'm sad about Brennan, too, and feel they did her wrong by jerking her around all these years, but of the 4 veteran cuts, I find Hannah's the most shocking and LOL if they try to pass it off as weak pom technique. I mean, Tyce Diorio couldn't stop watching her, so color me unconvinced. Looking forward to seeing the rookies and watching the spin doctoring this season. Ashlee is a group leader?! I just plowed thru a million pages so maybe I missed the GL and GL2 announcement? I'm totally pulling for Ashlee to be a GL2 this year or next, but I don't see them appointing her a GL without being a 2nd first. She's one of my favorites and I really want her to stay long enough to be in the triangle and/or a GL. She moved up so much in year 2, I think she has a shot at triangle.

Hoping everyone stays safe and healthy! Do I understand correctly that there will be 49 ladies total in camp? 20 rookies and 29 vets? And a regular team of 36? It will be very interesting to see how they come to their cut decisions so much more quickly. Given the circumstances, I think it's good that the rookies don't have to be in limbo for 8-10 weeks wondering if they're going to make the team. Jacey was one of my favorites, too--beautiful dancer. I, too, am intrigued about the conditions of her deferral! A lot of different kinds of programs are doing that, though, so I do think that a global pandemic counts as extreme enough circumstances to warrant unusual considerations that go beyond typical operational procedures. Can't wait to see the new ladies dancing and which vets rise to the top in such a competitive year! My latest group leader and 2nd predictions: Maddie (ugh), Tess, Gina, Lexie for GL; Caroline, Daphne, Ashlee, Amber 2GL.

With such a large space for the wedding, I think there could have been some mild efforts to keep greater distance, if they had had real concerns about the pandemic going on yet still really wanted to have the wedding. Spread the chairs and wedding party farther apart--they don't have to sit and stand on top of each other with all that acreage. Same with the tables--have more tables and let people spread out more. So, what I'm saying is, it doesn't look like they really cared to try to limit their contributions to the viral spread even if they cut down on the guest list considerably. I agree with one poster that this is related to the culture of Texas and not all about Lacey being selfish (not saying there's no selfishness at play, though). I also think that part of their rush/eagerness to get married is that they likely still were virgins and so starting their lives together probably meant that they would get it on at last. At least, years ago when I asked someone why on earth our neighbor would get married at 18 right out of high school without dating the guy for a long time, that was their suspected explanation and decades later, it still makes sense to me (they were similarly religious to Lacey's family). No way do I think Lacey was pregnant before her wedding, even if a preggers announcement comes soon. The ways they both are so deeply religious, I would be absolutely shocked if they'd had premarital sex. Now, I'm not saying the urge for sex is a reason to throw a giant party during a pandemic, and I'm also not saying they would have reasoned it out so explicitly like that, but I feel like hormones are a factor and they now have a whole new set of activities to keep themselves occupied and socially distanced from others while isolation continues to varying degrees.

Lexie seems kind of like a Celinda to me, though I think Celinda is prettier and Lexie probably has more dance skills. Still, I agree there's something off about her dancing. I could hear Judy and Kelli saying, "a little clunky," sometimes "pastel" or soft, and needing "more body language" about her dancing. This video doesn't put her on my short list of favorites for training camp--but it's fun to see what the audition videos and full choreo look like.

Just got to watch season 2 for the first time. That body fat pod was wild. I also didn't understand when Kelli told Abbigail Klein she was one cheeseburger away from busting out of her shorts. I agree, it's interesting to go back & see how the sparkle & polish of the show's production has changed! I think girls from earlier seasons would have a much harder time making the team now than vice versa. Obviously, there are some rockstars would would make it any year on any team, but I think the caliber of dance & level of fitness tone are way up over the years.

Very impressed with Brianna's post, which I find both honest & somewhat diplomatic--& that, I find to be quite impressive in this difficult situation. Good for her for openly addressing her struggle & her disappointment in the Cowboys organization. I agree that there is some risk to her making it back on the team now that she's issued even this small statement in a public forum, but she did so as tactfully as she could. If there is fallout from this during training camp for Brianna, I will have to reevaluate my relationship to the show & how I feel about this team (DCC, not Cowboys). I am so curious about whether they ask questions about this situation (&/or the pandemic & isolation issues) during the interviews. Much like in the spring 2016 auditions happening during the presidential campaign & someone asked Caila (& presumably some others) what they thought of some of the campaign promises & issues, I think the judges might feel like this would be an important opportunity to test their diplomacy skills & see if they feel they could trust candidates to speak on behalf of the Cowboys/DCC if they're asked tricky political or social issue questions. Side note: Can you imagine how Maddie would handle an interview question about what she thinks about all this?! Honestly, I think that, no matter what Judy or Kelli think or would want to say in this moment, they feel pressure to take the lead from Jerry Jones & the Cowboys organization. I would think that between Kelli & Judy, Kelli would be the one more inclined to make a statement, IF there was any real desire or contemplation on either of their part to speak up. This feeling is based on very little, of course, but two things that keep coming to mind when I think on this are that Kelli has a black pastor & Judy made a post in the midst of the Kapernick stuff about thinking not putting your hand on your heart & standing for the anthem is wrong & poor upbringing. Growing up & living in the South, I know how segregated a lot of churches are & I continue to be so struck by Kelli having a black pastor, that I still find myself rethinking what I had thought were her racial politics. All that said, I don't know that K or J are feeling hampered by the Joneses in keeping silent. I also will say this. There are a lot of empty statements of outrage & solidarity out there right now. While I do think those who wish to offer up their support or voices in this moment should do so & that this is quite obviously a conversation the nation needs to be having (or we wouldn't be witnessing such upheavals again or still), I do not appreciate empty statements of racial tolerance or moral outrage, & I never would believe in such a statement issued by Jerry Jones or his head office or from a lot of other teams, including most in the NFL. Based on NFL vs NBA/WNBA past actions & alliances, I'd believe & appreciate just about any statement from an NBA or WNBA team before I would from just about any NFL team or owner.

Bridget was on the dance team at Arizona State before returning to San Diego & cheering for the Chargers. Kelcey danced at U of Nebraska. Heather, Megan C, Gabby, and Chandi all were on the dance team at Arizona.

I just finished watching part (OK, most) of season 1 for my first time ever on Pluto & I'm just beside myself! Apparently, Nicole H. already was a rockstar vet by the time the show started. I cannot believe Megan F.'s painfully inarticulate book report on Jackie O.--just wow. It was really fun to see some of the first segments and the first MTT rookie class. Now I see what folks mean about too much focus on Jay's fitness segments. There were a lot of them! Fun seeing Larry Brown (wow!) and the other player come test the girls and Yoshiko asking what "Yee haw" means. One thing I'd love to see them bring back to the show that I saw on one of the later episodes of season 1: After each group of rookies danced on the practice field, Kelli asked the vets, "Which rookie is game ready?" Interestingly, the vets always were right about who they said--Kelli and Judy agreed with them each time. I really like it whenever we can hear vets' opinions on rookies and see them working with the rookies and groups. Whew! Watching that took up much of my morning, but I've never seen seasons 1 or 2, so it was worth the time investment, haha. But I'll have to wait until another time that season 2 comes around. I need a break! That said, season 2 is starting on Pluto now--I know lots of other folks here are like me and haven't managed to see it yet.

Jacie, Emma, Olivia, Sam Clarke, Megan C, Erica, Melissa, and Holly P definitely would be in my top 10 technical dancers. I also missed the first two seasons (hence my tremendous excitement about Pluto, but I just have to catch those seasons and have, well, nothing to do for several hours when they happen to be on). That gives me someone else to look out for when I finally get to see those seasons! I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the storied Nicole Hamilton and Abbigail Klein's rookie year in those seasons, too.

I'm a huge fan of both ladies! Congrats to them! Has a 2nd year vet won VOTY before? I recall Heather O got it after year 3. Clearly, the team agrees that Bridgett is awesome, but this makes me feel like her retirement is more likely. I'm in mad denial about it. But I'm so glad she got such an honor from her teammates if she isn't around long enough to be point or in the triangle, 2GL, GL, etc. I agree that Kelsey was the strongest rookie dancer. She is smart, articulate, seems very mature and sweet, and a nurse (or at least training to be one and was studying for boards during training camp). She also is beautiful in a very natural and understated way--she has stunning cheekbones and her eyes really pop in photos--and is the one rookie from this year I've pegged as one I'd love to see at point. I'd love to see both Kelsey and Chandi as leaders on the team down the line and hope they stay long enough. I wonder how a certain rookie took not getting ROTY...

I noticed this when I watched episodes on iTunes after they had aired on the CMT website. I don't know the reason, but it sucks, and this is why I try to watch episodes when they first come online whenever CMT is feeling generous and makes the new season episodes open access. Thank you for the Pluto discovery! I read folks talking about it here all the time, but I guess I wasn't too motivated to try until this pandemic, as I have a couple of seasons on iTunes--but I'm tired of those seasons and this is such a fun trip down memory lane!

I think I remember reading here that Haley went and worked at another NFL organization for a hot minute and there was some speculation that it was part of her grooming process. Seems wild that she's one of the few first-round judges, though, especially since she has so many close friendships with the girls. I just don't see how she's qualified enough to make up for her impartiality. By that I mean, if she were an amazing dancer herself who had an eye for technique, I'd think it's more reasonable she's one of 4 or 5 first-round judges. I hope that, since they cut so many and are bringing in a more usual number to semis, that they have a guest choreographer who has worked with the team before as a judge. I really liked Charm last year and think she has a great eye for not just the excellent dancers but also the real performers, which is not always the same thing. I don't need it to be her again (though I'd be happy to see her again), but I want to hear from the dance professionals, not just news anchors and weathermen and sponsor execs weighing in on the candidates. It's one reason I hate that we hear so little from Judy during auditions deliberations in recent years. She's always focused on the candidates' dancing. Or maybe they just bring in the choreographers during training camp/finals--however they work it, I want to see the real pros give their input on both rookies and vets like we've seen the last few seasons. I like hearing from more than just than same old same olds, and hearing from the judges makes me feel like I'm getting more of a sense of what goes on in the studio than just what I see in the edited clips of the ladies dancing.

I'm not convinced that marking her 35 years of service is a "thanks for 35 years--we'll miss you" crystal sign. I mean, it may be, but I would expect both K & J's replacements would shadow them extensively for at least a season before changing the guard. I imagine they would seize upon the opportunity to highlight that on the show and milk it for all it's worth. Now, sometimes people retire rather suddenly or unexpectedly for various reasons, so I'm not ruling it out, but I would be shocked if that' show the organization or Judy announced her retirement to the public.

Vet of the Year: I'd love to see Heather get it a second time! Rookie of the Year: I'm going with Chandi or Kelsey. I think Lily could be a dark horse candidate, since her teammates think so highly of her, and I'm hoping it's not You Know Who.