S09.E08: The Payoff

[Random Noise]

I'm just a casual watcher of the series so I'm not too familiar with the dance routines or whether they change from year to year or how much they might change.

 

Just curious though. If CMT actually showed more of the dance routines, could someone at home practice them through the year and possibly fake their way into training camp or partway through training camp?

[Elizabeth9]

Interesting to see the "door lady" who calls in the girls to the office mentioned by name. Maybe she will become the new Phil?

Courtney is really pretty. I can see why they wanted her.

Breelan is actually pretty when she's smiling

Why not confront Ashley on that info early on in TC? Seems odd to wait until the last night if they had the information earlier, which I'm assuming it came out during the auditions and reference checks.

Love Emma, nice to see a vet! More vet opinions and assistance, less Melissa interventions.

[Dr.Scully]

I don't know if CMT is not allowed to show full routines but there are plenty of full-length routines on youtube for people to watch. I always wonder why girls don't show up at tryouts with full routines memorized for that reason. Someone like Vivian, who was also in training camp, has zero excuse for not knowing dances (unless it was the one brand-new one that year).

 

I've never been on a dance team so I don't know how often teams usually change up the choreography. However, I do know that the DCC have been recycling routines from at least 2005. Hell, I know a bunch of their steps simply from watching MTT. Thunderstruck used to be the Loud routine. Jessica posted a clip of them dancing at the game and Jordan Chanley commented that she recognized Breaking Dishes. (So obviously it was the same routine when she danced, only to the song Breaking Dishes, which you can find them dancing to on a morning talk show on youtube.) I also think they recycle an 8 count or two and put them together differently to make a "new" dance.

 

The show group routines have also remained virtually the same for years now. You've got Thunderstruck, the Candyman routine, the soldier routine, the drumline routine, the rock n roll routine, the 12 days of Christmas, the lyrical trio, and the USA tribute medley. I know they must add in one or two. I remember a routine from youtube with Ashton, Britney Evans, and Whitney dancing to a song about taking off your hat. I thought it was amazing but never saw it again. That brief clip we saw on MTT with the girls in a line in a green costume with black bottoms looked new to me.

 

Maybe it's how they stay precise. It's easier to learn 1 new routing than 20. I really don't know if it's common or not for dance teams but that's what I've observed over the last few years.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Dr.Scully

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Pro cheer teams are very different from other dance/cheer teams. The DCC learn the kickline, halftime dances, and different mini dances that are performed throughout the game. They recycle a lot, from repeating the exact same routines, doing the same dances set to different music, and copying certain 8 counts/sections of choreography. But let's be honest - if you just watched the choreography from most of their dances with the tv muted, it's the same stuff over and over.

 

My high school and college dance teams always had new routines for everything. One of the few dances we performed more than once was our competition routine, but we kept that at a minimum. Aside from doing it at actual competitions, we did it at one pep rally and again at our spring dance concert. Other than that, we always had a new routine for every football game, basketball game, pep rally, etc. but in fairness we only performed at halftime so we only needed one routine per week at most. I guess in retrospect it seems almost like a waste of time that we worked so hard on each dance and then only performed it once, but it was understood that we did not repeat dances. We also did not lift choreography from one dance and then put it in another dance.

 

Our cheerleaders had several routines they used for the whole football season. Aside from the fight song routine, they also had different sideline dances that they performed throughout the game, but they changed those each year. The only thing that always stayed the same for more than one season was the school fight song routine. I'm pretty sure they if you went back years after graduating, you could still do the fight song routine with the current squad and it would be exactly the same.

 

But to me the difference is that cheer is a bit more classic in choreography/style, meaning it's less dated. If you look at fight song dances and actual cheers (not cheer dances) from now versus 20 years ago, there are a lot of similarities so it's not as necessary to update routines every year. But if you look at dance team choreography now versus even ten years ago, the older stuff looks very obviously dated. My sister is several years younger than I am so when she was on the dance team after I graduated, there was a marked difference in the choreography.

 

I am fine with the DCC keeping their kickline because that is something that's less dated. If you go to a high school football game in Texas, you will still see dance teams doing similar kicklines (actually you will probably see far more difficult kicklines at a high school football game in Texas) because kicklines haven't changed that much. There are lots of kicks and the splits. The most noticeable change in kicklines through the years is the costumes. But the DCC dances are much more dated. I would love to see them ditch some of their older choreography and get some fresher, more current dance routines. Unfortunately, Kelli and Judy seem to think that using the same steps set to a newer top 40 song makes their routines current.

[WendyW]

My list for the prettiest are:

Past DCCs- Abigail Klein, Megan Fox, Erica Jenkins, Ashton Torres, Mackenzie Lee, Amelia, Mia Greenhouse, Sasha Agent, Brittany Evans, Tobie Percival(heard she was the DCC mean girl but still very pretty)

Current DCCs- Jenna Lenae, Samantha, Holly, Jacie, Courtney, Erica, Emma, Angela, Ashley H, breelan, Jessica M, Victoria

[pink317]

Just curious though. If CMT actually showed more of the dance routines, could someone at home practice them through the year and possibly fake their way into training camp or partway through training camp?

This is embarassing but I know Thunderstruck like the back of my hand and often do it in my room! I can even recognize when 8-counts from Thunderstruck are used in other dances. If I could pick it up by just watching the show and Youtube, these trained dancers should get it. Honestly, if you can get Loud, Thunderstruck, and some of the major quarter change numbers (ie Breakin Dishes, etc) down then the other stuff should be cake... or the only thing you need to really work on unless you join Show Group.  Even still, the only new SG performance I noticed in EP8 was the routine with the green top and black sparkle pants. The country and rock sections were usual routines. I don't believe the girls learn 50 different dances but rather 50ish eight counts and combine them in different ways. I just don't see 50 stand alone dances when most of them look the same!

Edited September 30, 2014 by pink317

[Dopeydwarf]

That is not embarrassing. Wish i could do Thunderstruck!

[Random Noise]

Thanks for the insight.

 

Since I started watching in season 6, I found it interesting that they get about 2 weeks into TC and the K-J duo start making the decision that some of the candidates don't have the necessary dance skills. It just seemed like some of the candidates might have learned some of the routines during the off season and then get thrown off if changes are made during training camp.

 

On the topic of favorites though, I'd have to say Brittney S as my fave. Since I started watching when she made the squad in season 6, I can usually spot her in the background with a goofy face or pulling some kind of antics. I'd think she'd be a fun person to be around.

[Guest]

 And I loved Emma so much for having Ashley's back.

 

I'm sad the season is over.  It went by so quick but the show started in August this year.  Now I'm curious who will make the squad next year!

I'm so glad to see so many other people say this, I have always viewed Emma as snotty and  not really down-to-earth, so I was pretty stunned she went to bat for Ashley too, but at the same time I adored that she did it and not only was I rooting for Ashley, I became an Emma fan after all these seasons!!    I guess I'm guilty of judging her, but I am delighted to see she's honest, genuine and loyal to someone who clearly showed herself worthy of it!

 

Yes, hate how fast the season went by :(  I wish this show had more episodes, or longer ones!  I could watch it for hours, like some people watch Real Housewives.  I would love to know what these girls do at their jobs, what others think of them, what normal-people issues they struggle with, such as stress, career ladder, money, etc.  

[Elizabeth9]

Just goes to show you how little we see of the girls who don't struggle at TC and the vets...I like Emma now, too. She is DCC of the week with Holly and she seems very sweet.

[sugarplum]

Learning their dances, or 8-counts from the show or YouTube, and being able to perform them flawlessly with the power and technical precision that K & J require are different things. We see that through training camp every year. It's not just doing the steps. And don't forget, these girls are learning somewhere around 50 dances that get cycled through on the sidelines...and not always to the same music. They work their butts off!

[h2ogirl]

Wow. I always thought Tricia Trevino was very unattractive. The loveliest DCCs to me were/are Amy Reese, Erica Jenkins, Mackenzie Lee, Ashton Torres, Sasha agent, Nicole, Kinzie, holly, Samantha, and Veronica. Courtney looks like a stripper to me.

I am sad this season is over and hope Melissa Rycroft was a one year CMT girl.

[Kaedee]

I was watching one of the earlier episodes of MTT S9, and it occurred to me that Judy seemed to focus negatively on Ashley throughout the season.  If Ashley was so bad, why did she make training camp for the 2nd year (and ultimately the team)?  When Kitty Carter came to the studio earlier in the season, she even told Ashley that she had it in S8 - she just let Kitty and her own nerves knock her off the platform.  And Kitty said Ashley did a decent job during that rehearsal (which is high praise from Kitty).  Kelli's former DCC friend who visited also picked Ashley out as someone she really liked.  Yeah, Ashley (and Breelan) seemed more effected by their nerves, but it appeared to me through the season it was only Judy who didn't like her. 

 

Ashley was one of the few girls who didn't have dance experience, her experience being gymnastics and cheerleading, not straight out dance (tho I imagine she has taken some dance classes, especially after being cut last year).  Anyway, I just thought Judy may have taken a dislike to her for some reason and that was why she kept calling her out. 

 

On the "beauty" front, I think all the DCCs are gorgeous.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in my eyes Ashley is a stunner.  Breelan is a sweetie pie.  I have also always loved Danielle's looks.  Her heart adds to her overall beauty.  :D

[Dopeydwarf]

i never thought MacKenzie was pretty--let me explain!!  I think she's a cutie!!!!  Pretty  may be more of a sophisticated term,IMO, but cute as a bug's ear is what she is.  

Adorable! 

 

I thought Courtney Cook was cool looking--not pretty, but attractive, and just looked cool.

 

I like Jennifer Kathryn's eyes. Striking!  Her face shape around her eyes is  like an acute  triangle laying on its side with the point facing out.  

I don't often see eyes like that.  

[nmvrn]

I think all the DCC are attractive. The loveliest for me in the past were Lynlee Allen, Christina Parker, Amy Reese, Abigail Klein, and Ashton Torres.

.

Current DCC are Holly, Emma, Katy, and Samantha.

[MyFavShows]

I think all the DCC are attractive. The loveliest for me in the past were Lynlee Allen, Christina Parker, Amy Reese, Abigail Klein, and Ashton Torres.

.

Current DCC are Holly, Emma, Katy, and Samantha.

I agree about Holly, Emma, Katy and Samantha being the prettiest. You and I must have similar tastes ;). I think Nicole is really pretty too.

Wish they'd give Emma a different hair color, cause her current one is a little too bright/fake looking, but her face is so stunning I think they could give her blue hair and she'd still be beautiful.

[KellyAnn3]

Yeah, Ashley (and Breelan) seemed more effected by their nerves, but it appeared to me through the season it was only Judy who didn't like her. 

 

Ashley was one of the few girls who didn't have dance experience, her experience being gymnastics and cheerleading, not straight out dance (tho I imagine she has taken some dance classes, especially after being cut last year).  Anyway, I just thought Judy may have taken a dislike to her for some reason and that was why she kept calling her out. 

 

See, I feel like Judy definitely encountered or at least heard about Ashley long before she ever tried out to be a DCC. Ashley did all star cheer at Cheer Athletics, which is the same gym Cassie was with (and also Makenzi Swicegood). There's actually an article somewhere about Ashley and her sister and how their parents were so committed to having them on a prestigious team that they commuted weekly from Arkansas into Dallas, it was from a year the gym won Nationals I believe.

I have a suspicion that Cassie may not have been super fond of Ashley at some point and Judy knows and was sort of holding it against her. It's the only thing I can think of that would make her SO critical of every tiny thing Ashley did but overlook a lot of the same or worse issues with other girls' dancing. I personally believe that she should have been on the team last year instead of Morgan or Kaitlyn, regardless of her lack of "formal dance training". She's coordinated and takes correction well and can dance along with the others perfectly fine when she's not being yelled at.

[iloveit]

 

Judy seemed to focus negatively on Ashley throughout the season.  If Ashley was so bad, why did she make training camp for the 2nd year

I think Judy's number 1 priority for TCC is choosing skilled technical dancers.  I think in this season or maybe last she explained that she gives her highest votes to the girls who she thinks can come in and pick up the choreography quickly while Kelli likes to find a "diamond in rough" who can be trained and polished, Judy, as the teacher/choreographer, prefers that they can already dance. 

[DCCFAN71]

I agree Dr. Scully. I don't really care for Kelsey either. She seems like a media hog! I felt like that entire segment with her talking about winning the trophy was staged. So annoying.

Edited October 1, 2014 by DCCFAN71

[DCCFAN71]

In my opinion, Nicole, Samantha, Veronica, Kinzie, Katy, Danielle, and Emma (wish they change her hair color) are adorable. Victoria and the one girl with the hair Miss Kitty did not care for are my two favorite rookies.

 

Ashton, Alyssa, Mackenzie, Mia, and Lauren are adorable too.

I totally agree. These are my pics for the prettiest. I would have to also throw in Sasha, Jacie and Sydney.

IMO, some of the new rookies will not make it to a second year unless they improve greatly, for instance Caila, Breelan and Ashley Pro.

[DCCFAN71]

I do wish they would have talked about how they chose the Group 1st and 2nd leaders. Jennifer K must be a rock star person/performer/leader to make group leader her 2nd year. She was also the first Vet to audition during finals. K&J always put one of their strongest dancers in the 1st and last positions during finals. Don't get me wrong, I really like Jennifer K, I just wish they would have talked about it.

[Bailey3606]

I think all the DCC's are pretty in their own way. I wasn't feeling Morgan though, and Caila looks a little trailer park-esque. As for the rookies, Courtney and Ashley are the only ones that catches my eye when I see a group photo.

For vets, I am obsessed with Samantha's look and think she's an AMAZING technical dancer. Lookswise, Kelsey's the total package. I think she has the perfect DCC body and I love her personality. I hope she sticks around for a couple more years.

[MyFavShows]

I like Kelsey's personality too - she seems very genuine (i.e. not fake) and fun to be around from what they show on the show - I agree she's a total package girl. I hope she stays a DCC a long time.

Calia seems very nice and sweet, but ITA about how she has a trailer-park vibe to her. She's like this seasons Kaitlyn, but Kaitlyn was a lot prettier - does anyone know what happened w/ her? Did she just not try out again?

Courtney is very traditionally pretty too, but she just doesn't stand out to me - like I think she'd totally blend if her hair wasn't all one color platinum blonde (her hair could use a few lowlights too).

Morgan was very pretty when smiling - and she had a nice build. She looked very stressed w/ just a regular face though.

[EricaShadows]

I think that the DCCs have been the most traditionally pretty girls (with some stunners and some stinkers) for their particulary era/year but, as has been said, beauty is in the the eye of the beholder.  I really liked Meredith Oden and Erica Jenkins in the past with Emma and Ashley Pro this year, but I'm VERY partial to the naturally ginger girls.  Redheads ROCK!

 

As for the dancers, I do agree that, in the given time frame of Training Camp, there are just some girls who might be amazing dancers, but need more time to pick up the steps.  I do agree with that one guest choreographer (who was doing the contemporary jazz piece) said that (and I'm paraphrasing here) that there are times you need to be able to pick it up like that and you're gone if you can't.  I immediately thought of many of the dance auditions I've heard of where they can go through all three stages of auditions (pre-lims, semi's and finals) in a day and sometimes in hours, depending on how many dancers show up and how many they're looking for.

[GreyCheerGirl]

I don't see how Breelan made it. She doesn't have the "look" nor the DCC confidence factor. She is Morgan all over again.....

[DCCFanInKy]

Calia seems very nice and sweet, but ITA about how she has a trailer-park vibe to her. She's like this seasons Kaitlyn, but Kaitlyn was a lot prettier - does anyone know what happened w/ her? Did she just not try out again?

 

Kaitlin LeGrande or Kaitlyn LaRae?  LeGrande was released from TC after that strange behavior when she missed a rehearsal and then another rehearsal where she "forgot" proper filming night attire.  Kaitlyn LaRae most likely was "encouraged" not to reaudition as I believe she was benched for most of the season due to weight (don't quote me on that).

[MyFavShows]

I looked at last years squad photo and Kaitlyn LaRae is who I was asking about. She was super young last year. Really pretty girl.

[Dopeydwarf]

I think Jennifer K and Melissa are the DCC powerhouses. Both of them have it.  Jennifer K. was a natural, and so is Melissa.

Since we are talking about previous DCCs, I was rewatching Season 3. Cassie is cute as a button, and the scenes where Judy finds out Cassie made it are just precious.

[Preity]

I thought Trisha Trevino was really pretty once she grew out that awful awful hair style from her rookie season.... Why Kelli or anyone thought that was pretty, I have no idea whatsoever....

i think all the girls are pretty, for me what makes them really pretty is the way they promote themselves on tv or something I guess. Some of them have such a great personality and such a great attitude. Others like Rachel I just don’t understand... To me she’s average looking (not ugly though!) and not a stand out dancer, so I was surprised she even made it back with ’such a strong rookie class’

[Italian Ice]

I binge watched the entire season in 2 days, and I have to say, I hope Ashley Pro isn't a one and done. She's beautiful and a total sweetheart. I wouldn't be sad if Breelan and Caila are one year girls. Not at all.

[caligirl50]

Pretty- you mean Crystal Trevino. Trisha's hair didn't really change while she was a DCC.

[MrsEVH]

Pretty- you mean Crystal Trevino. Trisha's hair didn't really change while she was a DCC.

That's what I thought too. Trisha's hair looks slightly different in the 2005 squad photo because of the lighter color . The style and length look the same to me. Crystal had a short shag (what it was called in the 70s) haircut but I liked it better when she grew it longer for her 2nd and 3rd seasons.

 

RE: Kaitlyn La Rae. I thought she didn't perform much last season due to an injury from a car accident she had awhile ago.  Did anyone ever find out the real reason?

[ladyrott]

Personally, I think Jenna is the prettiest girl on the squad.  She is just stunningly pretty to me.  Mackenzie Lee was also in my "Wow!" list. 

[bigskygirl]

Kaitlyn was called out in TC for weight gain. I think her not performing and making appearances may be due to weight gain, but she had her twitter account and was listed as a current DCC on the DCC website.

[Preity]

Pretty- you mean Crystal Trevino. Trisha's hair didn't really change while she was a DCC.

 

 

That's what I thought too. Trisha's hair looks slightly different in the 2005 squad photo because of the lighter color . The style and length look the same to me. Crystal had a short shag (what it was called in the 70s) haircut but I liked it better when she grew it longer for her 2nd and 3rd seasons.

 

yep... I ment Crystal lol... I have no idea where my head is at today.. Trisha has always had gorgeous hair 

[Italian Ice]

This is just personal opinion, but to me, Megan Fox and Abigail Klein were the two prettiest girls EVER on the squad. I wish Megan had been featured more on the show.

[WendyW]

Megan F use to be judy's assistant choreographer or something like that so we use to see her in the earlier seasons but I think she quit due to not having time for it anymore. I also wonder what ever happened to Ashton's sister after she didn't make it back that year she just kind of fell off the map she was a really pretty girl also

[TobyBelle]

Emma became one of my favorites in the episode with the vets bowling. The guys from the military showed up and Emma's attention was on the little boy. She even carried him in the group photo. She was really sweet.

It would be nice to hear a little more from the vets. If they don't profile them when they are TCCs, they're just in the background the following seasons. I really like Holly, too, and I didn't notice her in her TCC year.

[WendyW]

I also still wonder till this day will we ever find out what really happened with the Courtney cook situation. Maybe she will write a book or something one day like some former DCCs have and we can find out lol

[bigskygirl]

Megan F got married and has a little girl. I think her husband is a football coach, and she is a dance instructor.

[MrsEVH]

Megan F use to be judy's assistant choreographer or something like that so we use to see her in the earlier seasons but I think she quit due to not having time for it anymore. I also wonder what ever happened to Ashton's sister after she didn't make it back that year she just kind of fell off the map she was a really pretty girl also

Current twitter accounts for some of the 5 DCCs that were cut in 2012:

Alyssa Torres    @lsyssajeantorres

Meghan Michelle   @meghanmichelle5

Cassie  @cassie_rowland (nothing posted since 8/13)

Kamilah  @kamilahbrett 

Couldn't find one for Jenna Allison (cut) or Amber Lea  (didn't reaudition; got married) 

[nmvrn]

I like Jennifer K too. But, it really turned me off when she mentioned Show Group being "elite". It seemed like she was bragging. I know some of the DCC can't audition for Show Group for a variety of reasons.

[Oranaiche]

I think Jennifer referred to show group as an elite group because that's how Kelli and Judy always describe it. Didn't strike me as bragging at all but that's just me.

[Lorimar263]

I think Jennifer referred to show group as an elite group because that's how Kelli and Judy always describe it. Didn't strike me as bragging at all but that's just me.

That's exactly how I perceived it as well.

[M1977G]

 

I would love to see them ditch some of their older choreography and get some fresher, more current dance routines. Unfortunately, Kelli and Judy seem to think that using the same steps set to a newer top 40 song makes their routines current.

I don't think they ditch much choreography, but my impression the past two seasons is that part of the point of bringing in guest choreographers is to get new dances into the mix.  Some seem like they would be more suited to Show Group performances, but some appear to be intended for team/game performances, like the "cowboy funk" piece they learned this year, or the hip hop dance from last year.  They also have a number of assistant choreographers who do devise new routines every season--like Mia's this year--which get performed as sideline routines.  I think other posters are correct that they try to restrict the amount of choreography that gets shown to prevent other teams or dancers from ripping off entire routines, and I think that impacts the number of different dances we get to see them learning.  Each season, we only see them rehearsing a handful of routines in TC, but they are learning several times the number we get to see.  The other thing is that for this kind of dance and stage, certain kinds of moves look better and more impactful, and that contributes to us seeing the same moves in different combinations--the hair tosses, big arm moves with poms, etc.  Also, I do believe there are powers that be greater than Kelli & Judy (really! there are!), and they make them do a lot of the same routines.  For example, they do Thunderstruck as the opener always not because Judy loves it so much, but because they have been told that the DCC are to do Thunderstruck as their opening number in the stadium.  (I recall this from reading either an interview with Judy or a Q&A tweet session with her.)  

[moonpie]

Yes, agree, definitely powers that be higher than K and J and they like to keep things the same...

Now this series has come to an end...I wouldn't say it was my favorite. Loved Melissa rookie and the girls were great as ever but I found some of the weight discussions hard to watch and the whole series a little claustrophobic.

I think my favorite series was 6 - so many great rookies - McKenzie, Brittney, Veronica, Courtney, Emma, Kali, Katy....and great ones who didn't quite make it such as Kalli F and Taylor.....I felt we got to know a lot of them.

That was the series in which there were ?14 guaranteed spots for rookies as so many girls had retired. Lot less spots this time round...

I wondered what your favorite series was and why...

[Elizabeth9]

7...I liked a lot of the girls in that class and I loved the look inside the season

[bigskygirl]

Season 2 was my favorite season because of the rookie candidates.

[Dopeydwarf]

My favorite was season 5.  Judy takes  Kenley Minchew down a knot or two  at the interview (I was so happy this happened !YAY JUDY!!!!) , Courtney C., Brittney S., Ann Lux   and Nichole Bulcher are rookies, and the Good Morning America team films that lovely lady whose dream was always to be a DCC.  3rd strike for Meagan Flaherty(i thought she was a poor dancer, and there is something strange about her.) I think it's a great season.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Dopeydwarf

[caligirl50]

Season 2. Best editing, best rookies (I had a girl crush on Loni).  As well as Season 6 (with the exception of Taylor) and Season 7.  Kelli and Judi were also way nicer in those seasons.  This season they were kind of cranky. And I disliked the Kelli recap at the end of each episode.

Edited October 5, 2014 by caligirl50