2017 Tryouts and Training Camp: Candidates Included

[sleepyjean]

14 minutes ago, Jess14 said:

I  would much rather see a flat, toned stomach like Holly has than some 6 pack abs. 

Me too. Not that I have either one! While I appreciate the effort it takes to have washboard abs, I've never found that hardbody look attractive. I'm in the Danielle camp. 

I'm glad they have variety on the team so people who like both kinds of looks will find someone they think looks amazing.

[Jaxratchet]

10 hours ago, heatherrrrz said:

Apparently I can't upload the photos from my phone on here, they're too big. 

I had to crop my photos down to whatever size to post them! 

7 hours ago, MrsEVH said:

I get Chels and Legrand  but whose Fannah?

Hannah Alexandra West!  Somebody on a previous thread called her Fannah! It kept! 

[pizzaislife]

35 minutes ago, Jess14 said:

Yeah, I think Holly is in great shape. I think she often looks much older and harder than she is, but no doubt, the girl has sex appeal and has really toned up but not in a bad or extreme way. 

I would much rather see a flat, toned stomach like Holly has than some 6 pack abs. Now, I fully acknowledge that I may just be being a bIt salty. I like to run, which keeps me in decent shape, but sit-ups/crunches....I get tired of after doing 25 and then I just end up laying on the floor for a while lol. The 6 pack abs are never happening for me. 

Ha. I run too. My lack of 6 pack abs will be due to my love of pizza... and dark chocolate... and food

[pizzaislife]

17 minutes ago, Jaxratchet said:

I had to crop my photos down to whatever size to post them! 

Hannah Alexandra West!  Somebody on a previous thread called her Fannah! It kept! 

Ah thats sad. I had a love/hate relationship with Hannah. I loved her.... until she spoke.

[Jaxratchet]

I did too! She was not by any stretch of the word fat! I absolutely loved watching her dance with them long gloves!

[SopranoKris]

Well, week 1 of TC will be over tomorrow. I wonder who has already had a "talk" this week? I feel like I know practically nothing about the rookies this season!

[twinkietwin94]

 

Oh my Holly

[ATLGirl]

On 6/6/2017 at 10:16 PM, Oklahomama said:

So someone got a Barbie (far right) that got 6 yes, 6 maybe and 3 no? That makes no sense

I was on vacation last week and somehow missed the yes/no/maybe list. Can anyone repost or tell me where to find it? 

I wonder how long it will take for Judy to say the words "train wreck" or "point your foot"? ?

[RazzleberryPie]

1 hour ago, Jess14 said:

Yeah, I think Holly is in great shape. I think she often looks much older and harder than she is, but no doubt, the girl has sex appeal and has really toned up but not in a bad or extreme way. 

I would much rather see a flat, toned stomach like Holly has than some 6 pack abs. Now, I fully acknowledge that I may just be being a bIt salty. I like to run, which keeps me in decent shape, but sit-ups/crunches....I get tired of after doing 25 and then I just end up laying on the floor for a while lol. The 6 pack abs are never happening for me. 

Add me to the Holly Flat Belly vs Hard Six Pack team. 

[mmm]

IMO the examples that some of you gave are great exceptions , but look at all the girls that had to try more than one to make the team  (especially the out of towners ) basically had to mold themselves to be accepted , once at a season perimere Kelli said that they pick a large jury of different people because people like different things and they want Variety, I think that's not true for the most part they are kinda of clones of each other  

[lkxydhfinl ghsdv]

Here's an article from Kristi Scales talking a little bit about the Barbies! 

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/06/07/like-cowboys-cheerleaders-reward-excellence-dcc-auditions-also-icon

[DCC.Style.fan]

3 hours ago, ByTor said:

3 hours ago, DanceChick said:

They definitely commented on her weight her rookie season while she was dancing in practice.

I remember that too, and she turned it around really fast.

And so did KaShara she got fit and toned.  The difference from her first week in TC and now is amazing

[Shallan]

26 minutes ago, Tootie said:

Here's an article from Kristi Scales talking a little bit about the Barbies! 

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/06/07/like-cowboys-cheerleaders-reward-excellence-dcc-auditions-also-icon

The article says 44 in TC. I thought it was 45 but I guess not. It also did not say Madeline got a Barbie but I thought she got one this year. Do you think anyone will be cut this week?

[DCC.Style.fan]

1 hour ago, twinkietwin94 said:

 

Oh my Holly

NOW THAT IS A GREAT BUTT.  ~ SHAKE THAT TAILGATE HOLLY!     oh my spell check just tried to correct my work shake and listed  shakin as the option.  

[missmansfield]

20 hours ago, Oranaiche said:

It was a joke, hence the statement in parenthesis, lol. Just capitalizing on the fact that I don't think there's much Kelsey could do to get herself cut from camp as a vet.

God, I hope not.  I would be so upset if Kelsey didn't make it back this year.  She has become my favorite veteran!

[dccfan37]

25 minutes ago, Shallan said:

The article says 44 in TC. I thought it was 45 but I guess not. It also did not say Madeline got a Barbie but I thought she got one this year. Do you think anyone will be cut this week?

I guess Sheridan really didn't make TC so it is 44

[Rosiemac]

https://www.arlington.org/plan/blog/post/after-a-thrilling-final-round-of-auditions-dcc-training-camp-is-underway/

Here is a nice article about the final day of tryouts:)

[Rosiemac]

19 minutes ago, Rosiemac said:

https://www.arlington.org/plan/blog/post/after-a-thrilling-final-round-of-auditions-dcc-training-camp-is-underway/

Here is a nice article about the final day of tryouts:)

Here was a reference to Bri

But who was that 18 year old from Medford, New Jersey?   She’s tall with long limbs, and her lyrical routine was so dynamic and so mature.  To be honest, she was one of several rookie hopefuls who shined brightly, earning extra stars and exclamation marks in my judge’s notebook as well as other judges’ score cards.  There’s no way an 18 year old can outshine some veterans in finals, right?  Well, she did.

[LaurenBrook]

Just now, Rosiemac said:

Here was a reference to Bri

But who was that 18 year old from Medford, New Jersey?   She’s tall with long limbs, and her lyrical routine was so dynamic and so mature.  To be honest, she was one of several rookie hopefuls who shined brightly, earning extra stars and exclamation marks in my judge’s notebook as well as other judges’ score cards.  There’s no way an 18 year old can outshine some veterans in finals, right?  Well, she did.

i'm so excited to see her now!! she sounds like a judge favorite which is a really good sign for her going into camp. 

I love Kristi Scales...she just seems like such a genuinely sweet and caring person. 

DYING to see Kashara's solo!! aughhh!! 

[Rosiemac]

2 minutes ago, LaurenBrook said:

i'm so excited to see her now!! she sounds like a judge favorite which is a really good sign for her going into camp. 

I love Kristi Scales...she just seems like such a genuinely sweet and caring person. 

DYING to see Kashara's solo!! aughhh!! 

I was reading Kristi Scales bio....she is quite the ground breaker and is well respected in the industry. I liked watching her on the show:)

5 minutes ago, LaurenBrook said:

i'm so excited to see her now!! she sounds like a judge favorite which is a really good sign for her going into camp. 

I love Kristi Scales...she just seems like such a genuinely sweet and caring person. 

DYING to see Kashara's solo!! aughhh!! 

Don't you mean Ka Sexy;)?

[parrotfeathers]

That was a very well written article!

[LaurenBrook]

20 minutes ago, Rosiemac said:

I was reading Kristi Scales bio....she is quite the ground breaker and is well respected in the industry. I liked watching her on the show:)

Don't you mean Ka Sexy;)?

haha yes!! i did see on IG a number of the girls calling her that, too funny! 

But then again, Ashton did her choreo. Ashton was kind of known for being a little more outside the box and always sexy.  Good choice, Kash!! fingers crossed this is the boost she needs to make SG. 

[Shallan]

Loved that article. Just a few of my thoughts.

"And if a returning veteran doesn’t stand out, that’s a bad sign.  They cannot let potential rookies outshine them." This makes me happy for Kelsey and some of the others I though might be on the bubble! They must have done really well to get their spots back. 

As for the cut vets: "By the second or third episode, you’ll see which veterans I’m referencing. " A couple of things, second or third episode makes me wonder if one of the additional episodes this year will include more preparation for auditions. However, I could be reading too much into that statement. Also, it seems like they may be focusing some of the cut vets?! It will be interesting to watch.

"There was also a very big wardrobe malfunction this season involving a halter top that came untied near the end of a veteran’s solo routine.  She is a top-performer, however, and there was no way a setback with her outfit would deter her from making the squad." I think this confirms Holly's wardrobe malfunction. Glad she made the team again and that the morning didn't affect her confidence for the afternoon session. Not every performer would have been able to shake that off so quickly so good for her.

[lkxydhfinl ghsdv]

1 hour ago, dccfan37 said:

I guess Sheridan really didn't make TC so it is 44

A few pages back, Shelly said that she didn't make it.   :(

[Oklahomama]

I always love Kristi. She genuinely sticks up for the girls. I remember last season, when they were deliberating about Caila's weight and KS looked sick to her stomach about it.

[Java]

14 hours ago, DCCroutineFAN said:

As a dancer myself who almost auditioned in 2000 but missed my chance, I know how much of a dream come true this is for them even if it's just making it to training camp. I don't think any of these girls do this for the money. The ends justify the means . The barbie is something that is very special to them and you can't put a price tag on what the girls experience, the opportunities, the friendships, etc etc etc. I would have been a DCC for free. 

Back in the day I would've tried as well - we all have the dream, right?  I didn't get what I was trying to say across very well, so let me just say that I think these girls deserve more recognition than I think the organization gives them. No, they're not curing cancer or bringing about world peace,  and yes they are getting to experience some incredible things.  The DC organization doesn't *have to do anything more to show appreciation for these girls talents, but they could.  They all put in hard work to get on the team, and then stay on the team, so I doubt any of them would mind.

I have to say I'm actually surprised a comment I made about Barbies has irritated as many people as it has. That wasn't my intent, I was just giving an opinion just like everyone else, lol, and it can join the ranks of all the other unpopular opinions around here. Isn't the first time for me, and certainly won't be the last. 

[Tdoc72]

3 hours ago, Rosiemac said:

Here was a reference to Bri

But who was that 18 year old from Medford, New Jersey?   She’s tall with long limbs, and her lyrical routine was so dynamic and so mature.  To be honest, she was one of several rookie hopefuls who shined brightly, earning extra stars and exclamation marks in my judge’s notebook as well as other judges’ score cards.  There’s no way an 18 year old can outshine some veterans in finals, right?  Well, she did.

I was coming on to ask if anyone knew who this was so thanks. Medford is not far  from me so I wondered. 

2 hours ago, Shallan said:

As for the cut vets: "By the second or third episode, you’ll see which veterans I’m referencing. " A couple of things, second or third episode makes me wonder if one of the additional episodes this year will include more preparation for auditions. However, I could be reading too much into that statement. Also, it seems like they may be focusing some of the cut vets?! It will be interesting to watch.

Usually, the first episode has been all preliminaries and the second was finals/return of the vets.  It will be interesting to see what they do w/an expanded season this year. Although season 7 had 4 more episodes after the final squad was announced. 

[fan1999]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this but since they both tried out this year for DCC, I'm gonna put it here and hope I'm not wrong... looks like AAIA Jenny and Whitney both made it to finals for Dolphins Cheer. 

Isn't Jenny the one who was being secretive about her next move after she got cut from DCC? 

I also recognized Hunter and there are a few other girls who look very familiar (both from Texas and other states) but I'm not sure if it's from DCC or some other dance thing. 

http://dolphinscheerleaders.com/you-pick-the-squad-2017

Edited June 9, 2017 by Dlcmom
Add link

[DaisyFields500]

I am interested to see which Texan girls make the Dolphin's cheer squad.  I hope Whitney makes it.  I am glad they have the opportunity to still make a dream come true for them.  

Edited June 9, 2017 by DaisyFields500

[Guest]

I'm so intrigued with what they're going to do this year with the extra episodes. 

I enjoyed Kelli's article in star mag about the photoshoot

[fan1999]

18 hours ago, HowdeeDo said:

No where does it say you have to, but most Candidates do to be recognized and in the know. I don't think there's any stigma around it. The same could be done for any team or sport or job. Work with the people who've been there, go with what's popular. 

There have been girls not in the Dallas dance scene to make the squad as well...

It's not written in stone and I'm sure there's been a girl or two along the way that comes out of nowhere BUT for every girl that makes it through each round, there are probably 3 who were talented enough, fit enough and pretty enough to make it. I remember people wondering how Kelli Q was overlooked for so many years but that's just how auditions work - 200 girls who are very well qualified show up for 5-10 spots and you have to go above and beyond to get the extra look. The quickest and easiest way to do that is to network with people who know people. It's the reason why people in the industry have agents. For DCC, that means getting yourself in front of as many people K and J trust as you possibly can. As for the outfits - I don't think it's important as long as it helps you stand out. Although, those custom outfits once made a girl stand out in her group but now they all wear them so it's "meh". It's most important that you go with something that makes you feel confident and comfortable that makes your body looks its best and is the right color for you. 

When my daughter tried out a few years ago she flew down twice to attend clinics at Kitty's and then went down to stay 3 weeks prior to prelims to take regular classes there. During her first clinic (maybe January?), kitty was lecturing the group that if they were just "getting around" to showing up for prep classes now they should just go home because they had no chance of making the team.?I mean, it's Kitty so take it with a grain of salt but I honestly don't think she was exaggerating. 

[AnnMichele]

I hope that this year, everyone learns how to pronounce "height."  I'm watching old seasons and I keep hearing "heigTH."  (Vivian and the 6' jazz dancer from last year, for example.) It's "heighT," with a "t." 

[QuiteCalM]

13 hours ago, Jaxratchet said:

I had to crop my photos down to whatever size to post them! 

Hannah Alexandra West!  Somebody on a previous thread called her Fannah! It kept! 

That'd be me. Fat Hannah. She is NOT fat. But the lame excuse for cutting her was weight sooooo..... 

[JustRosie]

What I love about my girl Kelsey making it back is that it means she did a lot of things very well, every day, all season long. It proves that the judges made the right decision putting her in the team in the first place. I love her story. 

[sleepyjean]

3 hours ago, Dlcmom said:

Not sure if this is the right thread for this but since they both tried out this year for DCC, I'm gonna put it here and hope I'm not wrong... looks like AAIA Jenny and Whitney both made it to finals for Dolphins Cheer. 

Isn't Jenny the one who was being secretive about her next move after she got cut from DCC? 

I also recognized Hunter and there are a few other girls who look very familiar (both from Texas and other states) but I'm not sure if it's from DCC or some other dance thing. 

http://dolphinscheerleaders.com/you-pick-the-squad-2017

FYI: Most of that discussion is happening in the Other Teams thread. :-)

[Smplsimon]

3 hours ago, Dlcmom said:

Not sure if this is the right thread for this but since they both tried out this year for DCC, I'm gonna put it here and hope I'm not wrong... looks like AAIA Jenny and Whitney both made it to finals for Dolphins Cheer. 

Isn't Jenny the one who was being secretive about her next move after she got cut from DCC? 

I also recognized Hunter and there are a few other girls who look very familiar (both from Texas and other states) but I'm not sure if it's from DCC or some other dance thing. 

http://dolphinscheerleaders.com/you-pick-the-squad-2017

There's Jamie too who has made finals MANY times.

[MrsEVH]

18 minutes ago, Smplsimon said:

There's Jamie too who has made finals MANY times.

I voted for Jamie and will keep on voting for her. I want to see her make an NFL team.

[Smplsimon]

29 minutes ago, MrsEVH said:

I voted for Jamie and will keep on voting for her. I want to see her make an NFL team.

Me too!

[LaurenBrook]

1 hour ago, Smplsimon said:

Me too!

me three! i really like her.  I've been voting for Hunter (sorry y'all lol but i still like her!), Whitney, Jenny and popcorn kelly. she is too hot not to be on a pro team lol

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Rosiemac said:

https://www.arlington.org/plan/blog/post/after-a-thrilling-final-round-of-auditions-dcc-training-camp-is-underway/

Here is a nice article about the final day of tryouts:)

Oh thanks! That's great insight into what goes on and how hard it is for the judges! I'm so glad she was allowed to share all this, it's an unbiased look at this process that fascinates us all so much! So glad you shared, I follow Kristi but never saw this anywhere.

[LadyMsJay]

4 hours ago, AnnMichele said:

I hope that this year, everyone learns how to pronounce "height."  I'm watching old seasons and I keep hearing "heigTH."  (Vivian and the 6' jazz dancer from last year, for example.) It's "heighT," with a "t." 

OH MY GOD I WANT TO PULL MY HAIR OUT EVERYTIME I HEAR SOMEONE ADD THAT "th" AT THE END!!

[atxdccfan]

Is Jamie the one who said "O'Biden?"

Also, Popcorn Kelly is so pretty!

[Oranaiche]

2 minutes ago, atxdccfan said:

Is Jamie the one who said "O'Biden?"

Also, Popcorn Kelly is so pretty!

No, I can't remember the O'Biden girl's name, but if she's auditioned more than once, she was only featured that one time (and for all the wrong reasons).

I've never been able to get a good reading on Jamie and if she's a good dancer or not. We just haven't seen enough of her dancing to tell. I do remember being underwhelmed by her fan vote video whatever year she auditioned while they were doing that, but I also think those fan vote videos can be unforgiving since it's a one take thing. I do like her and want to root for her because she obviously has so much persistence.

[LaurenBrook]

4 minutes ago, atxdccfan said:

Is Jamie the one who said "O'Biden?"

Also, Popcorn Kelly is so pretty!

haha i dont think! i can't think of that girl's name right now...Jamie has always been really close but just never made it to camp.  I think she was in top 3 for fan vote the year Viv got it :(  Jamie was the garden of eden girl, I believe - the one who danced with a tree and Kitty gave her grief haha 

[Oranaiche]

Just now, LaurenBrook said:

haha i dont think! i can't think of that girl's name right now...Jamie has always been really close but just never made it to camp.  I think she was in top 3 for fan vote the year Viv got it :(  Jamie was the garden of eden girl, I believe - the one who danced with a tree and Kitty gave her grief haha 

And then Kelli said, "How cute is that prop?" That always makes me laugh!

[LaurenBrook]

Jamie has a few recent dance clips, not a lot to REALLY tell how good she is: 

[mcmrdh]

13 minutes ago, LaurenBrook said:

Jamie has a few recent dance clips, not a lot to REALLY tell how good she is: 

Isnt she an Ice Angel?

[LaurenBrook]

6 minutes ago, mcmrdh said:

Isnt she an Ice Angel?

she was this past year...

[Rosiemac]

1 hour ago, GingerJ said:

Oh thanks! That's great insight into what goes on and how hard it is for the judges! I'm so glad she was allowed to share all this, it's an unbiased look at this process that fascinates us all so much! So glad you shared, I follow Kristi but never saw this anywhere.

Here's another one I thought was cool.

2017 DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS AUDITIONS: WHO EXACTLY TRIES OUT FOR DCC?

Published: 05/30/2017

What do the following people have in common?

*pediatric cancer research coordinator

*fashion merchandiser from Mississippi

*4th grade teacher from Boise, Idaho

*dance/cheer instructor from Osaka, Japan

*dance instructor from Melbourne, Australia

*9th grade English teacher from Houston

*physician

*marketing specialist who is legally deaf

*cardiac nurse from Florida

*family law attorney

*18 year old cancer survivor

*sign language translator who is helping translate the Bible into sign language

They all traveled to Arlington, Texas to tryout at 2017 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Auditions.

So did these ladies:

*pre-med student

*Buffalo, New Yorker who works with autistic children and plays in a women’s football league

*former student at The Joffrey Ballet

*SMU Law School student

*tax consultant for an engineering company

*financial analyst from Atlanta, GA

*a bartender in Arlington, TX

*athletic trainer at University of Iowa

*real estate agent

*a 30-year old from Japan

*a child-life specialist at Parkland Hospital in Dallas

*former Junior LPGA golfer

*weight lifter who set a record in the squat

*military spouse from New Mexico

*18 year old high school student from New Jersey

*9th grade English teacher from Houston

*military brat who grew up in Belgium

*backup dancer for a Tejano music group in San Antonio

*special education teacher in Connecticut

 

These are just a few examples of the varied backgrounds of the DCC hopefuls.

As a judge, while watching contestants #1 through #410 perform, I jotted notes about the far-and-wide hometowns, universities and professions of contestants. They are the complete package: beauty, dance, and brains.

A total of 35 states were represented, as were 4 different countries (Japan, Australia, Belgium, and Spain). Ages spanned from 18 to 55. As for the 18 year olds, a few missed their high school proms to audition. As for the 22 and 23 year olds, several missed their college graduations. One of the hopefuls, a native of Salt Lake City, graduated the previous day from University of Utah.

Each year DCC Auditions attract cheerleaders from other professional teams, but this year it seemed like we had more than ever. We had at least three members of the New York Jets Flight Crew, as well as at least three from the Detroit Pistons dance team. In addition to the Jets, there were former members of squads for the Patriots, Bucs, Rams, Texans, Titans, Dolphins, and Ravens.

The hopeful who has cheered 5 seasons for the Ravens is a medical assistant from Baltimore.

We had a lot of former athletes audition including: competitive figure skater, power lifter, 2nd degree black belt (karate), Junior LPGA golfer, college softball player, college track & field scholarship athlete, plus a young woman in MMA fighter training.

Some of the hopefuls own their own businesses (e.g., tutoring company, cake company).

Some went to college locally (UT-Arlington, TCU, SMU, UNT, Dallas Baptist, Tarleton State), others went to school in the northeast (Pace University in Brooklyn, Hunter College in Queens, Boston College), or out west (Oregon, Sacramento State, Arizona State, Boise State, University of San Francisco).

The diversity of candidates is impressive.

The common theme among these hopefuls of diverse background is this: they have challenged themselves to become members of an elite squad, the most recognized squad in sports. The DCC is viewed internationally as THE best in the business.

Whether the candidate is a professional dancer from Panama City, Florida…or an 18 year old high school senior in Garland, TX…each has an equal opportunity to represent America’s Team.

For some, dance is a full-time job (dance teachers, professional dancers, backup dancers for music groups). For others, it’s a passion they pursue in the off-hours when they’re not working as nurses or English teachers or medical scribes.

Yes, we’ve got students (mostly advanced degrees, a few undergraduate and high school students), but we’ve got more teachers than students.
We’ve got mothers, even one grandmother, who auditioned. Think you can’t be a DCC and be a mom? Think again. One of the returning veterans, Tasha, is a mom.

So what do all these background have to do with choosing a squad?  All we need is some pretty girls who can dance, right?

No, no way. The judges are looking for the complete package. That’s why panel interviews and a written test are part of the process for DCC Auditions. The DCC are ambassadors not only for the team, but for our entire community. When they interact with fans and sponsors and civic leaders and soldiers and military leaders, they are representing all of us in Cowboys Nation.

That’s why they must be the complete package: beauty, dance and brains. As a judge for the past 17 years, I can tell you these three components are equally important. And as you can see from the list of professions and educational background I’ve listed, we’ve got the “brains” part covered!  It is a very impressive group of candidates!

Think I’m kidding or maybe exaggerating about the ‘brains’ part of the equation?

No, it’s no exaggeration. In fact, the past two seasons we’ve had two biomedical engineers on the DCC. Both are retiring (Melissa and Amy T) from the DCC to pursue their careers. They’ve been amazing squad members and will be hard to replace (two of my all-time favorites, without a doubt). But I’m encouraged by the DCC hopefuls who have made it to Finals this year. It will be fun to see who makes it through Round 3 to earn the coveted invitations to DCC Summer Training Camp!

Edited June 9, 2017 by Rosiemac

[Rosiemac]

This was pretty interesting too:)

DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS AUDITIONS: 6 CRITERIA USED BY JUDGES

Published: 05/11/2017

Round 1 of 2017 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Auditions was Saturday, May 6th. Several hundred hopefuls flocked to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium in pursuit of their dream of joining America’s Sweethearts.

For those contestants that made it past the judges in Round 1’s “Freestyle Dance”, the next day was Semifinals/Round 2 which included learning choreography for a DCC-style jazz combo and the world famous DCC Kick Line.

The following weekend, May 13th, was Round 3/Finals. That’s where it got really interesting, because the rookie hopefuls were side-by-side with returning DCC veterans. A morning session in which hopefuls/veterans performed solo routines (choosing their own choreography, costume, music/song) was followed by an afternoon session on the football field. The on-field session was the choreographed jazz combo and kick line.

But how exactly are the contestants – newcomers or returning veterans – judged? What are the criteria?

Now entering my 17th year as a judge, I can tell you that music and costumes may change, but the criteria remain constant. On our judge’s score sheet, there are six columns. We make notes within each column for each of the contestants. Each criterion is equally important. Some deal with dance, others with physical appearance. Others have to do with the contestants’ ability to learn multiple dance routines in a short amount of time.

In other words, a DCC has to have the whole package: dance, looks and brains.

Each contestant is judged by the following 6 criteria:

“Beauty”: do you think she’s attractive/pretty?

“Appearance”: this is different from ‘beauty’. Appearance is more about physique… “How will she look wearing the DCC uniform?”

“Showmanship”: this is about a contestant’s dance ability/style. Is she fun to watch? Does she catch your eye? Can she be a world-class performer?

“Ability to Learn”: can she handle the choreography during Rounds 2 & 3, or does she get totally lost? It doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you get too lost in learning just one routine during auditions, it’s unlikely you can learn multiple routines during each evening of rehearsals in DCC Summer Training Camp.

“Kicks”: how high are her ‘high kicks’ during the DCC kick line? Is she flexible enough to improve those kicks? Most of the contestants are from dance/cheer backgrounds, not drill team. So kicks are not easy for all the hopefuls. Bottom line: if you can’t kick, you can’t be on the DCC. The kick line is a mainstay of every game-day performance.

“Splits”: at the end of each Kick Line in Rounds 2 & 3, contestants must do a right split as well as a left split. This is not the Jump Split that Cowboys fans see at the end of each Kick Line on game day (contestants learn the jump split during DCC Summer Training Camp). During auditions, you are asked to do splits so that judges can see if you have enough flexibility to properly execute the Kick Line and Jump Split during camp.

As judges, we make notes under each column. But that’s NOT THE FINAL WORD.

At the end of each line, after we’ve reviewed our notes for each criterion, we write one of three words:

“YES” (I want to see her in the next round; in Round 3, a “yes” is equal to “I think she can be a DCC”)

“MAYBE” (“I’m not sure, but would like the opportunity to see her in the next round and get a longer look”)

“NO” (not this year; needs improvement in one or more areas)

If a contestant receives enough “YES” and/or “MAYBE” votes, she advances to the next round. Each contestant receives full consideration. The judges literally sit around a conference table and discuss each contestant. The DCC director, Kelli Finglass, leads the discussion, and then calls for a vote. As judges, we literally raise our hands to vote “yes” or “maybe” or “no”.

There are approximately 10-to-12 judges, so there are multiple opinions. Each judge has a different background, so different dance styles and physical appearances/physiques appeal to different judges.

Approximately 110-to-125 contestants emerged from Round 1. They competed against each other in Round 2 the following day. By Sunday evening, about 55-70 were invited back for Round 3/Finals on Saturday, May 13th. There will be about 25-30 returning veterans.

By the end of Round 3, approximately 42-45 DCC hopefuls will pass the judge’s scrutiny. They will be invited to DCC Summer Training Camp which begins in early June. They will rehearse each week night. By early August, the final squad of 36 will be selected.

 

See Author's other post in the series: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 2017 Auditions: 7 Fun Facts

Tags: at&t stadium, dallas cowboys cheerleaders, dallas cowboys, DCC Making the Team,football, sports

Posted In: AT&T Stadium, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium Tours, Entertainment District

AUTHOR: KRISTI SCALES

Kristi Scales is the sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network; she has been with the Cowboys organization for 20 years since leaving A&M, where she worked for KLIV for a short time after graduation. During game day broadcasts, Kristi brings listeners exclusive up-to-the-second information from the Cowboy sideline. In 2002, she became the first female to fill the role of ‘analyst’ in the booth for an NFL radio broadcast. Kristi has produced 3 Super Bowl broadcasts – as well as international American Bowl games in London, Toronto, Mexico City, and Monterrey. Currently, she serves as television co-host of “The Dallas Cowboys Postgame Show” and reporter for the team’s weekly television broadcast of “Cowboys Huddle”, along with being host of the exclusive, live pregame “Owner’s Box” interview with Jerry Jones before every game on The Dallas Cowboys Radio Network. Finally, Kristi also writes as columnist and feature contributor for The Dallas Cowboys.