The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are a legacy establishment on the earth of NFL cheerleading, and there are particular expectations for a way potential athletes should behave in the event that they need to be part of the ranks.
The DCC’s expertise — beneath Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammell’s path — has captivated public curiosity since 2006 throughout the inaugural run of CMT’s Making the Crew collection. Almost two years after the fact collection led to 2021, a Netflix docuseries, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, adopted the latest squad throughout the period of the 2023-2024 season.
America’s Sweethearts launched viewers to the newest workforce, together with Victoria Kalina, a fourth-year legacy vet who didn’t make the roster on Making the Crew.
“I really feel like my expertise with CMT [brought up] PTSD [of] being known as into the workplace so many occasions. I used to be like, ‘[deep breaths] … That is gonna be questionable,’” Victoria solely advised Us Weekly in July 2024. “We didn’t actually know precisely what route they have been gonna take and what the story line was gonna be. If it was gonna be like CMT the place it was very drama [focused].”
Victoria later made the workforce in 2019, occurring to cheer for the DCC three extra years after a short hiatus for psychological well being remedy. On America’s Sweethearts, she received candid about following the workforce’s excessive requirements yr after yr.
Kelli, in the meantime, is unapologetic about making particular guidelines for DCC dancers, telling Individuals in June 2024, “I don’t make excuses for our requirements. “It’s a extremely seen group with very elite dancers and the uniform is wonderful and exquisite and custom-tailored to every particular person determine.”
Maintain scrolling for a complete breakdown of the rules that each one DCC hopefuls and members of the workforce should observe:
What It Takes to Audition
In keeping with an evidence on the DCC web site, all potential dancers should be no less than 18 years previous on the time of the primary of three audition rounds. At every in-person spherical, recruits are given uniforms to put on as they carry out stay for a bunch of judges, together with Kelli and Judy. The judges particularly have a look at a dancer’s approach, excessive kicks, splits, showmanship, private look, vitality, enthusiasm, poise, determine and persona.
As soon as recruits make it by means of successive rounds, there are a minimal of two rehearsals every week.
“As soon as the season begins, there will likely be a set schedule of rehearsals,” the DCC web site reads. “All rehearsals are scheduled within the evenings; further weekend rehearsals for Present Group and Rookies. Candidates who don’t really feel they’ll attend all rehearsals ought to don’t can attend all rehearsals shouldn’t ponder being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.”
The audition rounds have remained largely related all through the years.
“We had actually put in our software, and at the moment, there wasn’t [a video submission requirement],” four-time vet Jenni Croft, who later appeared on Brad Womack’s season of The Bachelor, mentioned on the “Ben and Ashley I Nearly Well-known” podcast in July 2024. “You can take a category … however there was no prepping for auditions. After we received there, there have been 1,500 girls standing in a little bit zigzag line and round Texas Stadium [with] hair carried out, suitcase mirror in your hand, curling irons able to go, like, standing in line.”
Jenni added, “You study the kickline and extra choreography, and also you do an interview. All types of questions, however we additionally took a 10-page written examination … [on] historical past of the Dallas Cowboys, historical past of the NFL, present occasions, present gamers, details about the house owners [and] stuff like that. However you additionally needed to write the nationwide anthem word-for-word on paper.”
Bodily Specs
The DCCs all the time are dressed and groomed to the nines, partly because of the squad’s rules. In keeping with the workforce web site, all performers should be “well-proportioned in dancewear” and observe sure hair and make-up steerage. (Kelli additionally hosts a makeover day, the place she instructs native stylists to tweak recruits’ appearances to raised match her imaginative and prescient for the workforce.)
When it comes to make-up, the DCCs are suggested to put on make-up shades that “complement [their] pure magnificence.”
“Select largely mattes for eye shadows. Just a little shimmer is OK however keep away from a really glittery look,” the web site reads. “Additionally keep away from false eyelashes which can be very stable or very lengthy, as they’ll make eyes seem heavy and too darkish. Cheek and lip colours ought to be vibrant impartial tones, keep away from shades which can be loud/shiny. Additionally keep away from an excessive amount of distinction with contouring and highlighting.”
Women are additionally suggested that spray tans ought to be accomplished “with out orange tones” in the identical coloration between face and physique as a result of “facial options are ‘misplaced’ when a twig tan is simply too darkish.’”
With DCCs’ hair, ladies are required to put on their locks down in a “present coiffure that compliments [their] options.”
“Be sure your hair doesn’t cover your face,” the web site explainer says, referring trainees to the Dallas-based Tangerine Salon for additional directions.
Netflix (2) Get able to blast “Thunderstruck,” as a result of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ 2024 workforce has formally been introduced. “WE MADE THE TEAM! 💘💘💘,” the DCC Instagram web page learn on Monday, July 22, alongside a photograph of the squad of their coaching camp gear. Within the snap, the rookies held up their official uniforms. Whereas the […]
Hiding Tattoos
Whereas the DCC powers-that-be received’t reject dancers for tattoos, they should be lined when on the clock.
“Our coverage is that even the smallest of tattoos might not be seen within the uniform or in rehearsal apparel,” the web site reads. “For tattoo protection, there are lots of efficient merchandise out there at shops or on-line. Moreover, concealer, adopted by setting powder, then bronzer to match coloration, may also be efficient.”
Re-Auditioning Every Season
Simply because a DCC makes the workforce one yr, doesn’t imply they’re assured a spot in successive years. On the finish of a season, ladies hand of their uniforms and disclose to Finglass and Trammell whether or not they plan to check out the subsequent yr.
On America’s Sweethearts, Victoria confirmed her intentions to audition for a fifth-year slot. She later modified her thoughts after talking with Kelli and Judy.
“As a fifth-year going into auditions, I felt like my place on the workforce was threatened,” Victoria advised Us. “As a fifth yr — I do know management isn’t assured — however you wanna go in like feeling cloud 9 [so] you’ll be able to lead these different teammates.”
Sarah Shahi, Teri Hatcher and Phyllis Smith are among the many few celebrities who have been skilled cheerleaders earlier than making it massive in Hollywood. Shahi made the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders roster within the late Nineteen Nineties. “It was very aggressive I’ll say that, it was an awesome studying expertise on the similar time,” she advised Fox411 in […]
1 Uniform for a Cheerleader’s Whole Profession and Physique Administration
For vets that make the workforce in back-to-back years, new uniforms aren’t supplied each time. In consequence, there’s a sure customary about their our bodies that they’re anticipated to take care of.
“You don’t get a brand new uniform. Like, when you’re fitted for that uniform, that measurement is the scale that you simply get,” Victoria mentioned in America’s Sweethearts. “You don’t get to go up. In case you go up, they’re like, ‘Why does this not suit you?’”
Barred From Courting Cowboys Athletes
One of the vital notable guidelines for the DCC is that they’re prohibited from relationship any of the Cowboys soccer gamers. On Making the Crew, a number of dancers had been reprimanded by Kelli and Judy for talking with one of many athletes.
The NFL stars, nonetheless, shouldn’t have an analogous coverage in place.
Unstated: Don’t Get Pregnant Throughout NFL Season
Whereas not a written rule, DCCs know there’s an understanding about getting pregnant throughout the NFL season.
“I’m not too positive if that’s one thing that we’ve actually thought of,” Reece Weaver, who made the DCC workforce for the primary time in 2023, mentioned on the “Unplanned” podcast in August 2024. “I feel, like, that’s simply an unstated factor that we don’t actually speak about, however we all know that may’t occur ‘trigger clearly the uniform is a little bit revealing.”
That’s to not say that the DCC management received’t settle for a mom on the workforce as long as she matches all the opposite necessities concerning look and scheduling.
“Enjoyable truth, there was a DCC [who] did have a daughter,” Reece added. “She was such a go-getter and she or he was a killer. I used to be like, ‘Wow, go Mother!’ Like, I need to aspire to be like that. She broke expectations and it’s actually cool to see her conquer, like, a stereotype that you simply form of [the cheerleaders].”