02x01 - Promise Yourself Part 1

[bunniefuu]

[Kelli Finglass clears throat]

I mean, I think it's the right decision.

-It's just painful.
-Very painful.

[sniffling] And I think

it's hard when you have
to put your heart aside

and do the job you're hired for.

[crying] But at what… at what cost?

-I know.
-At what cost is…

heartbreak?

[bittersweet music playing]

[Kelli crying softly] I have the ability
to make a dream come true or not.

And that… [laughs] …I don't like.

[bittersweet music continues]

[Kelli] I guess I'm cursed
with responsibility of integrity

of picking and training the best team.

[bright music playing]

"Promise yourself to be so strong that
nothing can disturb your peace of mind."

[Judy Trammell] A Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleader, the girl next door.

[announcer on TV]
The internationally
acclaimed Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders!

[crowd cheering]

[Judy] She puts on
this superpower uniform

that transforms her.

[Kaydianna] "To wear
a cheerful countenance at all times

and give every living creature
you meet a smile."

[dreamy music continues]

[Kaydianna] "To think only of the best,
to work only for the best,

and to expect only the best."

[Kelli] They're intelligent.
They have careers of their own.

They go to school.
They're really well-rounded women.

[bright, dreamy music continues]

[Jalyn] There's this beauty about DCC
that's perfect,

and everybody thinks
you're this perfect person.

We
are
looking for it
to be exact with everyone.

To get our makeup done right,
our hair done, our nails done.

Always smiling, never sad.

That trickles into the locker room.
It trickles into our everyday lives.

And so you kind of forget,
like, who you are, what you want.

[bright music continues]

[Darah] Their job is to make
people happy and to make it look easy.

Being vulnerable is not that image.

[Jada] Most of these things
have been passed down,

but I was not born in or .

Things that worked back then
that don't work now… need to go.

[music distorting]

["American Girl" by Tom Petty
and the Heartbreakers playing]

[announcer on PA]
Ladies and gentlemen,
the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

[crowd cheering]

[Kelli] All right, let's go show everybody
the real "Thunderstruck."

Have a great game. Love you guys.

["American Girl" continues playing]

♪ Well, she was an American girl… ♪

[Kelli] This is
our th group of cheerleaders.

[cheerleader] Whoo! Let's go!

[cheerleader] To most of the world,
we probably look like

the most confident, secure women ever.

[Chandi crying] I know
other girls feel down,

and I know people are depressed.

I know they have anxiety,
but no one talks about it.

[cheerleader] We're supposed to have it
all together. Fact is, most of us don't.

[voice breaking] I feel like I'm so
in my head. Like, I'm not good enough.

And it breaks my heart.
I don't want to feel like that.

[Judy] They don't want to let anyone down.

They don't like making mistakes.

They're
all
that way.
That's what makes it such a great team.

♪ She was an American girl ♪

♪ Well, it was kinda cold that night… ♪

[Jalyn] We've always been told,

"Okay, if you don't like it,

don't let the door hit you
on the way out."

"There's a hundred more girls
right there that look just like you

that would love to do this job."

[all cheering]

[Armani] Of course DCC is important,

but being a beautiful human being
on the inside is more important.

♪ Make it last all night ♪

♪ She was an American girl… ♪

[Jada] What makes us who we are
is our flaws and our differences

and, you know,
how we grow from situations.

Everyone's gonna say,
"Well, they're just cheerleaders."

Well, we're really good cheerleaders,

and we do a damn good job
at being cheerleaders.

Show us that you appreciate us.

["American Girl" continues playing]

[Armani] I would love to,
like, leave this place

-better than what it was when we started.
-[cheerleader] Yes.

[Jada] Who is all in?

-[Armani] Our legacy.
-["American Girl" continues playing]

♪ She was an American girl ♪

[rock song fading]

[Kelli] Judy, we got a devotional
about peace of mind.

[speaker on video]
…goal is to stay in peace…

-[Kelli] Judy.
-Well, you need peace of mind.

[Kelli laughs] I know.

[speaker on video]
Set peace of mind
as your highest goal,

and then organize your life around it.

If you want to have peace

and calmness
of mind and heart in your life,

you may have to learn how to do
a lot of things a different way

than the way you have been doing them.

Stay calm.

-Calm. It's a beautiful word.
-[Judy] It's hard to stay calm.

[speaker]
You can just sit in a chair
and close your eyes and just say "calm."

Calm.

I wanted to calm down
before we make these audition decisions.

-Okay.
-[Judy] Okay.

-We found our calm. We have, what? Four…
-A new squad to pick.

[Kelli] And then we have final auditions.

-Okay. I like this office.
-Are they goofy?

[Kelli laughing]

So, starting at the top.

Trinity. Molly from Texas.

Rachel from California.

Abigail from Ohio.

There she… Oh, I liked her.
She's brunette.

[Kelli] Yeah.

We're in LA
because we're doing a press junket.

But at the same time,
our real work is back in Dallas.

In a week,
we will be having the final auditions

for the
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders team.

Curly, blonde.

-[Judy] Sophia. She has a cute look.
-Sophia.

[Kelli] She's sexy and sweet. I like her.

[on video]
Hey, y'all. My name is Sophia.
I'm , from Kansas City, Missouri.

-[Kelli] Look at that hair.
-I'm in my greenhouse.

[Kelli] Cooper, Emily.

-Blonde with a pink top.
-[Judy] Chandler, Arizona.

[Kelli] I've got Ashton, Madie.

Mallory, Megan. Kennedy, Darah.

Kayla, brown hair.

Arial or Ariel.

Cambry from Orange County.

-Here we go.
-Yes.

- years old.
-[Judy exclaims]

We've got a lot more younger ones
this year than we've ever had.

[Kelli] I think we had
shy of total submissions.

We chose the top scoring group.

Next is Paris in purple.

-Purple?
-Blue.

-[Judy scoffs]
-I can't… Come on, I gotta zoom it up.

They could make the team.
They're in the finals.

They'll compete
with our returning veterans.

Many of them we've never met.
We've only seen 'em online.

There are a few that have actually been
in training camp before.

-[Judy] Two more.
-Kylie.

-[Judy] And then Savannah.
-Savannah.

[Judy] That's our finalists,
rookie finalists.

One for two for three for four.

-[Kelli] Okay. So we have veterans.
-Mm-hmm.

[Kelli] So just if
all veterans were to make it back,

and I'm not saying they would,
but if they did, what?

We'd have, spots?

[Judy] Mm-hmm.

We did have a significant
class turnover this year.

We had a lot of senior cheerleaders leave

for all the right reasons,
for life, um, moving on.

One from Australia.
I remember her name's Indiana.

-[Judy] Mm-hmm.
-We had one from Japan. Aki.

And then we have one
from Chihuahua, Mexico. Is that Gemma?

-[Judy] Gemma.
-Gemma.

Each year is different
on how many spots are available,

if you were just taking rookies.

And this year we have spots available.

That's a larger rookie class
than, say, over the last five years.

It's a pretty fresh balance of new talent,

which is exciting and motivating

and challenging for everyone in the room.

When they arrive in Dallas and we return,
we will have our entire judging panel,

and we'll be selecting
the training camp.

We do not bring people to finals
that we don't think can compete.

Everybody here has a chance
to be on the NFL sideline.

[Judy] But it always changes
when you meet 'em in person.

[expectant music playing]

[expectant music continues playing]

[indistinct chatter]

-What room are you in?
-.

-.
-Okay, perfect.

-I think we are the whole hallway.
-Feels like we're in college again.

-I know!
-Just meeting new friends.

-I know. Like the first day of class…
-[Darah] And don't know what's going on.

You're like, "Where do I go?
What do I do?"

-Future besties.
-Okay.

-"Future besties"? [laughing]
-You lead the way.

[Kelly V] A lot of the girls this year

come from
a collegiate dance team background.

So what's funny is a lot
of us competed against each other.

It's like little cool connections
that you know through people.

You're like, "I know you."

Then when you meet them,
you pretend you don't know. [laughing]

And you're like, "So where did you go?"

But you completely know where they went.

[Abby] We're gonna have to walk
and get Starbucks in the morning.

Hot-girl walk, get on your cute set.
Let's talk some tea.

Yeah, I don't know anyone here,

so thank goodness
we're all in the hotel together.

[Kelly gasps] Y'all! Oh my gosh!

-[Abby] Wait, no way.
-[Kelly V] No!

Going into this again,
I'm like, "Wait, I've been here."

I kind of know what's going on.

[Kelli] We're making cuts,

and you're one of the ones
we're releasing.

[Judy] One of your problems is when
you're trying to overthink everything,

and you're fatigued, it shows.

[Kelly V] Because
I've experienced this in the past,

I understand what can happen.

-[laughs] Well, see you next year.
-[Kelli] Okay!

-Then you… you stick to that.
-Thank you.

-[Charly] I just love you so much.
-[Kelly V crying] I'm like, no…

There was a moment I was like,

"Am I supposed to be
doing something else?"

Because everyone around me
is getting full-time jobs, finance jobs,

and I'm like…

Yeah, it's such a big risk.
You don't even know if you're moving here.

If you're not, if you're going back home.

-[Kelly V] You don't know.
-[Darah] Yeah.

[Kelly V] So I'm sitting there,
just packing my stuff away,

thinking, "I can come back Sunday."

I have all these suitcases.
Like, I'm laughing, grabbing my stuff.

I'm like, "There is a chance
that I'm flying this there,

not even opening it,
and flying back home." I'm like…

I know. That's why my work was like,
"If we see you on Monday, we know."

"We won't ask questions."

I'm like,
"Gosh, that's gonna be embarrassing."

Everyone I told, I was like,
"If you see me on Monday, just know…"

My gym, I was like,
"I need to cancel my membership,

but I might be buying
a new one next week."

I was like, if you see me next week,
I'll be buying a new membership from you.

-[all laughing]
-[Abby] That's funny.

Yeah.

[Abby] Do you guys
have key words when you dance?

I'm like, "And walk and model."

-And walk.
-[all] Three. Five, six, seven, down.

[all chanting]

-[Abby] Shake your hips.
-[cheerleader] Six, seven, eight.

[Judy] We had a big turnover
with the veterans,

so we do have
a lot more spots open this year.

And it is really critical that
we're getting the best recruits.

[upbeat music playing]

Hey, y'all. I'm Ariel. I'm years old,
and I am from White Castle, Louisiana.

[Shelly Roper-McCaslin] Ariel comes

from one of the best dance teams
in the country.

An LSU Tiger Girl can just pull
the varnish off the floor

with their energy.

Like I always knew I wanted to be
a Tiger Girl, I knew I wanted to do this.

So I committed to it.

Me and Darah, we've been best friends
since we've been on Tiger Girls together.

Having your best friend do the whole thing
with you, it's such a sigh of relief.

[Ariel] We've been practicing together,
just training to get to this point.

Hello, my name is Clare Marie,

and I'm years old,
from Wildwood, Missouri.

[Roper-McCaslin] Clare Marie was
a Golden Girl at University of Missouri.

She is a beautiful dancer.

More than that, I think
she knows how to represent a brand.

[announcer] Your new Miss Missouri!

[Roper-McCaslin] I'm not surprised
that she was Miss Missouri.

-Your Highness. [laughing]
-Oh my…

[Clare Marie] Being Miss Missouri,
I grew personally and professionally.

The lessons I learned
through that experience

will help me
in all of my future endeavors.

Hi, my name is Ava. I'm years old
from Jacksonville, Illinois.

[Roper-McCaslin] Ava auditioned for DCC
a few years ago.

She made it to training camp,
but did get cut.

She's an amazing dancer,

but I think she really needed
to grow in other ways.

We thought maybe she just needed
a little bit of time to mature.

After I was cut,
I decided to go back to college

and join the University of Kentucky
dance team.

And now that I'm graduated,
I am back to try out again.

Hi. My name is Abby.
I'm years old from Toledo, Ohio.

[Roper-McCaslin] Abby comes from
one of the top three programs

in the country with Ohio State.

She's technically so proficient.

She can change her expression
and articulate a dance.

It just pulls an audience member in.

-The girl is just a badass dancer.
-[upbeat music continues]

I was on the best team.

And I was like,
I want to be around the best people.

Competitive, like-minded people
that work hard.

[Roper-McCaslin] While we have
a huge number of submissions,

on any given year, it's about -,

those that are
just very pleasant surprises,

and those that have been
very intentionally recruited or targeted.

They all have extensive training in dance,

but those who are coming
from college dance teams

are training for a goal
and always reaching up.

They have just the right mindset
to have success in this program.

Hi. I'm Madie.
I'm years old, from La Porte, Texas.

This fall I will be an incoming freshman
at Texas Women's University in Denton.

An interesting fact about me is
I've never eaten a raw vegetable before.

I was hesitant to try out.
I was really nervous.

"I'm . Should I go for it?"

Okay.

[Madie K] I was in my head.

"You might get cut.
You might not make it to finals."

[Roper-McCaslin] I mean,
the control that that takes.

It's amazing to see in a young person

that she's just going for it.

Certainly, she is an amazing dancer.

But as we get to know her, would we see,

you know, here and there that she's
standing out because of her age.

[Madie K] Before all of this,
what do we do, this?

-Is this, like, a pop?
-[Ariel] A jump?

-I couldn't tell. Are y'all just popping?
-[Ariel] I don't know.

[Darah] I think it's a pop.

[Madie K] Six, seven, eight…

When you get to this point,
it's best of the best, honestly.

It's the extra pressure of making sure
I carry myself up to… their level.

[all] Two, three…

-[Madie K] Because they're so good.
-[all] Somebody gotta…

[introspective music playing]

-[Jalyn] Are you working it? Okay.
-Yes.

-["Be Italian" by Fergie playing]
-♪ Be Italian ♪

♪ Take a chance and try to see… ♪

[Kelcey] So happy to see that,
the sexy one.

-[song continues]
-♪ Be Italian ♪

♪ Be Italian ♪

♪ When you hold me
Don't just hold me, but… ♪

This, you know, like,
arch your body a little more on that part.

I know it's quick, but…

-[Chandi] That way?
-Yeah. Just stretch more.

["Be Italian" continues on stereo]

[Chandi] I think deep down in my heart
I knew I could give more.

This is my sixth year.
[laughing] A long time here.

-I was very intimidated to follow Kelcey.
-[pensive music playing]

Can you make it more of like a separate,

like a jump plié, relevé, chaîné,
like separate it out a little bit more?

I don't think anyone
could have done it better than her.

I told her,
"You left the biggest shoes to fill."

Up, down, like you need
to, like, switch the arm or something.

Yeah. To make it two separate things,

versus you're just
still spinning out of your jump.

[indistinct chatter]

[Chandi] Last year, I didn't feel like
I was a great leader.

I hid behind a lot of people

and relied a lot on Kelcey.

I really want this year,
us to present as, like, a united front.

[Kelcey] She is a lot more quiet,

but she has one of the biggest hearts.

She really cares, but sometimes
she doesn't know how to show it very well.

She's not very outspoken.

Like, maybe just like
flow it together a little bit better.

[Chandi] I was like, "Oh my gosh, was this
the right decision to even come back?"

"I don't know if anyone's gonna want me."

"What if people
think I'm doing this selfishly?"

She was like,
"You're gonna look at your team,

and that's the most
rewarding thing that's gonna happen."

And I was like, "Okay, I can do this."

I have to do this. I've already signed up.

-I'll be texting you. A lot.
-I'm always here.

[whispers] You have to answer me.

I'll text back. I promise.

-[Kelcey laughing]
-Okay. Yeah.

[gentle music playing]

[cheerleader shouts] Reecie!

Reecie-boo!

Reece the Pieces!

-[cheerleader] Hello!
-[all chatting]

Now we're gonna be with each other
every second of every day.

I'm so excited to see your solo.

Oh gosh, I'm excited to see yours.
I finished mine last night.

Okay, good.

-[cheerleader] Oh shut up!
-Aren't they cute?

[Armani] Wait.

[Kleine] Oh hi!

[excited chatter]

Okay.

Girls! Are we ready to dance?

-Whoo!
-[all] Whoo!

[cheerleader] Get over here! Let's…

Let's… Put your pants away!

[excited chatter continues]

[Chandi] Have questions?

Where's Jada?

[Megan] She's at a church event.

-[laughing]
-[Armani] Okay.

And one, corner, back, to the side,
to the front, straight down.

Three, four, five, and six, seven.

One, three, five,
six, seven, eight, eight.

-[cheerleader exclaims]
-[Megan] There she is!

[Chandi] And just in time.

-[Reece] Hi, Jada!
-Hi! Hello, hello!

[upbeat music playing on stereo]

-[cheerleader] Hey!
-Hey!

[upbeat music continues on stereo]

[cheerleaders exclaiming]

[Jada] Yes! Get it, girls.

[Jada] Hi!

-[Chandi] Hi.
-You look good.

[Amanda] How was church?

It was really good.

Good!

-It was titled "Community Check."
-[Chandi] Check.

It said check the people
you surround yourself with

because they set the tone
and the culture for your life.

-Oh sh**t!
-And I was like…

[Amanda laughing]

Lady! No, I'm kidding.

Check the people around.
No, it was good. I'm glad I went.

[whimsical music playing]

[Jada] Solos are coming up,
and I absolutely hate them.

I would take, like, an eight-hour practice
over doing a minute-and--second solo.

I'm just more of a team dancer.

I enjoy knowing my friends are next to me.

Put me in a kick line,
and I feel right at home.

My girls are touching me. We're connected.
We got each other's backs, literally.

Like, that is my jam.

Ahh! I haven't seen you in forever!
How are you?

[Jada] I can proudly say
that I do plan on retiring this year.

So I wanna really be somebody
who sets the tone.

Especially if I have the chance of
stepping up into a first leader position.

But I'm nervous because being
that role model for everyone else,

it's a big task to take on.

So, I don't know.

I'm excited, that's all I can say.

I'm excited for this year.
I think it's gonna be a positive one.

[Reece] Now that
I've been through a whole year,

it's just gonna be a little bit easier
to walk into, hopefully, second year.

It's just been so fast-paced.

Yeah, it's been so fast.

[majestic music playing]

[Reece] This last year
was such a full year of unknowns,

but it all worked out beautifully.

[interviewer] Tell me
about your wedding day.

/. Yep.

That was, like, the only date open.

I didn't even know
what that date meant. [laughs]

Will had to explain that to me,
and I was like…

"I don't even know what that means."

[officiant on mic]
According to scripture,
and by the authority vested in me,

I hereby pronounce you husband and wife.

And, Will, you may kiss your bride.

[all cheering]

[DJ on mic] Now, to introduce…
Mr. and Mrs. Will and Reece Allman!

[guests cheering]

[hip-hop music playing on stereo]

[DJ] That's right, now it's a party!

[hip-hop music continues]

[Reece] I always thought
when someone's married, like,

they have it all together.

And I'm thinking, "I just got married
and have not one thing together."

-[hip-hop music continues]
-[guests cheering]

["Thunderstruck"
by AC/DC playing on stereo]

[guests cheering]

[Reece] Going into this year,
it's a rebuilding year.

When we started
to hear a lot of the girls are retiring,

we were like, "No, stay!"

But then it's sweet because

then it also gives opportunities
for other girls to come in,

and it's exciting.

-["Thunderstruck" continues playing]
-♪ Thunder ♪

♪ Thunder ♪

♪ Yeah, it's all right ♪

♪ We're doin' fine ♪

♪ You've been thunderstruck ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, you're thunderstruck ♪

[music fades into background]

[Reece] I just am so grateful
for Charly and Kelly.

[voice breaking] I don't know if I fully
have processed all that had happened.

-[Reece] Love you.
-Love you.

[Reece] Are you okay?

[Reece crying] Last year,
that one night Charly got cut was… a lot.

-[Charly] I love you so much.
-[somber music playing]

[Charly] I'll be cheering you on
all season long,

every step of the way.

[Reece] We were so
dependent on each other.

Like, we didn't have an option.

We had to lean on each other
for this process, this journey.

It was just so hard to see, like, a fr…

a sister you literally gained,

in a short amount of time,

see her dream come to kind of an end,

a temporary end, hopefully.

-[Kelly V] Two, three, four…
-[Charly] Double, yes!

[Reece] So you kind of
change your perspective.

Like, I wanna do it for them.

Like, I wanted them both to be with me.

[Reece] I just hope that
that can come to fruition.

[Kelly V] Okay, maybe I'll do,
like, beginning.

[Charly] Okay,
just tell me when to stop it.

-["Young and Beautiful" playing]
-♪ I've seen the world ♪

♪ Done it all, had my… ♪

[Kelly V] After I was cut, I knew
instantly that the dream wasn't over yet.

There's nothing that I left behind
going in this time around.

So I was at the studio seven days a week.

Last year they told me
that I look very nervous, and…

[laughing] I
was
very nervous.

And I just let that take over.

I'm still nervous,

but I know how much more
this is even worth.

You don't want to
regret not trying again.

[Charly] Yes!

So pretty. That jump is, like, unreal.

Like, seriously. I could watch it
on repeat for, like, hours. [laughing]

-[vocalizing]
-[Charly] Yes!

Kelly is my best friend.

I would die for that girl, truly.

After both of us getting cut…

Yes!

…that's right when
we started becoming super, super close.

We kind of look like twins.

We have completely different features,
but we kind of are giving sister.

[Charly] After I got cut in training camp,

I made the decision
to move here to Dallas.

-[Kelly V] Are you looking front?
-Yes.

Right when I got cut, I was like,
"Okay, time to prep. I'm coming back."

Ever since then,
I've been stuck on the DCC style,

and trying to emulate
and figure out exactly what that is.

-[Charly] Great! I feel good about that.
-That one's cute.

Every class I go to, I do full glam,
hair, full makeup, just so I can practice.

And stylistically,

I'm a much stronger dancer
than I was last year.

We've practiced so hard and, truly,
I feel like, done everything that we can,

that I'm just so excited
to just, like… show everything off.

[Kelly V] Us making it together…

[Charly] I will start bawling my eyes out.

-[Kelly V] I have daydreams.
-No, I know. Me too.

[Kelly V] Daydreams…

[Charly] Moving here was, in my mind,

to become the best version
of my absolute self before auditions.

-[phone ringing]
-Oh sh*t.

Oh! Time to take
my blood thinners. [laughing]

-Did you eat? Oh good.
-Yes.

Do you have water? Thanks.

Okay, I have my little sun
and my moon for my two pills.

Good. You need to make sure
you're taking those.

Don't you worry. I am on it.

So then you're gonna
take one at : a.m.

-Right?
-Mm-hmm.

Okay.

-[interviewer] So remind me, what is that?
-Um, it's a blood thinner.

I had a blood clot in my lung,
um, last month.

It was a pulmonary embolism.

The doctor said,
"It k*lled the top part of your lung."

"So it's deceased right now,
and you are so lucky that it didn't go…"

[voice breaking]
"…to your brain or your heart."

Because…

essentially, like, it could have k*lled me
in an instant… if that happened.

[Kelly V] What's your transition like?

[Charly hoarsely] It honestly
just switched my mindset completely.

-[Kelly V] That was perfectly straight.
-I know. I just like…

[hoarsely] As a -year-old girl,
you never think like your life could end,

and I never thought that
I would hear anything like that.

Let me try that turn…

[Charly] But it wasn't uncurable.

And I started feeling better
almost immediately

after the first two days of taking
blood thinners and pain medication.

[sniffling] And I was like,
"I feel like I can do this."

I'm worried about stamina,

but I also think it's, like,
gonna be totally fine with adrenaline.

-[indistinct chatter]
-I know. That's what I'm thinking.

[Dayton] Seven, eight.

One, two…

I'm trying out
for the third time this season.

Since my last tryout,
it has been six years.

So I'm very excited to come back

and, you know, try again
and give myself another chance.

Oh, Dayton, she is, um…

She's special.

I found out I was pregnant with Dayton

right before I retired my last year.

So I believe that she was
born to dance, literally,

because she was in my belly

on the football field with me.

[introspective music playing]

[Dayton] My mom has always worked here.

It's always been a huge part of my life.

Every holiday, I'm at a Cowboys game.

So, trying out last time,

I think I was
going more by my mom's timing.

And I think she was
a bit more encouraging towards it.

Like, really hit it.

[Dayton] One, two…

This time around, it was more my idea.

Hold one, two, three, four…

[Bramhall] I kind of made a pact
this third time around to

just be in my role.

I can be her mom at night after rehearsal,

and give her advice after rehearsal,

but while I'm here in the studio,

I'm just gonna be the employee.

[Bramhall] Six, seven, eight.

You should have moved five yards.
We're gonna do it again.

I need for Dayton to be able
to own that space all on her own

and not have her mom in there.

[Kelli] You should be proud.

You're one of the youngest ones here,
and it's not an easy challenge.

[crying] Yes, ma'am. I am.

[Dayton] Last time, it was very harsh
seeing myself on a TV screen,

"following in my mom's footsteps,"

but I am a different person
than I was six years ago.

And going in, I'm really thinking,

"Let me show them everything
that I didn't get to show them last time

and just leave it all out on the floor."

Oh my goodness.

It takes a lot out of me.

[music fades]

[bright music playing]

[water running]

[Kelli] Nothing like a Shih Tzu
on your kitchen counter.

[whimsical music playing]

Let's get the mats around your neck.

You're doing good.

I know. You're doing good.

Okay. You ready to get wet?

We'll get all the suds out,
and then you're done. Thirty seconds.

Are you cold? Yes, you are cold.

All right,
we're gonna go get the blow-dryer.

[dryer whirring]

-[barks]
-[Kelli] People think big dogs are tough.

Come here, Mazey. Come here.

-[Kelli] Lindsay? Hi!
-Hi.

-Know what? Will you hold the hair dryer?
-Yeah.

[Kelli] This season,
I don't know if I can handle chaos.

-[Kelli] Now you feel like Beyoncé, huh?
-[barks]

[Kelli]
♪ All the single ladies ♪

[Kelli] Now I'm getting stressed,
'cause I'm thinking, "sh**t."

"Time is what I don't have."

[Kelli] I want you to tell me,
keep or donate?

Okay.

Like, I don't know if knee-high boots
are still age-appropriate for me.

[Kelli] I promised myself this year
that if there's something I'm seeing

and I'm not saying it,
I'm going to say it.

-I look like I'm in a choir.
-Yeah.

-It's a little…
-Rock and roll or funeral?

Does this look like prison?

Get rid of that one.
[laughing] Hallelujah.

Feedback is critical to the girls.

And I want some pantsuits.
I like Kamala Harris's pantsuits.

Yeah.

[Kelli] 'Cause there's nothing worse
than wondering, "What did I do wrong?"

-Do I look too
I Dream of Jeannie?
-I like the length.

My t*tties aren't
where they're supposed to be.

If they're up
where they're supposed to be, they…

So I'm trying to slow down enough

to focus on them enough to give them

productive, motivational feedback.

Hi! Where are you?

Yes, walk down just,
like, all the way to the doors.

The nerves haven't hit me yet.
I'm like, "Is something wrong with me?"

-[Charly] No, that's the way to go.
-Okay.

[Charly] No, I know.
I'm shaking, but like really excited.

[woman] Ladies, good morning!

Welcome to finals.

You may come in.

Whoo! Let's go!

[anxious chatter]

[Kelli] Our auditions now have evolved
to be online for two rounds.

And then those that make it
to our final round of auditions

come to Frisco,
to our headquarters here at The Star,

and compete in person alongside

all of the other rookie candidates
and veteran candidates for the season.

[Abby] Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Kelli] We choose into training camp.

And then our final squad
that makes the team is .

[indistinct chatter]

[Ariel] Being here
is just another level of insanity.

Like, dancer-wise, everybody is so good.

[cheerleader] Ooh!
That color looks gorgeous.

Thank you!

[Abby] It's scary. Yeah.

No idea what to expect
or what could happen, but…

just see what happens.

[Ava] It's devastating to get a "no,"

'cause we've all been dancing
since we were babies.

So you're training for this moment
for, like, -something years.

[Kayla] Whichever year you're in, you have
to fight as if you don't have a spot.

You can't take anything for granted
or just think

because you've worn the uniform
before that you'll get it again.

[woman] We will be taking your seats
in a moment.

So please wrap up your needs. Thank you.

Give me a… you're six?

Awesome, Chandi.

["Don't Stop Me Now"
by Queen playing on stereo]

[clapping to the beat]

-[music stops]
-Hello!

[all cheering]

Hello! Welcome to Frisco, Texas,

and welcome to the
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders auditions.

How are y'all?

[all cheering]

We have six languages here.

Let me give this a try. French,
bonjour.

Japanese… [speaking Japanese]

Korean… [speaking Korean]

Spanish… [speaking Spanish]

And Vietnamese.
And I can't say hello in Vietnamese.

-How do we say hello in Vietnamese?
-[dead silence]

Who's…

Nobody? Okay!

[scattered laughter]

-Okay, you guys ready to meet your judges?
-[cheering]

All right, come on out, judges!

He's in his th year as
a broadcast meteorologist, Scott Padgett.

-Hi, everyone! Hello, hello!
-[all clapping]

[Kelli] He is a master stylist
and educator, Kevin Ozowski.

[clapping continues]

Yeah.

I call him Brother Randy,

'cause he's a preacher
and doesn't know it.

Brother Randy Steele.

-Go, Cowboys.
-[clapping continues]

To my far left
is a very famous country music singer.

-Neal McCoy.
-I'm glad to be here.

-[Randy] Yeah!
-Thank you!

[Randy] Attaboy.

I'm just gonna read y'all what Judy put.

[in dry tone] "Cheered for four years
and is currently our head choreographer."

"She's been working
with the DCC for years."

[clapping continues]

And finally, the lady that makes
this entire club sparkle, shine, and win.

Charlotte Jones.

[all cheering]

All right, we are going to start with…

[cheerleader] Hey!

…from Palm Springs, California, Jada.

Finals, as a veteran, is more stressful
than training camp itself.

[electrifying synth music playing]

[Jada] You don't really
have the upper hand.

You still have to perform a solo.

If you tank it,
they're gonna feel some type of way.

They have high expectations
since you've already been on the team.

[Kelli] , Jada. How many yeses?

-Everybody.
-Great! That's where you want to be.

[electrifying synth continues]

[Kelli] Trying out for her fourth season
from Richmond, Kentucky, Kleine!

[Kleine] I try to have fun every year.
That's what being a DCC is all about. Fun.

At the end, I threw on the sunnies,

and I was just trying
to hype up the crowd.

I saw Kelli and Judy smiling a little bit,

so I think the judges liked it.

I feel so good.

[Kelli] How many yeses for Kleine?

-How many yeses?
-[Curry] Easy money.

[indistinct laughter]

I just love her.

-[Kelli] From Round Rock, Texas, Madeline.
-[all cheering]

-[synth music continues]
-How many yeses for Madeline?

[Kristi] So I just saw
the national tour of Chicago.

-[Kelli] Yeah.
-She should've been up there. Oh God.

[cheerleader] Yeah!

[Kelli] Please welcome
from Jacksonville, Florida, Reece.

[interviewer] Is there any face
in particular that you focus on?

[Reece] I always remember Charlotte's face

because her eyes are
so piercing and beautiful,

and you just, like, get lost,
'cause she's just so stunning.

But the nerves and the anxiety
and all of it is still there.

-[Kelli] Reece. How many yeses?
-[judges exclaim]

[Kelli] Is she not the perfect blend
of girl next door,

sweet, and sexy all the same?

She's Reece, and then she comes out,
and it's like, "Whoa!"

She was my best delight
of the returning veterans.

[all cheering]

All righty, please welcome
from Anderson, South Carolina,

number , Armani!

[electrifying synth music continues]

[Armani] It's all a mental game, honestly,

because you always want
to put your best foot forward

and you never want Kelli and Judy
to feel like just because you're a veteran

they should automatically
put you into training camp.

We have all been
in the same room as a friend

who was on the team with us
that has gotten cut before.

So it is hard

when you know what you have to lose,

and you want to earn it back.

It gets very nerve-wracking.

["She Came to Give It to You"
by Usher playing on stereo]

[woman] I really love her.

She's grown on me over the years.

[Charlotte] You're giving her
the benefit of the doubt.

I don't think she came
with the same energy and spark.

-[all cheering]
-["She Came to Give It to You" continues]

-[music stops]
-[all cheering]

[Kelli] And that is Armani, number .

I feel like she's kind of lost
some of her… stamina.

-Lost that energy.
-Energy.

My comment on her was,

"Hmm, that doesn't seem like her best."

I was surprised.

[upbeat synth music playing]

[Kelli] Okay, please welcome
from La Porte, Texas, number , Madie.

[cheering]

[Reece] Going into this season,

we are really excited
that there's a lot of new girls,

but it definitely
has this little bit of pressure.

Every single girl is super talented,
and I'll be completely honest,

I have felt my body break down
since I've been here.

So watching them can be intimidating

because I remember
when there was a point in my life

that I could do really cool tricks,

and now I'm just trying
to keep my body in one piece.

[Kelli] Madie from La Porte, Texas.
How many yeses?

[Kristi] When she said she was ,
I couldn't believe it.

-[Curry] She's ?
-[Kristi] She's !

-[Curry] Oh okay.
-[Kristi] I thought she was great.

[Randy] When she gets to the stadium,
the scoreboard is gonna love her.

People are not gonna stop watching her.

They're not. She's as cute as she can be.

-[synth music continues]
-[Kelli] And that was Madie.

[Armani] I wouldn't want
to go after anybody here.

-Everyone's… so good.
-So good!

-Yeah.
-Everyone was really good last year too.

But this year
is another level up from that.

[Kelli] Number , Ariel.

[Curry] She showed up. She's just so cute.
I like her look. And she's petite.

If you take her, she'll end up being
eventually your Strawberry Shortcake.

-[music stops]
-[all cheering]

Please welcome
from Toledo, Ohio, number , Abby.

["Maneater" by Nelly Furtado
playing on stereo]

[Kelli] She's staring at me like Jada.

[Charlotte] She is.

[all cheering]

[Kelli] Wow!

Okay.

♪ Everybody look at me, me… ♪

Okay.

Man, she's fierce.

♪ All you crazy people
Come on, jump around… ♪

[Kelli] , Abby.

-[Curry] Easy money.
-[Kristi] I mean…

Everybody better raise their hand.
Can I have two?

Wow! She is fierce.

-[Judy] Yeah.
-["Maneater" continues playing]

-[crowd cheering]
-Okay.

♪ A maneater, make you work hard ♪

♪ Make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love ♪

♪ She's a maneater, make you buy cars ♪

♪ Make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love ♪

-[music stops]
-[all cheering]

[Kelli] And that was number , Abby.

[Charly] Not a lot of people
get the opportunity to do this twice.

[voice breaking] I'm really
proud of myself for not giving up.

[Kelli] Please welcome
from Livermore, California,

number , Charly.

[all cheering]

She stayed here a whole year and worked.

[pensive music playing]

[Charly crying softly] I did not think
that I was gonna be able to audition.

I wasn't walking a couple of days
before the first round was due,

and I did not
at all think it was possible.

I remember being
in that hospital bed being like,

"I have to audition."
Like, "I want to do it. I want it so bad."

And my body just was like,
"You can't do this right now."

[stifling tears] I had dedicated
the entire year to training for this.

And I was like, I can
at least do one full out for a video.

Like, it's just seconds of my life.

Hi, judges. My name is Charly.

I'm years old,
and I'm from Livermore, California.

I did have to take out almost every trick
that I was so proud of,

but I just wanted to submit something.

And the most special feeling,
I'll never forget,

is hitting that submit button at : p.m.

and it was due at :.

After going through something like that,

I know that I will put my body
through hell and back

if it means I can try out
for this team again. [sniffles]

[stirring violin music playing]

Hey!

[cheerleader] Wow!

["I Did Something Bad" cover by
Shoshana Bean and Cynthia Erivo playing]

♪ I never trust a playboy
But they love me… ♪

[audience cheering]

♪ And I let them think they saved me ♪

♪ They say I did something bad ♪

♪ Then why's it feel so good? ♪

-
♪ They say I did something bad ♪
-[all cheering]

♪ Why's it feel so good? ♪

♪ Good ♪

♪ Good ♪

[all cheering]

[Kelli] And that is Charly, number .

[upbeat music playing]

[Kelli] Well, I don't want to bring Charly
to camp and then cut her again.

She's great. Is she glamorous enough
for you this year?

Yeah.

Please welcome
from Jacksonville, Illinois,

number , Ava.

-[upbeat music continues]
-[crowd cheering]

[Ava] After I was cut in ,

I did a lot of self-reflection.

When I tried out the first time,
I was really young,

and I still didn't have everything
figured out with myself personally.

So I'm feeling
more confident this time around.

I've done a lot of preparing physically,

but I've also just done
a lot of soul-searching,

and praying to like
figure out who I really am

and who I want to represent.

[Charlotte] Why'd she get cut?
What was her problem? Do you remember?

[Kelli] Immaturity.

And too much social media stuff

after we told her
certain things are off-limits.

Just… and need to grow up.

-[Charlotte] Not a dance reason?
-No.

[Kelli] From Weehawken, New Jersey, Kelly.

I think they had
a good impression from last year,

but I want it to be even better.

I don't want them to ever think,
like, "Oh, she got worse."

I just want to make sure
that they see an improvement in me

and that they're not like…

"Eh…"

So we'll see.

-[Scott] I wrote, "She needs a makeover."
-[Kelli] She's had a makeover.

[Scott] She has?

[Kristi] She was blonde last year.

[Kelli] I might
give it a little dimension.

-Back part of her head was too big.
-[Kristi] That's so fixable.

I was smart enough to see through that
and vote her yes.

[Kayla] I auditioned
for the Dallas Cowboys first in

and was selected to be on the team
for the - season.

I auditioned again last year
to be a veteran,

and made it to the finals,

and was not selected
for the team at finals.

[Kelli] Our last person invited

into the training camp

from Columbia, Missouri,
number , Anna Kate.

[all clapping] Whoo!

[Kayla] That coming to an abrupt end…
was a lot to process.

[Kelli] Okay!

Please welcome back
from St. Louis, Missouri, Kayla.

[Kayla] It takes a lot to put yourself
back in that same position

and be in front of the same judges,

but I don't want to live anywhere else.
I don't want to dance anywhere else.

So if I have a slight window
to try and go for that again,

then I'm gonna take it.

[Curry] I thought she really listened
to maybe, like, some of the feedback,

and just, she looked
like she belonged there.

I loved her solo.

Yeah. I thought her presence
was really good, honestly.

I also like her look.

I don't think there's anyone in the squad
that looks like her, so…

I think she's in a real strong spot.
We had… Yeah.

[Curry] Okay.

[Dayton] Most of the pressure that I felt

the last two times
I auditioned came from my mom.

And this time I feel like I'm doing it
purely for myself.

If I were to make the team,
my mom would be ecstatic.

She would be so proud of me
following her footsteps.

[Kelli] All right, please welcome
from McKinney, Texas.

-[Michele Sharp] She's about to throw up.
-[Kelli] Number , Dayton.

[Michele] She's about to throw up.

["Tore My Heart"
by OONA playing on stereo]

[entrancing pop continues]

♪ If I had my way ♪

♪ You would still be stuck on me ♪

[Michele] Stretch, stretch, stretch.

♪ 'Cause you tore my heart ♪

-[song finishes playing]
-[all cheering]

[Michele] Nice.

-Nice.
-[Kelli] And that was number , Dayton.

[exhaling] I can breathe now. Okay.

I can breathe.

[Kelli] With her chainé turns,
the arm placement looked kinda…

-[Judy] They looked ballet placed.
-[Kelli] All right.

Very ballerina placed.

And it's looking floppy
instead of a carriage.

[Judy] Right.

I don't… I'm confused.

We're probably being stared at
from up there.

Uh-huh.

[Madeline] Dayton, it was amazing.

-I like it. Good cuddle.
-[in cute voice] We like it a lot.

-I'm always down for a cuddle.
-[Dayton] My goodness.

[Madeline] How do you feel?
Yeah, it looked…

Don't make that face!

[Kelli] Great job. Congratulations
to all of you on the outstanding solos.

[expectant music playing]

[Kelli] The audition process
is pretty comprehensive.

The solos can show us amazing dancers

with brilliant technique
and years of training,

but they're not doing a lyrical,
contemporary, modern piece

on our football field.

A stadium requires an arena performer,

as opposed to possibly a soloist
or a concert dancer.

She has theatrical eyes.

[Charlotte] She's got
a little flirtiness to her.

[Kelli] I like
that little -year-old back there!

Do you like Ava?

[Charlotte] I'm trying to figure that out.

[Kelli] It becomes a skill to learn
how to project on a football field.

[Ozowski] There's the Armani we know.

[Charlotte] She's got a low left kick.
Lot of mistakes.

[Ozowski] Her kicks are amazing.

[Kelli] They have to be so precise.

It just won't work if someone
can't match that line of precision.

Hello, judges. My name is Dayton Bramhall.
I'm from McKinney, Texas,

and I'm currently a fitness instructor
and a dancer.

[tense music playing]

-[tense music continues]
-[upbeat music playing on stereo]

[Kelli] Number , Dayton.

[Curry] Ah, it didn't blow my hair back.

I just think that
she just kind of got lost in there.

[Randy] If I was coaching her,
I would whisper in her ear,

"You gotta bring more of it."

It needs more energy.

She understands the drill,
and that's the difference.

Her timing was a little off,

but isn't that
what training camp is for too?

Is the air on in here, or am I just hot?

-[tense music continues]
-[crowd clapping]

[Judy] I hate being put in this position
'cause I don't know what to do.

My true thought would be,
on that performance,

I would've given her a yes, but…

I don't like all the rest of the stuff.

So maybe it's a maybe
and see how it falls?

I don't know what to do.

We get everybody? Thank you, ladies!

[all clapping]

[Kelli on mic] Ladies, you did it!
Congratulations, you did it!

This has been a long day,
and we understand that.

We'll see you back here on the field
with our decisions probably : p.m.

Deal?

-Thank you! Whoo!
-[Kelli] Awesome. Great job. Great job.

-["Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac playing]
-♪ Why don't you ask him ♪

♪ What's going wrong? ♪

[Kelli] I think we're pretty good
at knowing someone's potential.

They are showing what
they have trained their entire life to do.

♪ Don't say that you love me ♪

[Kelli] They're working their asses off.

They've traveled. They've trained.

♪ Just tell me that you want me ♪

[Kelli] They're emotional.

They're tired. They're scared.

-And for us, it's high stakes.
-♪ Tusk! ♪

♪ Just say that you want me ♪

[Kelli] I trust my experience
and Judy's experience

to make the best decision.

The decision is made, and it's final.

If I could write the story myself,
I would say,

"Don't take her to training camp
if you can't see her on the team."

'Cause I don't know
if her heart could handle it.

["Tusk" continues playing]

♪ Why don't you ask him
What's going wrong? ♪

♪ Why don't you ask him
The latest on his throne? ♪

♪ Don't say that you love me ♪

♪ Just tell me that you want me ♪

♪ Tusk! ♪

♪ Just say that you want me ♪

♪ Don't tell me that you ♪

[drum solo playing]

[song continues playing]

♪ Tusk ♪

♪ Real savage like ♪

♪ Tusk! ♪

♪ Tusk! ♪

[song fading]