By Jay Betsill
ARLINGTON — The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders audition process began last weekend as the preliminary and semi-finals featured over 500 candidates from 32 states and four countries. For the finals, the 59 candidates that survived the first weekend joined the 23 returning veterans from last year’s team at AT&T Stadium in hopes of being one of the 45 ladies selected to the training camp roster.
The finals began on Friday as the panel interviews began at 10 a.m. at the stadium. Four ladies at a time met in 20-minute increments with Brenda Teele Jackson, Neal McCoy, Scott Padgett, Judy Trammell, Kelli Finglass and Charlotte Jones Anderson in a suite overlooking the field. They were asked their opinion on a variety of topics including current events and quizzed on past and current Dallas Cowboys facts.
The second component of the finals got underway on Saturday morning shortly after 9 a.m. as the judges arrived to the AT&T Star Club on the south concourse of the stadium for the individual talent presentation that is better known as the “solo.”
“For this portion, simply stated, our judges are looking for entertainers,” DCC Director Kelli Finglass announced to the 82 candidates. “That is defined as someone who can ignite, excite, amuse and hold the attention of their audience. Each and everyone of you has 90 seconds to show us your craft.”
CMT’s cameras filming the 10th season of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team were in place and it was time to get started. Returning veteran Jacie was the first up for the solos portion and about two hours later, Melissa wrapped things up with her performance.
“I feel like I am more nervous auditioning as a veteran than I was in my first year,” said Jacie, trying out for what would be her fourth year as a DCC. “We turned in our uniforms on Wednesday, so it was a close to a great Dallas Cowboys season and it is always so hard because there is no guarantee that you are going to get it back. After closing that chapter, literally the same day, my next chapter opened as I took the DCC auditions test and learned the finals dance.
“Being the first person to kick off solos is a huge honor,” she continued. “So that alone got me a little emotional when I arrived today and saw my number. In last year’s auditions, I was last to go, so this was a lot better on my nerves as the day went on.”
After the individual talent presentations were concluded, there was an hour break before the ladies reconvened down on the field clad in their navy rehearsal attire. The judges were sitting up in section C-210 with a 50-yard line view of the huge HD video board.
The ladies took the field in groups of five to perform the finals routine and the iconic DCC kickline. Following their second kickline performance, they stood and waited as the judges’ panel gave them one final look-through on the same screen that will be in full view of over 80,000 Cowboys fans this fall.
“For the veterans, being in the empty stadium to rehearse is totally normal,” said Paige, auditioning for what would be her third season. “That’s what I told myself, that it was a normal practice for a game, so what’s different about it. Earlier during the kickline I was shouting at the other girls, pumping them up like we do during games because that is who I am…I really appreciate this whole process and its honestly because it’s really about making this the best team.”
Then came the wait as the judges retreated to discuss all of the candidates and put together the group to take to training camp. This part can be the most relaxing, yet most anxious time during the audition process as the some of the ladies get to sit around and chat with friends old and new while others that are at the point of mental and physical exhaustion opt to take a nap. The one thing they all have in common is in the back of their minds, they are wondering if they will hear their name called and three weeks from now be at Valley Ranch or moving on to the next chapter in their lives.
At stake for the ladies who had auditioned was not only the opportunity to perform at the Cowboys home games but to be ambassadors for the organization all over the world from visiting U.S. troops overseas, corporate functions, charity events and television appearances to traveling to the exotic locations for their annual swimsuit calendar photo shoot.
Just before 9 p.m., the candidates were back in their seats and Kelli Finglass returned with Judy Trammell and Charlotte Jones Anderson with the news that would forever change the lives of many of the ladies in the room.
As Finglass announced the final name that would be invited to training camp, the rookie candidate who was voted in by the fans on the DCC website, there was the inevitable fact that several veterans who had hoped to return to the sidelines would be bidding the team farewell.
It was the perfect storm of ecstasy and agony for the veterans who heard their name called but were faced with the mixed emotions between the joy of their personal opportunity while knowing that their now-former teammates’ dreams had come to an end. The DCC summer-long training camp begins on June 1 and will culminate with the official revealing of the team later this summer.
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