What makes you nervous? Is it public speaking? Large groups of people? Eye contact with your supervisor?
Perhaps it’s standing in the middle of AT&T Stadium in a two-piece outfit surrounded by gorgeous women simultaneously tossing around words like “fluff and puff” and kicking their feet to their faces?
Honestly, all the above; but the latter, oh man. That was the trigger of nerves I had never experienced in my (at the time) 21 years of life. It was also my introduction to the excitement that was auditioning for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
If you’ve ever watched “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team” on CMT, then you have an idea of what this audition process is like. You’ve probably seen the “on the fly” interviews of girls as they approach AT&T Stadium. You’ve also probably heard the phrase “nervous but excited” like 874 times. It’s comical how often those three words are said on the show, but around this time seven years ago that was me – nervous but excited.
I made the decision to audition for DCC just weeks before the preliminary rounds. My senior year at Louisiana State University was coming to an end, and my decision really came down to me saying to myself:
“Seriously, girl. What do you have to lose?”
So, there I was, riding to the stadium the morning of auditions dressed in my outfit that I put together using an old dance costume and a velour Juicy Couture tracksuit to cover up – because despite my dad’s opinions, everyone wore them to auditions and I HAD to have one because it would be so beneficial to my confidence as I walked into the audition. He obviously had never watched the show.
Welp. Dad was right. I was wrong. Of course. Don’t judge me.
Nothing prepares you for the moment when you walk up to the stadium and see the line of gorgeous women wrapped around the parking lot. Like, you’re not even in the building yet and you want to pee yourself, and you realize that not even your Juicy Couture could save you should you actually start to pee yourself.
As I stood in line, my “nervous but excited” energy made itself at home, I practiced saying my name/where I was from and mentally rehearsed the choreography that I worked on with my then LSU Tiger Girls coach. (I didn’t totally trust my ability to do bomb improvisation on the spot, so we created a few 8 counts to fall back on if I got stuck.) I also took my mind to all of the tips I’d received the night before from the DCC prep class.
Since I’d made my decision to audition at the last minute, I wasn’t able to take advantage of the several Friday night prep classes held at Valley Ranch (wow, blast from the past). The final prep class was held the night before the preliminary round, and it was in the form of a mock audition. That was the ONLY prep class I made it to, and I remember feeling incredibly grateful for that experience.
As I got closer to the door, the cameras became more visible to me, Phil’s presence at the door became bigger, the beauty and talent surrounding me became even more apparent and the realization that I had never heard “fluff and puff” used in a sentence prior to that morning made it all so very real to me. I was auditioning to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
As I was processing and taking in the overall atmosphere of that morning, Jessica Purdy was somewhere in that very same line marveling at it all. The then 23-year-old former NBA dancer from Iowa had studied the CMT show for what seemed like months on end, and, even though she knew what to expect, it felt like a dream.
“Cameras and lights everywhere, CMT crew members interviewing you, girls nervously clapping on beat waiting for the judges, me saying ‘yes ma’am’ awkwardly for the first time in my life and feeling like a southern imposter,” she said with a laugh. “Almost like being in a movie set, it was so surreal! But at the same time SO exciting and calming because I knew I was living my destiny. I knew that this was exactly where I was supposed to be at that exact moment.”
Jessica spent three years dancing as a Pacemate for the Indiana Pacers prior to her first DCC audition. She said that the show really inspired her and motivated her to take the leap and audition for the team. Having that little glimpse into who the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were as individuals and how to prep to one day wear the iconic uniform solidified her decision.
To prep for her moment in front of the judges, Jessica rehearsed exactly what she planned to say once the mic was handed to her. She also rehearsed her freestyle choreography, practiced her kicks and improved her flexibility. Sure, she was nervous, but she was one step closer to living out a dream.
If you were to ask me and Jessica about our first time auditioning for DCC, you’d get two totally different stories. And you know what? That’s ok. No two people will have the same experience. What matters, though, is that you soak it all in. Truly take in every moment. Embrace the nervous but excited vibes. Present your best self from the moment you step into that line.
Because at the end of the day, auditioning to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader is an experience like no other. Showing up in that line is something that takes a lot of courage and it’s something you will never forget, regardless of the outcome. Be proud of that.
