America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (2024) s01e04 Episode Script

1
[birds chirping]
Welcome to another Social Sunday.
My name is Clinton.
And I'm Jonah.
It is a beautiful Sunday
here in Dallas, Texas.
We are back at Fair Park Coliseum.
And it's Vision Sunday.
-[Clinton] It is.
-[Jonah] It's Vision Sunday.
So, service is about to get started,
so prepare your hearts.
It's gonna be so good.
-Remember, when you say yes to Jesus
-[Clinton] You say yes to being social.
[Jonah] Enjoy the service, y'all.
How did y'all hear about Social
and start coming?
Oh my goodness. My first time, a veteran
I was a rookie at the time, back in 2021.
I came to my first service
in October 2021,
and I never have gotten
so emotional at a church,
and just, like, felt accepted,
and I've been coming ever since.
-Amazing.
-[Madeline] I found Social through DCC.
So you found community here, found family
-Yeah.
-found your people?
I moved here 2020 during the pandemic.
It was August.
I didn't know a soul in Texas.
I made the team.
I had two weeks to move here.
-[Pastor Madu] Wow.
-Yep.
Gave up college and just was like,
"Okay, here I am. Now what?"
Signed a lease
to an apartment I'd never seen.
-And was like, "We're doing this thing."
-[Pastor Madu] True step of faith.
-You're here, four years later.
-Here I am, four years later.
Now like, "Now what?"
-[Madeline] No!
-[Jada] Yeah.
Like, "Now what do I do with my life?"
But giving it to God. [laughs]
-[Taylor] Amen.
-I don't need to know yet.
[dramatic music playing]
[Pastor Madu]
Maybe you don't need another sermon.
Maybe you don't need another song.
Maybe you don't need another podcast.
Maybe you need a vision
[shimmering electronic instrumentals
playing]
a vision for your life,
a vision that is bigger than you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
few things are more powerful and critical
than having a vision.
Vision is not about sight.
Vision is what you see
when your eyes are closed.
[announcer] And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
[Pastor Madu]
Vision is when frustration with what is
creates passion for what could be.
[Charlotte, echoing] Whatever you do,
don't tarnish the star.
[Pastor Madu] A vision lets you know
what to say yes to
and what to say no to.
There are some of you who have
so many decisions in front of you,
and the reason you're struggling
to make a decision
is because you have not brought clarity
to the vision for your life.
And I'm trying to tell you
the moment you get clarity on vision,
you'll know what decision to make.
There are few things more beautiful
than being restricted by a vision.
Ari, here's your one,
and then you missed your two.
Do this like you are fighting
for your job.
-I think I've sugarcoated it too much.
-Yes, ma'am.
[Charlotte] There's certainly the boss
who runs this place.
And the rest of us try our best
to create the vision that he espouses
for all of us to follow.
[Kelli] I see how hard you're working.
-And I do see potential.
-Yes, ma'am.
[Kelli] I don't know
if it's this year's potential.
But I did notice you over there.
[Charlotte] When you look for someone
to lead an organization,
you wanna make sure
that they truly believe it themselves.
You knew when you met Kelli
that, whatever she did,
she would not tarnish the star,
she would not tarnish the organization.
I just need somebody around me
that I can trust,
and somebody that will lay awake at night
trying to solve all these problems
and make something positive happen.
[Kelli] As serious as you take
this whole dream and journey,
we take our decisions that way too.
So if it feels like we're intense,
it's because we care.
[Pastor Madu] I wanna fill in the blank
today on Vision Sunday
by letting you know God loves Dallas.
[congregation cheering]
[Pastor Madu] Period.
[laughs] God loves Dallas. Period.
Let's put a comma.
Let's take away the comma.
God loves Dallas Cowboys. Come on!
[congregation cheering]
[laughs] God loves Dal
Look at your neighbor, whichever one
you like the best. Say, "Neighbor"
-[congregation repeating]
-[Pastor Madu] "I'm ready for this word."
Look at your other neighbor,
the one you ignored. Say, "Other neighbor,
-I hope you know God loves Dallas."
-[congregation repeating]
Now, give some praise like
we gonna win the Super Bowl this year.
[cheering]
[congregants speak indistinctly]
[Pastor Madu] Father, have your way.
Speak today. Amen. You may be seated.
[bright, dramatic music playing]
[music fades]
[insects chirring]
[Charly] It's just so weird that
What is it, day 27?
This is day 27 at our our hotel house.
We're at, like, fingertip's reach.
-It's right there.
-[Charly] Yes, I know. I know.
Oh my gosh. I saw this TikTok today
that was, like,
this girl making a gourmet breakfast
with a stove and, like, pots and pans,
and I was like
All Charly and I want are some eggs.
Some eggs! I want eggs so bad.
It's so annoying.
Yeah. We'll get them soon.
We only have so much longer in the hotel.
-That is true.
-It's so weird.
I was thinking that yesterday.
I wonder
when they're gonna announce the team.
[Reece] You know
I don't wanna think about it,
but I wanna know so bad.
I think it's not a matter of
I don't know. I just get worried
because I start making assumptions.
-I know.
-"Oh, what if this?"
And I have to tell myself,
"One day at a time."
"Not every day is promised."
But I know that, like,
God has so much more in store.
[Charly] Definitely.
-Okay.
-[Reece] We know all of this.
'Cause we did this yesterday.
[Charly] The tags, we know 18,
and we only have ten more to learn.
-There's not an ounce that's like
-[Charly] Yes.
-"I think I can learn more."
-Uh-huh.
And we have boot fittings today.
I know. I already forgot too.
I just remembered that too.
I'm so excited.
-[Reece] Mm
-[laughs]
[gentle, dramatic music playing]
[music fades]
[phone line ringing]
[woman] Hello?
Hi, this is Ariana,
and I wanted to talk to you
about a new procedure
that many urologists and radiologists
are doing in the area.
Um, it's an MRI-guided
prostate ablation procedure
for men with prostate disease.
What kind of prostate disease?
Um, so it's for men
with prostate cancer and BPH,
so low to intermediate risk, um, men
with prostate cancer.
I currently work in medical device sales,
specializing in prostate disease, so
It's not the most glamorous procedure,
but I've learned so much
in seeing how grateful and appreciative
the patients are.
[gentle ambient music playing]
[Ari] I had always wanted to do Cowboys.
That was my dream.
I decided I was gonna try out
April of 2022, last year.
And I got cut end of July.
And honestly, it was
it was really devastating.
Like, it was heartbreaking.
After I got cut, I was like,
"I don't know where to go from here."
I knew deep down
I wouldn't wanna do another NFL team
because I would compare everything
to Cowboys.
And I think that's what it is,
they set the standard.
So I decided I was gonna stay in Dallas,
and get a job here,
make this my number one priority.
I trained all year with a DCC
and just took literally
as many classes as I could.
I've grown. I've learned a lot.
I think that goes a long way,
especially for me,
'cause I was a head case last year, so
I'm starting to get scared.
I'm almost there,
but it's not quite there yet,
so I gotta work my booty off.
-Can I put
-[man] Put it there.
-[woman] Seven?
-[man] Seven and a half B. 7.5B.
Yeah.
[Randy] Walk up and down there,
just like you're walking
Feels supportive in your heels
-[Ari] Yeah.
-and everything?
See, Dina, that's a good fit on that boot.
You gotta think of it like the DCC boot
fits like no other boot in the world.
-It's a performance boot, okay?
-[Ari] Yeah.
And all of you hit your marks
really hard, okay?
So you want them with you.
-[Ari] Don't wanna be sliding.
-You want them through every move.
Right. No sliding around,
which'll cause friction.
[Ari] Yeah. No, these feel good.
-[Randy] That's awesome.
-I think this is my size.
-[Randy] Let's mark down your size.
-Okay.
[Randy] The girls are working hard
after weeks
and sometimes months
of preparing for auditions.
They get to this point,
and they're getting ever closer
to those final cuts.
We want it comfortably
Like a nice handshake.
-Like this, okay?
-Mm-hmm.
-Just snug on you.
-Okay.
It's gonna stretch a little bit.
We have to make sure
we get everybody properly sized and fitted
for their Lucchese boots,
so that when they take the field
the first game of the year,
they're ready from head to toe.
-I feel like they would stay on.
-Yeah.
[Randy] These are some
of the most iconic boots in the world.
It's sort of like putting on
Superman's cape for a guy, right?
It's really cool. [laughs]
[Randy] There are some girls
I do some special things for their feet,
whether they're narrow,
whether they're wide.
I've done all kinds of little tricks.
We want you, from head to toe,
to feel fantastic.
Well, I haven't stretched, but
[gentle, whimsical music playing]
I think we found something.
Give her one more walk if you don't mind.
I love 'em.
-[Charly] I'm gonna do those ones.
-[Randy] Okay.
Yeah, they feel like
I don't know. They just feel better.
-Okay.
-[man] Good deal.
-[Charly] Thank you so much.
-Absolutely.
-Nice to meet you.
-So cool. Nice to meet you guys too.
Best of luck to you
the rest of training camp.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
[man] Yeah. I think
seven and a halfs were better.
[woman] I am so sore.
This makes me want to throw up and cry.
[laughter]
It's not really
I don't know how to explain it, but
-I was, like, so splotchy.
-From this weekend?
-My stomach is like polka dots.
-No, I know.
I was I was, like, way too dark, I think.
-My face was.
-And it and it came off. Like
[indistinct chatter]
[Victoria] Our shorts are kind of low,
and this is the tightness band.
So this makes it not have
that little indention
to make me look like I got a belly roll.
-[interviewer murmurs]
-[laughs]
[Zoë] It's all about the diet, really.
My diet is really good.
It's all about fueling your body.
With Oreos and, uh,
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
-["Thunderstruck" by AC/DC playing]
-And I was shaking at the knees ♪
Could I come again, please? ♪
Whoa, baby, baby ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
You've been thunderstruck ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
-Thunderstruck ♪
-[song fades out]
-Brooklyn.
-Yes, ma'am.
I think it's [vocalizes musical beat]
I think you can stretch out more. Yeah.
[Judy] It's still It's boring.
Do it full-out.
-[Kelli] That! Stop!
-[Judy] Reach.
-The first one?
-[Judy] Reach.
Stretch with those long
-Ball change, then together.
-limbs God gave you.
Somebody show her style.
Be a style guide, veteran.
It's a
And that, y'all
Are we doing a bird,
or are we flexing back?
It's a bird.
[Kelcey] It's a lift
with these at your shoulders.
-[woman] Small lift.
-Tell Brooklyn where her chin is.
Where's her nostrils?
Give her something that makes sense.
-[Kelcey] Straight up to the ceiling.
-She's Her nostrils to the mirror?
-[Kelcey] Yes.
-[woman] Yes.
["Thunderstruck" playing]
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Went through to Texas ♪
Yeah, Texas, and we had some fun ♪
We met some girls ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
[Kelli] Charly's just not
a real style match for me.
Thunderstruck ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
You've been thunderstruck ♪
[song ends]
[applause, cheering]
Don't be afraid in your kickline,
when you're doing your kicks.
Get your feet together.
So from here, you're gonna be able
to get that kick up higher
when you're jumping together.
-Zoë. That
-[Zoë] Yes, ma'am.
-That performance can't work.
-[Zoë] Yes, ma'am.
There were three mistakes in the entrance.
I don't know if you snowballed
by making one,
and then you panicked and made two more.
Yes, ma'am.
[Judy] Reece, you did something not clean
on the two-line part.
-Yes, ma'am.
-Let me see you do it.
-Two
-Oh, sorry.
[Judy] One, two Now, she's gonna panic.
[Reece] I cannot think.
-Yes.
-Face of hers.
Um And you chirp still a little bit.
Your smile is beautiful,
and I like a change of a smile,
but sometimes, you just
-It's distracting.
-[Reece] Yes, ma'am.
But your face is beautiful.
I don't wanna make you stress over that.
-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] Do it again.
-[woman] You got it!
-[Judy] Two, three Nope.
I know what she was talking about,
but I guess I didn't, like
-Yeah.
-It registered in my head.
I was like, "Okay,
I'll be more aware of that."
I'll watch you
and tell you exactly what it is.
I can't put a finger on it.
But when I was watching you
and she said it, I was like, "I saw that."
-I was like, "Am I eating an apple?"
-No! You're fine. We all do weird things
[Kelcey] We try to do our best
to take care of them mentally
through this process.
But I remember my rookie year,
by the end of training camp,
you could look at me the wrong way,
and I'd start crying.
I think you're doing like a
It's cute,
but I think that's what they're saying.
That's what that means. I just asked,
'cause I was like, "What did I do?"
No, I think I think she's doing
-Like a
-Like a nose scrinch.
Like, uh [giggles]
All right, that makes sense.
That makes a lot of sense.
I was eating a bag of potato chips
out there.
-[Camille] She said you're chirping.
-[Reece] I am chirping!
No, but it makes sense.
-I'm just glad that they said something.
-Yeah.
-At least I can be aware of it.
-Mm-hmm.
I feel like I'm gonna pass out.
Like [moans]
[Michelle] Are we ready?
[woman] Yeah!
Rookies, I know y'all are flooded
in your mind with new choreography.
I get it. I understand. I was there.
I felt like I was spinning.
I'm like, "I can't
What is even going on?"
Right now is a really crucial,
stressful time for you.
So just know that
you're not the only one feeling like that.
You have your other rookies
feeling like that.
You have your veterans
who just got over that.
So make sure,
when you're going through your day,
and you're by yourself,
maybe you're at work, school,
whatever you're in right now,
and you're just panicking,
and you're like, "I can't even keep up."
We have 25 new sidelines, right?
Just remember,
"This too shall pass."
This time is temporary, okay?
This moment where you feel super stressed,
and you have a lot on your plate,
heavy weight on your shoulders,
that will be lifted
in just a short amount of time.
Five, six, turn, seven, eight.
One, back, two, roll, three, four,
in, five, hop, six, out, seven, eight.
Good. Music.
["Walk This Way" by Aerosmith playing]
[Kelli] Every day and night, we're looking
for that first home, preseason game.
Five, six
[Kelli] We're a pretty well-oiled machine
when it comes to knowing potential,
and nurturing potential,
and developing potential,
and then knowing when it's time.
You wanna be as honest as you can
as fast as you can,
so that you're not delaying the pain
of being cut.
[Ari] I've tried my hardest,
I've done my best,
but we'll see what happens.
I mean, the typical number
they always take is 36.
Last year, they took 37.
I don't know if they'll do that this year,
but if they do, that means
there's only one more cut.
My mental state last year in camp
is really what hurt me the most.
So this year, I'm just trying
to enjoy every single step.
Ari, your petite size is adorable.
Thank you.
[Kelli] We can't make you
physically any larger.
-But you're gonna have to dance larger.
-Yes, ma'am.
[Judy] Some little girls are gonna go,
"Oh, she's my height."
I mean, sometimes
I like the little bitty ones.
I know.
But she is little bitty.
[dramatic music playing]
[Kelli] I'm wondering, like, Charly
I feel like her eyebrows look
a little worried,
like a little heavier on the inside.
I do Is that bronzer or structural?
It's bronzer and highlighter.
[Kelli] Camille, your left kick
won't make this team,
and I don't know where that came from.
I don't care if you're sore.
We don't have time, and we can't put
a sign around your neck. Kick. Hard.
-Or we both lose.
-Yes, ma'am.
I just keep telling myself
I have to take it day by day,
section by section.
Get the warmup done, get kicks done.
If I think about it too much
and I stress myself out,
then I'm not gonna execute
as good as I can.
[Judy] No one, at this point,
has been a bad dancer.
But now, we're just trying
to pick the best of the best.
When they learn so many routines,
you do start seeing the cracks
in the ones that maybe aren't
so fast on their feet.
Anna Kate, I don't know what you did.
You bounced, but you gotta have
the strength to hold it.
-Yes, ma'am.
-Was it you that bobbled?
-I bobbled on her as well, so that was me.
-We can both work on it.
[Reece] I get nervous.
Not only are you thinking
about choreography and performing,
but you're also thinking
about everything else,
about staying in line,
and hitting those specific marks,
and that is just something
I am not used to.
[Judy] The final cuts
have to be made soon.
I mean, we have a game to get ready for.
So, I don't know.
Maybe at the end of this week,
I think that we'll be able
to make that final decision.
[Kelli] We know when we've seen enough
and have given them
as many chances as we can.
And there are some that say,
"Just give me one more night."
But at that point, one more night,
it's not gonna change
the longer impression.
I recognize that they have uprooted
their lives to be in Dallas,
and I don't wanna cost them
any more emotional or financial expense
to be in a training camp
where they're not gonna make the team.
[music fades]
[Judy] Zoë.
So, you kind of push your poms back
a little bit.
Now, your elbows aren't like this.
They are in.
But I want to see your face.
-Yes, ma'am.
-Okay.
Thank you. Thank you.
[Victoria] Zoë, she is 20,
so I feel like I can kind of relate to her
starting at such a young age.
What is this for? Homework?
No. It's just if you have troubles
remembering your yard lines.
Oh, okay.
[Victoria] I was 18
when I got cut that first year.
-Yeah, just a few.
-Yeah.
Being in the stressful environment
of training camp kinda made it worse.
'Cause I was at a young age,
I didn't know how to handle it then.
We see you on this field,
and we see you on this team.
Yes, ma'am.
[Victoria whimpers]
Just not this year?
[Kelli] Mm-hmm.
Okay.
[Victoria] I can see it,
envision it perfectly.
But then making the team was electrifying.
It was like, "Oh my goodness.
My dream is coming true."
[gentle music playing]
Hi, lovelies. It's Mental Health Monday,
and I have
our BadA Affirmation book today,
and today it reads,
"I am living a life of my own design."
"I am an action-taker.
I am a hard worker."
Yes, we are.
Tell yourself every day you are fabulous,
because you are.
[Kat] Vic and I are like
rookie sisters together.
Vic's my girl.
I wanna put her on my lap
and then just hold her forever.
Because I feel I've been through
a lot of stuff growing up,
but she's got her own shit
that she has to deal with.
[Victoria] My mental health
was already spiraling down,
so I think I was needing
that love support.
Especially when we're
already criticizing ourselves.
[dramatic music playing]
I've never been Okay, I'm just gonna
I've never been open about it.
But my depression
like, it turns into this bad cycle.
And
Whenever I get into a bad depression,
I turn to bad coping skills
and which causes bad eating habits.
And as a dancer, that's the hardest thing
that you can fight
are eating disorders plus depression.
And I go through that cycle
when that depression zone hits.
It's a binge-purge cycle.
It's, uh
It's a binge to get that feel-good, that
empty feeling filled again.
But then game time comes,
so then you just gotta
[rapidly sucks air]
get into those baby clothes,
get into that baby uniform,
and that cycle just keeps going.
[gentle, somber music playing]
[Victoria] After COVID year,
after lockdown and everything,
I didn't feel like
my dancing was up to par.
My body wasn't up to par,
and I just felt very out of it.
And so, I needed a little gap year.
Without that year off,
I did not feel I could be my best
to represent DCC.
When I decided to take my year off,
I got into therapy.
I've learned
that I'm a words of affirmation person.
I've also learned
that I do not like to feel my feelings.
So I think that's why I cover that up.
I cover up any emotion that I have.
I think we all kind of have a tendency
to put up a front,
and that's just not okay,
'cause when you're not feeling good,
you need to let people know.
[Kat] The year Victoria took off,
I've never seen the bitch happier.
I've never seen
She had a boyfriend. She was going out.
She was bopping around
like a 22-year-old does.
She wanted to be on, like, Rockettes
and, like, move to New York.
And I'm like, "Go, sister! Go! Go! Go!
You got it. Move! Go!"
"Don't go home. Just keep moving."
Then she came back,
and it was all of a sudden, like,
back in this environment.
[Victoria] I am someone who tries
and aims to please people.
I just love making people happy.
But when I don't feel
like it's being reciprocated,
it's very exhausting and hard
not to think that you're not liked.
With DCC, I feel that sometimes,
I could walk away from a practice,
and if I wanted to
and didn't try to say hi to someone,
I could've probably walked away
from that practice not speaking to anyone
if I didn't put that effort in.
It makes me sometimes wanna quit again.
[interviewer] Must be hard to have
this thing that's your dream be this
-The thing that hurts me.
-[interviewer] Yeah.
Yeah.
[interviewer] You're strong, Victoria.
Not always.
[music fades]
Not always.
[groans, inhales sharply]
-[birds chirping]
-[airplane engine whining]
[murmur of distant chatter]
I really need these curls to stay.
[sprayer hissing]
You would think, "Pageant girls.
Hair is, like, always big,
and voluminous, and curly."
My hair sometimes
just does not wanna hold anything.
And so, the techniques and stuff
have helped me,
but, I mean, my hair just sometimes
is a little stubborn for me.
[gentle music playing]
[Charly] I think if I did pageants,
I would be better at makeup, for sure.
There's pictures of me with my eyelashes,
like, up here on my eyebrows
and crazy stuff, so
I never really learned how to do it
up until now,
and now, I feel like
I'm a little bit better at least.
Maybe just a little bit.
Obviously, I want it
more than anything in the world.
But me getting in my head
and my mindset throughout the last week
has been really rough. I've barely slept.
This is not how
I'm supposed to go through the process.
I'm not supposed to be so hard on myself.
I'm not supposed to be practicing
night and day.
I have the mindset of,
"I'm gonna get cut today."
"Oh gosh. I'm so scared," all the time.
And I feel like the worst thing
you can be is nervous.
[music fades]
[phone line ringing]
-Hey, baby.
-Hi.
-Hi. How you doing?
-I'm good. How are you?
Good. How's training camp going?
It's good.
-It's hard, but it's fun.
-Yeah?
It's just Yeah.
We all miss you here.
I know. I miss you too.
I just wanna know, like,
the outcome so bad.
Yes, I know. It can't come soon enough.
I know.
They keep saying,
"I don't know how they're gonna pick."
Everyone's so good.
And everyone's so nice, too, literally.
I wish you could meet everybody.
I know. I would love to.
I know you would. [laughs]
Well, maybe if I make it,
you'll come to meet the team.
Yeah, absolutely.
-Okay, baby, I'll talk to you soon, okay?
-Okay.
[Charly's mom] Charly's our only child,
and having a little girl,
as a mom's dream,
you want a little ballerina.
I just wanted to see her in a tutu.
She never stopped from there.
She loved being kind of
the center of attention a little bit.
I mean, she just loved dancing,
loved competing.
Always strived to do her best.
She came home from college,
and she started thinking about auditioning
for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
And, um
You know, I wasn't aware
that she was interested in that.
As a mom, you know, I'm a little concerned
about all the men goggling over her
if she was to make the team.
But other than that, um,
I honestly feel it's very
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
are a very respectable team.
Um You know,
and I definitely 100% support it.
As a parent, you worry,
but Charly is a strong girl,
very, very independent,
and we're very proud of her.
I just know that she's putting everything
that she can possibly put into this.
She's very determined,
and my fear, obviously,
which is probably her fear,
is if it doesn't happen.
[light, delicate music playing]
[music fades]
[traffic humming]
[Kelli] We're at the top
of the hill of the roller coaster.
There's no turning back now.
So that pressure is good for me,
because it makes me get decisive
at this point
and, um, focused.
I've also asked Charlotte
to join us tonight.
She's gonna take a peek and weigh in.
It is a hard night,
'cause now, relationships have formed.
Friendships have started.
They're all pulling for each other.
None of them want
to have to hug somebody goodbye.
Um
So it's really kind of a mixed emotion.
They're They will be elated
that they made the team,
but that doesn't make
the goodbyes any easier.
They told all of us candidates to come
with all of our outfits we got from them,
I'm assuming in case we get cut,
and we have to return it all.
So, that's kind of nerve-racking.
But just gotta keep trucking along
until something happens with that.
[interviewer] Do you know
when they're gonna do the cuts?
[Anna Kate] No idea.
[laughs] Not sure.
[tense, grim music playing]
Perfect.
The hardest part is the drive
and the wait before practice,
because all you can do is anticipate.
[Brooklyn] True.
But the best friendships start from
-Start with a carpool.
-driving to practice together.
I genuinely have pictured
wearing that uniform
[Camille] Mm-hmm.
-my whole life.
-Mm-hmm.
-And I don't wanna get cut.
-[Camille] I know.
[Brooklyn] I don't wanna think
about how I would wanna get cut.
[Camille] It scares me.
[Brooklyn] That's like the question,
"How would you wanna die?"
-That's horrible.
-[Camille] Literally.
[Brooklyn] And it's so hard.
We're all so close now.
[Camille] I know. I know.
[Brooklyn] Driving up to work.
[Kelli] This is what training camp is for.
And some some thrive.
Some buckle under pressure.
Some surprise us.
Um
Some kinda disappoint.
[music fades]
[Kelli] We're hiring people,
technically in one day,
that are about to be
global ambassadors for the brand.
That's why part of this selection process
is so thorough,
because we are giving them
a lot of responsibility
and a lot of opportunities
to represent something
that, in Charlotte's case,
it's her entire family's everything.
I recently caught up
with the man behind America's Team,
Jerry Jones, and his daughter, Charlotte,
who's helped him build
the most lucrative team in the NFL.
What is it like to be
the highest-ranking woman in football?
It's inspiring to hear that.
But, um, all I really wanna do is
make my parents proud, so that's great.
-[Jerry] Well, Charlotte
-[Hager] Has she made you proud?
She's a great, uh, face
for our game in the NFL.
Yes, I'm proud of her.
Charlotte is my mom,
so I've been around this for 30 years.
We do have a strong family base.
I have my brothers working here.
My cousins are working here.
So it's a good, strong family connection.
[Hager] What's the most important lesson
you've learned from your family?
Loyalty.
And, uh and it's not something
that's talked about every day.
It's just that you know it's there.
[dramatic electronic music playing]
[music fades]
-Knock knock.
-[Charlotte] Hey-hey!
-Hi. How are you doing?
-[Charlotte] Come on in. What's going on?
-How are you?
-I'm just getting ready for tonight.
-Okay. Tonight.
-Tonight.
-So, tonight is the last practice.
-Last practice before the announcement.
Okay.
-I talked to Kelli.
-[Haley] Okay.
[Charlotte] Just got off the phone
with her.
And I know she was kind of pushing
for the 37,
but I told her to plan tonight,
to go into tonight to think about 36.
-six. Okay.
-Yeah.
I know this is a hard cut.
It's always hard, the very last one.
-Everybody gets even more emotional.
-Emotional.
But I really do think we need
to kinda stick to the format
that we've always had,
that brought us here.
But we can talk about that
later tonight after practice.
You know.
I'm sure Kelli would like to say,
"Let's go with everybody on these pages."
[chuckles] "And let's call it a day."
-[Haley] Get ready to fight that battle.
-[Charlotte] "Have a squad of 38." I know.
We all want more,
because they're all great.
There will be some that are happy
and then a few that are not,
but we'll have to move forward with that.
[upbeat music playing faintly
from speakers]
[chatter]
Nobody that was up here
has fallen down to here.
[Kelli] No.
So this is now 38.
Tonight's job is to say goodbye
to one or two.
Well, I think we need to go into tonight
cutting to 36.
So we need to make sure
that we're truly focusing on
the nuances of all of those
that could potentially be in question,
to make a fair assessment of that.
[dramatic music playing]
[Kelli] You putting Madeline
in that group?
[Charlotte] I'm asking you.
[Kelli] Madeline, I don't think
she fuels herself, energy-wise, and
-Energy Like intake?
-Like eating. Yes. Yes.
Or mental?
-No. Intake.
-Intake.
Who would be next? Do you feel like
there is a debate, a negotiation over
I'd like to see
-I'd like your opinion on Ari.
-[Charlotte] On this situation?
[Kelli] Because if it's not scale,
I think she matches appeal.
Even though she's down here
last night when we pushed her
-She got better.
-She got better.
Who, in your mind then,
is she competing against?
If it's 36 girls, then
I'd like to see if you think Zoë rushes,
or if she's as strong as I think she is.
[Judy] Camille, the only thing
that some people have noticed on her is
her feet looked awkward.
-[Charlotte] Mm-hmm.
-Last night, Charly got my first no.
But if you remember,
she had a super strong solo.
-[Charlotte] Mm-hmm.
-[Kelli] She is a strong technician.
-[Charlotte] Mm-hmm.
-[Kelli] Anna Kate's in her head a bit.
I think she's heard too much
about Caroline.
[Charlotte] That's interesting.
So I'm taking it
this is what I'm looking at.
[Kelli chuckles softly]
She's pursing her lips
and kind of grumbling,
and I'm trying to interpret that.
What does that mean
when Mama does that at the dinner table?
[laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
[Charlotte murmurs]
Okay
[Judy] Why is "Do Not Disturb"
so hard for me to find now?
Swipe down.
-Other way from the corner.
-'Cause you can't see anymore.
-There it is.
-There it is!
Hayley, I need you around all the time.
Until tomorrow morning
for right now. Okay.
["Thunderstruck" playing]
[Kelcey] Five, six, seven
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
Thunder ♪
We're doin' fine ♪
So fine, thunderstruck ♪
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck ♪
Thunderstruck ♪
-Thunderstruck ♪
-[song fades out]
[Charlotte] You know, I think
the challenge is a little bit
Like, comparatively
Kind of looks like a junior.
If she makes it,
it just looks like
It looks like a little girl
running from behind.
Like, "Hurry. Hurry.
I can almost get there."
-It feels like a
-[Kelli] Chase.
-[Charlotte] Left behind.
-[Haley] Yes.
[Charlotte] And a chase.
[whispers] If that's the case,
then do we need to start having
a minimum height?
I think it is something to consider.
I definitely do.
'Cause I do that online.
I said no online because of
It's not great for us
to get to this point of,
"Okay, and this is gonna be the reason
that she can't catch up."
Agreed.
-[Judy] Okay, y'all, stand up.
-[Kelli] Charlotte knows our veterans.
But if you're in pink,
will you reintroduce yourself, just to
-Yes.
-just to reintroduce yourself?
Um, I just graduated
from Texas Christian University
with a degree in finance
and a minor in accounting.
[Camille] a bachelor's in journalism
and minor in Spanish.
[Charlotte] Are you fluent?
-Un poco.
-[Charlotte laughs]
I graduated with a degree
in marketing and event management.
in marketing and sales.
[Charlotte] A lot of people in sales
around here.
[Brooklyn] Yes, ma'am.
[Zoë] I am 20 years old.
I'm originally from Rowlett, Texas,
but live down the road in Prosper.
-[Charlotte] 20?
-Yes, ma'am.
How many 20-year-olds do we have?
Anybody else 20? No?
Great.
Hi, Charlotte. My name is Charly.
I'm from Livermore, California,
and I'm 22 years old,
and I just graduated
from Arizona State University
with a degree in communications
and a minor in media analysis.
-[Charlotte] Is Charly your full name?
-It is.
[Charlotte] It is. Charly.
I was wondering.
[giggles] Yes.
[Ari] Hi, Charlotte. My name is Ariana.
I am 23 years old
from San Diego, California.
I currently work in medical device sales,
specializing in prostate cancer.
-[Charlotte] Love that. Good for you.
-Thank you.
[Charlotte] I think you could
talk about her all day long.
We're never gonna solve the challenge
that exists.
But the other challenge is
we need to be at 36,
and I don't think you would fight for her
over somebody else.
Unless you would. And I actually think
that's the discussion.
[Judy] Right. I don't know why
Did y'all not like the 37 last year? Or?
Well, I think the 36
I think we had extended to 37
We had really strong reasons around COVID
to have an extra person around.
Um, I did not like having a rotation
of the 37th.
You make the squad at 36,
or you don't make the squad.
-[Judy] Gotcha.
-Um
Then the conversation evolved to,
do we then have an alternate?
And you're declared
and you're named an alternate,
you know, to sit there and
Honestly, what I really don't like
about that is
you just have somebody
eternally on standby.
And I don't like that.
[Judy] I don't like also,
"Congratulations, you made the team."
-"By the way"
-And then, you're an alternate.
So I really just
philosophically don't like that.
[gently taps table]
[all laughing softly]
Okay, so if that's
if that is a final answer,
to answer your question about Ari,
I watched her a lot last night,
and I watched her a lot tonight.
I think she is as
She's a strong performer,
she has good style, and she's beautiful.
-[Charlotte] Trust the process.
-[Kelli] I do.
What kind of conversation
do we have with her to send her home?
You have 36 cheerleaders on this squad.
You have the easiest conversation.
There's 36 spots.
[Kelcey] And one, pump, two, three, four,
five, and six, and seven, and eight.
And one, and two, walk, three
Five, six, and seven, eight.
Thunder, two, three
[Kelli] My hesitation here is
that she's grown on me as a performer.
She moved here.
She stayed here. She took classes.
[Judy inhales deeply, sighs]
[Kelcey] Two, four, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven. One
[loudly] Everybody come in, please.
Who needs a microphone?
All right, good work tonight, y'all.
This was really good.
Um Tomorrow night
is our first night at the stadium.
[cheering softly]
Who's never driven to Arlington?
[hushed chatter]
[Kelli] Anybody else?
Anybody else? Okay.
'Cause traffic can be kinda brutal on 30,
and it's definitely 45 minutes from here.
So give yourself enough time
to not be stressed.
Yes, ma'am.
[Kelli] So, we will see y'all tomorrow
at the stadium.
I do need Ari and Charly to stay back
if you will.
Yes, ma'am.
[Kelli] And everybody, we will see you
tomorrow night at AT&T Stadium.
-Yes, ma'am.
-[Kelli] Okay? Good work, y'all.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-You're gonna be okay.
-Yeah, okay.
Hey. Hey, girl. You got it. You got it.
Be strong. I know you are.
You got this.
You're so strong, and I love you so much.
-You're stunning, beautiful, perfect.
-Thank you.
-Love you so much.
-Love you too.
We love you guys. It's just a meeting,
so show 'em who you are in there.
You can always change their mind.
You don't know what's happening.
It's just a meeting. Okay?
We love you.
-All right, ready?
-Mm-hmm.
One, two, three, DCC!
Whoo!
[tense, dramatic music playing]
-[music fades]
-[sighs]
[indistinct chatter]
[Kelli] Hey.
Come have a seat.
How are you feeling?
[quietly] Not my best.
-Huh?
-Not my best right now.
I'm You're not gonna like
where this is going to end,
and I don't either.
So
Is
[tearfully] Is there, like
anything I can do? I mean
[Kelli] I wish I could tell you there was.
Yes, ma'am.
I mean, if you guys could give me
one more night, I would
Like, I know that
[Kelli] Literally, this is not even
something personal
or even too much developmental for you.
It's It's that we are limited
to a team of 36.
[Kelli sighs]
[cries softly]
[inhales sharply] Just
[Kelli] Is there anything
I can say or give you
No. I just wanna thank you guys
for everything.
And the girls are
the greatest girls I've ever met. And
[Judy] You can tell
they connected with you.
I just think God has other plans, maybe.
Thank you.
-[Kelli] Let's get you
-[Judy] Michele will get you safe.
[Kelli] home before it's not too late.
-Michele will
-[Ari sobs]
walk you out.
Let's go. We're gonna go this way.
Can I give you a hug? Thank you.
[Kelli] You be proud of yourself.
Are you?
You know you did great.
Okay.
Thank you.
-Thank you guys for everything.
-[Kelli] Okay.
-We're gonna go out this way.
-Okay.
[Judy] Hello.
-Hey, Charly.
-Hi.
I am looking at your final audition notes.
[Charly] Mm-hmm.
-You wanna hear some of them?
-[quietly] Sure.
Yes.
"Strong technician. Wow dancer."
"Great."
"Outstanding."
"Check, check, check."
"Stunning technique."
"Beautiful showmanship."
"Great technique."
-You blew us away with your craft
-Thank you.
and your level of expertise.
Fast-forward into this training camp
and our choreography,
now you gotta punch. You gotta power.
-You kinda have to thrash a little more.
-Yes.
You're not there yet for this style.
Yes, ma'am.
[Kelli] We're making
our final cuts tonight,
and unfortunately, we're releasing you.
Yes, ma'am. [sniffles]
[Kelli] Um
-You You're a very impressive dancer.
-Thank you so much.
I really appreciate that
from the bottom of my heart.
And I love this organization so much,
and I love the girls so much, and
[Kelli] I'm glad
you found camaraderie here.
-Absolutely.
-[Kelli] Because that does make sense.
Yes.
-And that is a great part of this team.
-It's unlike anything else.
It's getting to dance,
but it's all the other things.
Yes.
-You did great.
-Thank you so much.
-You did great.
-I love you guys so much. Thank you.
-We're glad you had a positive experience.
-Absolutely.
-I'll be back stronger next year.
-Well, good. That's a plan.
-Definitely.
-That's a plan.
-Thank you so much.
-Okay.
[Judy] That's heartbreaking.
She actually would've been 37.
-Hmm?
-She actually would've was 37.
[Kelli sighs]
[Judy sighs]
-[Charly] I love you.
-[Reece] Sorry.
-[Charly] It's okay.
-[Reece cries] I'm so sorry.
[Charly] I'll be back with you next year.
I know.
-[Reece] I'm so proud of you.
-[Charly] I'm proud of you too.
[Reece] I'm so grateful for you
and our friendship.
[Charly] Oh, I cannot gain a better friend
through this, seriously.
Thank you for being there for me.
I'll be cheering you on all season long,
every step of the way.
And then when I come back next year,
you'll be my vet. [laughs]
Okay, I'm gonna call my mom.
[Reece] Charly is so talented, number one.
But she also carries herself beautifully.
-[Heather] Hey, baby.
-[tearfully] Hi, Mom.
How you doing?
[crying] I'm okay.
[Reece] We just grew so close
in such a short period of time.
And when you become so close to someone
and love them so dearly,
and you see them, um, just hurting,
that's extremely hard to witness.
Oh, God. I just wish
I could be there to hug you.
-I hate that I'm not there.
-It's okay.
I'll be home soon, so you can hug me then.
[Reece] I don't think
I'm more special than someone else.
I think that God was all
in control of this.
Well, you'll have me, Kelly, and Becca
coming back for you. Don't you worry.
[Reece] Listen, that literally
would make everything.
[Charly laughs]
[Reece] I know
that I am not a perfect person,
and I will never meet perfection.
And so, my mission as a dancer
is to use my gift and my talent
to bring glory to my creator.
[grand, dramatic music playing]
[Pastor Madu] I want you to pray
for the peace and prosperity of you.
Pray for the peace and prosperity of the
-[congregation] City.
-city.
If the city prospers,
then you will prosper.
[congregation applauding]
[Pastor Madu] God loves Dallas.
Delta Dawn
What's that flower you have on? ♪
Could it be a faded rose
From days gone by? ♪
And did I hear you say ♪
He was a-meetin' you here today ♪
To take you to his mansion in the sky? ♪
You 36 are officially
the 2023 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!
[cheering]
All the folks around Brownsville
Say she's crazy ♪
Love all the pile-ons.
'Cause she walks downtown
With a suitcase in her hand ♪
[jubilant clamoring]
[shrieking joyfully]
[indistinct chatter]
In her younger days
They called her Delta Dawn ♪
So good.
You represent a team.
You represent a community.
You represent a legacy
of over 60 years of women
who have cheered for the Dallas Cowboys.
You are the epitome
of class, and style, sophistication,
and all of what we value as a brand,
as an organization, and as a family.
Delta Dawn
What's that flower you have on? ♪
Could it be a faded ♪
[Kelli] We are so grateful for the women
that came before all of us.
And it is now your responsibility
to wear this uniform,
to steal Charlotte's words,
with grace, class,
uplifting, cheerful spirit.
This is when the magic starts.
Passing the baton to Anna Kate.
[cheering]
Thank you so much.
She got her name from a baby book
on the Bs, Brooklyn!
She's gonna give a kick sky-high,
'cause we're proud of her, Camille.
[cheering]
-Thank you.
-[Charlotte] I have Reece.
Thank you.
[cheering]
-Congratulations.
-Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
[chanting] Rookies! Rookies!
Rookies! Rookies! Rookies!
Whoo!
[cheering]
From my family, I thank y'all so much.
Since 1983, you've all been my family.
So, thank you.
[Charlotte] We've got you.
We've been very warm and fuzzy,
but now the pressure's on.
So my tone will go from this to
[shrieks] this!
[laughter]
Delta Dawn
What's that flower you have on? ♪
Could it be a faded rose
From days gone by? ♪
And did I hear you say ♪
He was a-meetin' you here today ♪
To take you to his mansion in the sky? ♪
And did I hear you say ♪
-He was a-meetin' you here today ♪
-[crowd roaring]
To take you to his mansion in the sky? ♪
[song echoes as it fades]
[bright, dramatic electronic music
playing]
[music fades]