Written by Nicole Bulcher
Another question I usually get is, "What happens the first day of auditions?" The first day of tryouts is called Prelims and it's open to everyone. You'll want to register beforehand, either online or by sending a hard-copy of the form to the DCC office (instructions are on our website).
The morning of Prelims you will be standing in line with around 600 other women hoping to gain a spot on the team. This will also be your first interaction with the CMT cameras that will be filming Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team. Many of the girls who are interviewed during Prelims have had their registration forms and biographies scrutinized before getting there and it's pretty random who the show decides to follow.
Personally, I was worried enough about trying out and didn't want to worry about being followed for the show. My friend and I were so relieved to fly under the CMT radar during auditions – another blessing being from Idaho. They never saw us coming!
After you check in and receive your number, everyone has time to "fluff and puff" before starting the freestyle round. I would recommend showing up ready to go. The last thing you want to do is botch a first impression. Even though the judges won't see you until you hit the floor, the volunteers who will be running the show are former DCCs who are just as important, and you want to meet them with your best foot forward. My friend and I arrived with full hair and makeup and were able to just stretch and practice our dances while many other girls scrambled to take out rollers and put on makeup.
Everyone sits in numerical order surrounding the dance floor. You watch groups of four or five girls freestyle for 60 seconds. When you first walk onto the floor, you will pass a microphone and introduce yourself to the judges. This is not the time to tell your life story. Say your name, age, hometown and maybe what you do; keep it succinct! The judges have your bio in front of them and you have 600 girls waiting for their turns who are not interested in what your Teacup Yorkie's name is.
The music is usually a mix of top 40 and you don't know what will be played until it's your turn. I do not excel at free-styling, so I had prepared several different bits of choreography that would go to any upbeat music. This worked well for me because my song was left playing past the 60-second mark … and I knew this because Ialmost used up all of my pre-fab "free-styling" (when timed before auditions it was nearly two minutes worth of material!) and my song was "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, which kept playing through the slow, awkward talking part! I am glad I over-prepared.
After you're done, you'll go sit back in your seat and watch the rest of the girls. In my opinion, it comes across as rude to go nap, text or spend the rest of the four-plus hours fluffing and puffing. Have the courtesy of watching all the girls who watched you. Also, the cameras are everywhere so keep your facial expressions in check!
After the judges deliberate, Security Guard Phil will roll the white-board outside with the numbers of those who make it to the Semifinals written on it. This process won't happen quickly, so be patient and enjoy being there. The stadium is beautiful and just reaching that point is an accomplishment!
