02x03 - Someone's Daughter

[bunniefuu]

[indistinct chatter]

[photographer] Scoot in a bit, Tamara.

-Ready, one, two, three.
-[woman laughing]

[photographer] Framing, honey.
It's all about framing.

-Go, diva. I love it.
-[laughs]

[bright music playing]

-Cheers!
-[man] Cheers to y'all.

-[woman] Cute. I didn't do much today.
-[Shelly Bramhall] I need a drink.

-Your daughter's a dancer?
-Yeah. She's here.

-She's a beautiful dancer.
-Oh wow!

They're asking if I was a dancer.
"No, just cheerleader."

-But you cheered, right?
-Yes.

-And it's so different.
-It is.

It's not like doing stunts on the field.

I can do flips, but I can't…
I don't have the moves like my mom does.

She can't tumble
and I hear about it all the time.

"Why didn't you put me in tumbling?"
I was like, "I did, and you sat."

So I was like,
"Forget it. We're not doing this."

-Thank you.
-[woman] Cheers, ladies.

-Cheers.
-Cheers.

-[woman] You're double fisting.
-I got one for Dayton.

So nice. How do you deal with that?

-[Bramhall] She's the quiet side of me.
-Yeah.

Are you still dancing
and teaching and all that?

-I work for the cheerleaders.
-Oh my gosh!

-Like, I never left. I never left.
-Of course you do.

[bright music playing]

I cheered for five seasons,

but I actually cheered two seasons
and took three seasons off.

I got married and had my first son.

So I came back in ,
and we cheered at Super Bowl XXX.

And then I stayed one more year
to complete five seasons.

My mom is awesome.
She's talented and very outgoing.

She can do everything.
She's like a superwoman.

♪ Shower time! ♪
[humming "U Can't Touch This" song]

Being her daughter is tough sometimes.

Of course, I think every alumni
would want their child on the sideline.

And I'm excited to see this possibility.

Of course, I think she would be amazing.
But, you know, time will tell.

My current role
with the DCC is associate choreographer.

And I'm constantly thinking about
what more can we add

to give every candidate
the best shot possible.

-[gentle music playing]
-[indistinct chatter]

["Feather" by Sabrina Carpenter
playing on stereo]

Shelly, she's just such a fun person
to be around and always happy.

-People gravitate to her.
-[gentle music playing]

Shelly has always been
the life of the party.

She can do anything.

She's been a great leader for a long time.

-[Bramhall] Whoo!
-[gentle music continues]

[Kelli] When Dayton
made it into training camp,

I was proud for her.
And then I remember walking off the field.

I didn't wanna cross the lines
of director and friend,

but I couldn't help but give Shelly a hug.

And Shelly immediately started going into,
"Dayton could have done this better."

"She could have done that better.
She'll get stronger."

And I'm like, "Shelly,
just enjoy this moment for a minute."

"She just made it into training camp."

And that's when I thought, "Uh-oh."

"Maybe there's more pressure
at home than I realized."

You could do
a line of rookies in the front

and a line of veterans in the back.

-That's fine.
-[Kelli] Feels organized.

[Judy] I would do front row, back row.

Front row.

[Michelle] Are rookies
always in the front learning?

[Kelli] No,
we're just trying to study 'em.

[Dayton] Definitely need to work on
memorizing a few dances.

[laughs] Uh…

There's one that just won't stick
in my body, but I'll get it.

[dance music playing on stereo]

[Kelli] Jada's out-dancing Dayton
in front of her. That's for sure.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Dayton] It is very nice
having your mom there,

but I need to do what's best for me,

rather than do what's best for my mom

or not being afraid of disappointing her.

[Keys] Dayton, just obviously
your memory mistakes,

but nail the parts that you know.

Yes, ma'am.

[Michelle] You have to fake it
till you make it.

This time you were coming at us.

Charge at us. Charge at us.

[suspenseful music continues]

[music fades]

[Ariel] Training camp.

I expected it to move quick,
but it's moving quicker than I thought.

If I would have made it
to training camp last year,

I'm pretty sure
I wouldn't have lasted long,

because I definitely didn't prepare
as much as I did this year.

So I ended up making it all the way
to finals last year and got cut

right before they announced
the training camp group,

which… I was devastated.

Like, tears.

Like… [laughs]

I remember driving home that night,
and my mom literally had to take over.

Because I was crying so much.
I'm like, "Yeah, my life is over."

"I don't know what I'm gonna do now.
I have to go back to work."

Like, "What am I gonna do?"

My mom, the first thing she told me was,
"You gotta trust God."

"You gotta trust His plan.
Get back on it. Keep pushing."

"Just take this year to train."

And I also decided to start seeing a PT
about getting my kicks better.

'Cause I always knew flexibility
was not my thing,

and if I wanted to make this team,
the flexibility has to get better.

For me personally, I never was flexible.

I never was the kicker. I never had that.
That was always a struggle for me.

I'm like, "Can I do DCC?
Because you have to kick."

That's such a big part of it.

And that's truly one
of my biggest struggles,

which I'm still working on,
but it's getting better.

We still have nine cuts
to make to get it down to ,

which is very stressful.

But I love all the Omni girls.
We got close so fast.

[laughs] I'm like, "Oh my God.
I cannot imagine any of us leaving here."

[indistinct chatter]

[Darah] This feels great.
I love it. I love this.

[Ariel] It's like the shoes won't stay.

[Darah] Yeah. It feels good.

[Shelly Roper-McCaslin] Leaders,
y'all take your groups

to a different area of the field
and I'm gonna come to you.

[woman] I have to go to the bathroom
so bad.

Okay.

So I want to see
you do the full kick line.

Um, full choreography,
but also full range of motion.

Adrienne has you guys do kick lines,
right, at Arizona?

-Yeah.
-[Roper-McCaslin] Okay.

-With the band?
-Yes. That's it.

[Roper-McCaslin] Okay, but you guys don't
for Tiger Girls? Yeah?

-Did you in high school? Okay.
-[laughs] No, ma'am. We didn't do that.

-[Roper-McCaslin] Yeah. That's right.
-But we're gonna get it.

[Roper-McCaslin] It's a whole new world.
Okay.

-[woman ] You got this.
-[woman ] Five, six, seven, eight.

And one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven, eight…

[Michele Sharp] This year, everyone,

pun intended, it seems like
they're on a level playing field.

It's just been
such a hard decision for Kelli and Judy.

[woman] …four, five, six, seven…

I think, honestly,
what it's gonna come down to,

and it always comes down
to this every year,

is power and kicks.

["Fire" by Lizzy Mercier Descloux playing]

[Melissa Page] What I would tell anyone
that is auditioning for DCC,

I would say start working on your kicks
a year ahead of time.

Because you have to have the kicks
in order to be on DCC.

Many of the young women,
they have a lot of background in ballet,

but a grand battement, which the placement
naturally ascending from the hip,

the dynamic is supposed to be effortless,

but a high kick, the way that we do it
is very powered,

and the placement is center.

["Fire" continues playing]

It's your hamstrings, your hips,

and then also
you have to have core strength.

Your chest is supposed to stay stationary,

and your leg comes right to your nose.

And you have to have the rhythm.

The timing going up
and the timing going down.

Everyone has to be in sync.

It's hard.

It's like you have to
be so mentally strong

and so physically strong.

[Jada] If you're a trained dancer,

DCC kicks
are everything you weren't taught.

You come through a parallel,
which we rarely ever do in dance class.

You're always turned out.

I think your quad somehow
gets involved a little more

and maybe your hips, which is probably
where a lot of injuries come from.

[Ava] It's like my IT band
or whatever this is on the outside.

[tense music playing]

[Jaja] After being on the team this long,
it feels more natural,

but I don't know if I'm the best.
I think I'm just the highest.

[Chandi] So flexibility is one.
Two is just your stamina.

Kicking at the end of a three-minute dance
is really, really hard,

especially in your boots.

[Roper-McCaslin] Your pathway
of your legs is not straight.

Your kicks are really pretty.
I just wanna see them a few inches higher.

-So keep pushing.
-Okay.

[Roper-McCaslin] One, two, three,
four, five, six, seven, and eight.

You're a narrow little oval,
so it needs to start here.

All finish over here.
Yeah, you're cutting it.

Armani, could you step out and show them?

One, two, three,
four, five, six, seven, and eight.

There is this like-- [laughs] Wait, do you
already know what I'm gonna say?

-[laughing] Yeah.
-What am I gonna say, Ava? You tell me.

-I'm holding tension in my neck.
-Yes!

And then you're worried
about staying in line. It's a lot.

[laughs]

[Dayton] Yeah,
I was thinking about so many things.

I was like, "Just squeeze,
up here, stay in line."

[laughs] It is really difficult.
I'm not gonna lie.

I've never been a good kicker.
I'm more of a jumper.

I can do jump splits all day
if you need me to,

but kicking is really hard.

[Roper-McCaslin] Five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three,
four,

five, six, seven,
eight.

One, two, three,
four,

five,
six,
seven,
eight.

One, two, three…

[Ariel] I'm worried. It hurts so bad.

-[Kleine] Have you done PT before?
-Yeah, I've been going.

I went this morning.
Now, I'll probably be going tomorrow.

Yeah, I don't know what's the problem
with my hip.

-No, it's from the leg.
-Since college?

No, just now. Well, not just now,
but since training camp. Yeah.

[woman] Trust the process.

-Try to get the kicks up.
-Trust this process.

-Trust the process.
-[woman] It'll stop hurting.

-When? [laughs] I need to know.
-Sometime!

Yeah, soon.

[indistinct chatter]

[chatter continues]

[Kinsy] You have straight hair!
It looks good!

[Abby] Straight hair, straight kicks!

-[all laughing]
-[Ariel] I need to do that!

Where are you going?

[Clare Marie] I'm gonna
spend the day at the pool.

Yeah.

[Ariel] You guys are coming too!

[soothing music playing]

What are you eating?
Where did you get that?

[Clare Marie] At the Omni,
it's been so warm and comforting.

You have a group of girls
who are all from out of state.

So we're all kind of here on our own,
and so we can show up together.

Am I worth it?

[Clare Marie] Here as a helping hand,
as a sounding board. You name it.

[Abby] I think I'm gonna head poolside.

[Kelly V] Let us know how it is.

Comparison can be a really hard thing,
especially when you walk into a room

of so many incredible women.

But we've got a solid
and a strong group of girls.

You're going through
one of the hardest things in your life.

At the same time,
they're feeling the same emotions.

We can relate on a different level.

-[Clare Marie] Do a handstand contest.
-[Madie K] Okay.

[Ava] So it just, like,
automatically bonds you together.

It is hard to grow so close
with these girls

but know at the end of the day
you're ultimately competing against them.

But when you're in an arena like this,
you know,

any negative energy is not welcome.

That's gonna do no one any good.

And so just to cheer them on,

it warms my heart knowing
their hard work paid off, and you just…

you know that when that day comes for you,

that you'll have those same friends
who will cheer and encourage you as well.

-[Ava] No, she doesn't. She's so funny.
-[Clare Marie] "What are you laughing at?"

-[Ava] She's like the baby, like…
-[Clare Marie] Yeah.

[cell phone ringing]

[ringing continues]

-[Jan on phone]
Hi, Madie! Hello.
-[Madie K laughs] Dang! That was fast.

-Um…
-What are y'all doing?

-I just made my taco for the day. [laughs]
-Oh, yum.

-[woman on phone]
Hi, Madie.
-Hi! What are y'all painting pots for?

-[Jan]
For fun. Having a girls' afternoon.
-[woman]
Yeah. We are.

Dang, I miss the house.

[Jan]
Yeah, we miss you being in it.

[laughs] I feel like
I forgot what it feels like to be at home.

I feel like I've been here
for three months.

-[Jan]
Yeah.
-[pensive music playing]

[Madie K] I've never been in a dorm.

It's like a whole new life for me.

It does get lonely. I'm away
from my parents for the first time.

My boyfriend's five hours away.
My sister's five hours away.

-[Jan]
Today is a big day.
-Uh-huh.

Yeah, Bryant's still working though,
so he didn't have off today.

[Jan]
Yeah, I kinda told him
"happy birthday" this morning

and "hope he had a good day."

-[Madie K] Mm-hmm.
-I know he misses you.

[Madie K] Yeah. It's bittersweet.

I really wanna be there, but obviously
this is where I wanted to be.

[Jan]
Yeah. Well, it's okay.

Y'all are both busy.

Both of y'all following your own journeys
and doing what you have to do right now,

and that's a good thing.

[bright music playing]

[Bryant] I have an apprenticeship program
with an electrical company,

and so I'm trying
to get my journeyman license

so that I can be a journeyman electrician.

Madie, she's always motivating me,
pushing me to do better,

and I'm doing the same for her.

We actually met
when I went to a gym right down here.

I was working out,
and she was on the other side.

We kept looking at each other.

And then finally, I walked up to her,

and that's how we met,
and then we started texting,

and then the rest is history, really.

[sweet music playing]

[Bryant] Madie always wanted to try out
and be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

It was just practicing every day, all day.

I mean, that's all she did was practice,

and now Madie's actually in Dallas
at training camp, and it's…

It's been tough.
I mean, we don't talk very often.

We talk maybe ten minutes every day,
and even when we're on the phone,

she's practicing dances
or getting ready for practice,

and it's tough.

[Madie K] It's really hard to have
a boyfriend in training camp,

because the dancing is hard,

but it's mental, like, challenges that
if you're not involved in it,

you don't understand.

So Bryant would be like, "It's okay.
You're the best dancer I know."

And I'm like, "Listen,
you don't understand."

I may be good for my small town,

but it's like, when you pull
the best dancer from every single place

that wanna try out
for this team… it's hard.

And that's where tension started,

because I had to spend
- learning these dances,

and as a boy, he just doesn't get it.

[Bryant] She's shut down.

She doesn't wanna
talk about what's going on,

which I understand to an extent,

but I think she should open up
and talk to us about it more.

[Madie K] I know he's been lonely.

His family moved to Ohio, and he didn't
have his family right when I left.

He really had, like, no one at home.

We were both going through
the same thing in different ways,

so it's just difficult.

There has been moments
where we're both just like,

"I don't know that this will work,"

but we both have the drive
that this is what we want.

We wanna be together.
We wanna have a future together.

So we're gonna find a way to make it work,
no matter what it is.

[peaceful music playing]

[Kelli] Now, somewhere over here
is where the crocodile is.

And then we have bobcats and coyotes
in this neighborhood and copperheads.

Before the th of July, my full intention

was to get one round
of cuts done so that those girls

could go home and get back to life.

I just…
My heart and my head weren't there.

It wasn't… It wasn't the right day.

[hesitatingly] It… It's too…

It's too serious, and it's too final

for it to be not really,
really well-thought-out.

[tense music playing]

[Kelli] We are nine people
over roster right now.

So the pressure is on.

Ava, she's got a sexy,

fresh look about her.

Great fit, more mature, pretty.

-Little Madie from La Porte.
-[Judy] Mm-hmm.

[Kelli] She's not
anywhere near her potential yet.

No, she still looks nervous.

[Kelli] Cooper and Hadyn,
they both got two no's last rehearsal.

And Hadyn, she's just not grasping
the choreography yet.

She's gotten messy.

The bottom tier can be somewhat fluid.

We always have someone make the team
that scored lower at auditions,

and then we will
also have some great dancers

that had a great solo at final auditions

that can't handle the pace
or the pressure of training camp.

Abby, I think she's more exotic
when she dances,

'cause she's got such great expressions.

[Judy] Mm-hmm.
Her and Dayton have the same issues.

It's picking up choreography quickly.

[Kelli] Kinsy got two yes's.
So she's moved up.

Clare Marie, Marie Clare.
She is a little bit more poised,

which might soften power.

Savannah.

I still think she's tiny on the field
compared to the rest of the group.

Her kicks were really… bad.

[Kelli] Paris concerns me with her feet.

There's definitely some instinct,
experience, and subjectiveness

that we will call an audible.
That's for sure.

Hey, come on in. Have a seat.

-How are you feeling?
-I'm feeling good.

-You are?
-Yes, ma'am.

-You're doing good.
-Thank you.

First of all, I appreciate the fact
that you've tried out before,

and you get an A on persistence
on trying out again.

-Thank you.
-Making it to finals last year

and then making it
to training camp this year…

-Thank you.
-…are solid steps to making this team.

[Paris] Yeah.

[Kelli] But some of these dances,

you're not matching the style
of the choreography.

I would love nothing more
than for you to make this team.

Yes, ma'am.

But we're just at the time where we are
making cuts, and we're starting tonight,

and you're gonna be released
from the team tonight.

Yes, ma'am.

I would love for you to make this team.
It's not gonna be this year.

We're ready for Savannah.

Okay.

-Do you need…
-[Hadyn] No, I'm fine.

-Huh?
-[Hadyn] I got it.

[Chandi] I forgot
to teach you guys one part.

-I'm looking for Savannah.
-Okay.

-Savannah.
-I'm so sorry, but it's the easiest part.

-[Jenna] Can I take a seat?
-[Kelli] Yeah, please!

This is…

[tense music playing]

Your hair looks different here.
Was it darker?

-Oh! That's not me.
-[Kelli] That's what I was thinking.

I think… Well, hello.

-Michele was gonna bring in Savannah.
-Mm-hmm.

[both laughing]

-[Kelli] That's it!
-Thank you, guys.

Okay, back to the dance room.

[Michele] Back to the room.

-[Kelli] Hello.
-Hi.

-[Kelli] How are you?
-I'm good.

-How are you guys?
-[both] Good.

The way these pictures are ordered
is how everyone scored at finals

with the judges,

and then we give you
a vote each night as well.

So, as you can see, you are here.

You're not gonna make the team this year.

We're sorry to have this be
the last night here,

but congratulations on making it
into this training camp.

It was very competitive.

-Thank you.
-[somber music playing]

[Hadyn] Thank you for everything.

[Kelli] Congratulations on making it
to training camp. A huge accomplishment.

[voice breaking] I will not forget it.
Thank you.

-[Judy] Come here.
-[Paris] Thank you so much.

[somber music continues]

[Judy] Okay.
Let's see groups one and two rookies.

[scattered clapping]

["Thunderstruck" playing on stereo]

[Kelli] Who's next to Kinsy?
She doesn't look pretty tonight.

She doesn't look as pretty tonight.
I wanna see her in a makeover.

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

[song fades]

[Judy] Next group.

["Thunderstruck" resumes on stereo]

[Judy] Abby's kicks are pretty.

Dayton just turned the wrong way.

[indistinct chatter]

-It's that left leg.
-Maybe. That's…

[Kelli] Oof! Timing down here is bad.

Does Clare Marie look older in the group?

[Judy] I just think
she has a different look.

-[Kelli] Wow.
-[song fades]

[Judy] Two was… was great.

[Kelli] Wow. What have they done?

Timing was off a little bit.
Did y'all notice with…

[woman muttering]

I don't know who it was.

I think it was both of y'all fighting.

[Chandi] Yeah, it rippled between
you three just after the step kicks.

It got just slower.

[Judy] Ariel, you're gonna have to be
one of those that stretches

more often than anyone else,
harder than anyone else.

You look like you're struggling,
and we want it to look effortless.

Right. Okay. Yes.

Dayton, are you…
is your right leg hurt? Left.

-It's your left that's low.
-[Dayton] That first kick was really low.

[Judy] It was, and I didn't think
that was your normal kick.

-No, ma'am.
-[Judy] We'll do it again.

And you can do it high this time. Okay.

Clare Marie, your passés
could be a little more intentional.

[Clare Marie] Yes, ma'am.

-[Kelli] Just to be a bit more crisp. Yes.
-Crisp, sure.

[rock music playing on stereo]

-We gotta make a cut tonight.
-Yeah.

[Kelli] There's something
about Clare Marie that's a little…

-A little cut off on her arms. Huh?
-I think she's very womanly.

-Yeah.
-[rock music continues]

-[music stops]
-[woman] Whoo!

You got something?

Clare Marie, there were
a couple times in there where you were

slightly chasing the choreography
or maybe not right on top of it.

It might be that this isn't
your favorite song, favorite dance,

but I've seen you do better
on other routines.

Okay. Yes, ma'am.

[Judy] Okay, we'll get a drink.

You do such fun facial expressions.
This one…

-Thank you.
-It's so fun.

[indistinct chatter]

Don't cut yourself in your head
before they even said anything to you.

You've had good corrections.
You're getting better.

Every night, you're getting better,
improving, so take that.

-And just keep riding with that.
-Okay.

'Cause I don't think
they've said anything negative.

Just get out of your head.

Give yourself a little bit of grace,
for sure. But…

We'll go over it.

Very happy for you. Be good.
We're here for you, girl.

[tense music playing]

Clare Marie just kind of got hot and cold.

[Michele] She's only .
She seems older than that.

And she was Miss Missouri for America.

Yes, she was in the America system.

[Kelli] I'd like to give
Clare Marie a chance to know…

She's gotta step it up.

And I… I just don't even know
what to think about Dayton.

I don't know what kind of
conversation to have with Dayton.

[Kelli] We're hearing
"not dynamic enough" a lot about Kinsy,

a little bit about Clare.

And for sure, Cooper.

[Judy] Who is a makeover gonna help?

Clare Marie, maybe 'cause
her blonde is a little too blonde.

Kinsy's just young and cute.
I think she just is what she is.

Uh, Dayton, a makeover might help,
some thickness in her hair.

I gave Clare a yes the first night.

Dayton, the first night,
I said, "Better, but low left kick."

Cooper could do a makeover.

[Michele] Okay, it is :,

so it is time to call it a night.

Great work tonight.

Y'all look beautiful. I'm so proud of you.

And we'll need Dayton,

Clare Marie to stay, please, okay?

-[Dayton] Yes, ma'am.
-Okay, all right.

-[Chandi] We'll be here waiting for y'all.
-[Clare Marie] Oh my God.

[Abby] No, don't worry. We will not leave.

[Ava] Y'all are good.

[Abby] Don't cut yourself
before they've said anything, okay?

You've been improving every night.
Just walk in there. Confidence.

You're gonna be fine.

[Michele] You got this. You got this.

Right? Right. Yeah, you do.

[Kelli] Dayton,
she made it into training camp.

She obviously always does beautiful solos,

but then when you get in that room

and it comes down to some
of those words that we say a lot.

Power, projection,
precision, and the strength.

She's not keeping up with the momentum
of learning all the routines.

She has a heart to be here,

but it's just escalated,
knowing it's somebody's daughter.

We wanna give you, um,
the best chance to be successful.

-[Dayton] Okay.
-With honest feedback.

And I thought tonight
was your worst night.

-I can talk you through your notes.
-All right.

[Kelli] Um…

I thought tonight was your worst night,
to be honest.

I thought you looked
much better in your uniform.

"Seems bored." That's one of my comments.

There are times when you're dancing,
and you just kind of seem bored.

Okay.

You just looked confused, actually,
a lot on tonight's new routine

and then some of the past routines.

-All right.
-[Kelli] Which can't.

And when we look at you, we look at you
as having almost six years of experience.

And maybe that's not fair,
but it feels that way,

because you've had more experience
than a lot of people on this table.

-[Dayton] Okay.
-So we probably expect more out of you.

-But where you are right now is number .
-Okay.

We want you up there,
but you've gotta earn it.

We… We can't…

None of us want you
to make this team just because…

you have a history.

You need to earn to make this team.

We don't wanna have
that conversation again.

-Right?
-[crying] Yeah, me neither.

I know I've had a horrible week, so…

-What do you mean? We haven't said that.
-I just have felt off.

I don't know if it's just me
getting in my own head.

-Or setting me back to myself.
-Don't let that get in your head.

Everybody learns at different… pace.

And we understand
that sometimes the first night,

-Dayton's not gonna get it.
-[Dayton] Mm-hmm.

[Judy] You know
that you're a slower learner.

So get in the middle, get in the front.
Don't let anybody…

Make yourself have to learn it
without watching other people.

[Kelli] You can do it,
but you're gonna have to fight.

I can come back stronger next week.

-[Judy] How are you?
-Doing well. Thank you. [laughing]

[Kelli] We wanted to give you the chance

to know how you're doing
and what we're thinking.

Thank you. Yes, I appreciate that.

Um, first, we have been very impressed
with just you as a person

in this training camp.

Your appeal, your maturity, your poise,

what you could offer to our organization
as an ambassador,

um, a teammate, there's no concerns there.

But we are down to the last two weeks
of this training camp.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Kelli] And with the dancing,

sometimes your dancing…
the word that's come up twice

is more of a soft dancer.

-As opposed to a powerful dancer.
-Okay. Yes, ma'am.

You are the type of person
we would love on this team.

However, the dancing and where we are now,

we don't see you
making the team this year.

Is there anything I could do
to change that this year?

-[Kelli] No.
-Okay.

Um, it's really…

It starts coming down
to who is just captivating in the room

in every dance every night.

That's where it comes down to.

And your softer style
is sometimes disappearing…

-Okay. Okay.
-…from some of the stronger dancers.

Stronger delivery of dancers.

-Yes, ma'am.
-Not technical.

Well, I appreciate, um,
the honest feedback, and…

positive, negative, all the things.

This has just been
such a wonderful experience,

and I almost convinced myself
to not try out this year.

But I just kept seeing the post.
I thought I'd regret it if I didn't.

So, thank you. Thank you all so very much.

[Kelli] Okay.

-Have a good night and a great weekend.
-[both] Thank you.

-[Kelli] Good night.
-Good night.

-We just… We just cut a good one.
-[Judy] Mm-hmm.

[objects clatter]

[indistinct chatter]

-[Dayton] I love you.
-[Clare Marie] You too. Thank you all.

-[woman] I love you. I'm proud of you.
-[Clare Marie] Love you all.

-[woman] You should be proud.
-[Clare Marie] Thank you.

-[woman] You're the best.
-[Clare Marie] Yes.

Everyone is just wonderful here and just…

It's so inspiring walking into the room
and dancing next to you all, so it's just…

-[woman ] We feel the same about you.
-[woman ] Seriously.

-[Clare Marie] Yes.
-[woman] Met my new best friend.

-I love you so much. Love you.
-Yes. I love you all too.

[laughing] I can't look at you.

Okay.

All right, group hugs all around.
Big hugs. Yes. Yes.

[somber music playing]

[Clare Marie] I think I'm pretty okay.

Are you? You're handling it so well.
I'm so proud of you.

-It's the pageant inside of you.
-[Clare Marie laughing]

-Yes. It's all gonna be okay.
-[Kelly V] It will.

[Clare Marie] Yes.

-[Abby] I found my new bestie!
-[Clare Marie laughing] Yeah.

-[Abby] Omni for life.
-[Madie K] Omni people.

-[Clare Marie laughing] Yeah.
-[Abby] For life!

[somber music continues]

You move here. You live in a hotel.

You devote your entire summer
to making this team.

They make you feel like you are
on the team when you're in training camp.

-The girls do.
-That's the hardest part.

[Charly] The worst part about getting cut

is you feel like
you're getting away from your friends.

Every single day
since the auditions opened,

since before the auditions opened,
since the prep intensive,

you were focused on making this team.

And so when it gets to the end
and it's not able to happen anymore,

you go home to your hometown
and your childhood bedroom,

and it's just done.

[woman] Rest and some food, you guys.

[Charly] They say
there are so many comeback girls,

but when you get cut, you don't
feel like that's even possible again.

[Kelly V] We're still fighting.

-Thank you. I'm proud of you.
-[Charly] I'm proud of you.

-[Clare Marie] I'm rooting for you.
-Thank you.

[indistinct chatter]

[laughs] A lot of the girls,
they go to their small town,

hometown salons
that everybody gets the same cut,

curl and platinum blonde.

Now they're dealing
with real creative artists.

Experts that love these makeovers.

[majestic music playing]

[Kevin] We need to get you into,
like, that Dallas blonde.

[laughs] Yes. Please.

[Kelli] Most of them love the makeovers,

but hair is a nerve-wracking

and important part of someone's identity.

[Kevin] Um, we like the color.

We just need to touch up
these little dark roots up there.

So I think we're just going to
give you a nice touch-up.

-[Ava] Oh my gosh, okay! Yes!
-Yeah! Does that sound good?

[majestic music continues]

[Kevin] So, I'm thinking red.

Have you ever been any kind of red? No?

Okay, so I've got a few swatches.

[Kelli] If she was gonna do it,
I'd do a dark brown red.

[mouthing] I like that one.

[Kevin] I think this one
would be really pretty on her.

-Oh my gosh, with the foils.
-[laughing]

[camera clicking]

[majestic music continues]

-[woman] Your eyes are popping!
-[laughing] Yeah?

A lot of times when you're dancing,
it kind of just ends up here.

Okay.

[Kevin] So I think what we wanna do
is add some length to your hair.

[Tina] Look up.

Push those down a little bit.

And this little girl is a legacy.
Her mama used to dance.

-Oh my gosh, how exciting!
-Oh yeah.

Yes. Okay, so we like your hair color.

It's gorgeous.
We don't wanna change that at all.

What we really need to focus on today
is giving you some thickness.

-Okay.
-You do have very fine-textured hair.

So it's just really kind of looking
stringy down here at the bottom.

So with her, let's start with two rows.

-Okay. Okay.
-She actually may need a third.

-Just a small one down here at the bottom.
-Yeah.

[Abby] I was not expecting
to get a change.

I thought I was the one
that was in the clear

to get my hair
just maybe a little bit of a trim.

I thought maybe a bit of dimensions…

[voice breaking] But they
held some swatches to my face and said,

"How about copper?"

What if they don't like it?

Are they gonna change me back,
or are they just gonna say, "Bye"?

[laughing] You never know!

[majestic music continues]

So, kinda what I saw during practice
was it looks very just kinda solid.

-It's very… it doesn't flow.
-[Ariel] Yeah.

It may be because either the texture of it
or the layers.

-[Kevin] I wanna see more movement.
-Okay.

That way when she's swinging her hair
around doing all that hairography,

we're seeing a lot of movement in there.

-All right!
-[Ariel] I can't wait.

I like the thickness and volume.

-Do you, Dayton?
-Oh I love it.

-[Tina] Oh my God. It's beautiful.
-I love it.

-[Tina] Looks so natural.
-How are you feeling?

-Are you feeling better since we talked?
-Yes. Much better.

-How do you feel?
-[Abby] I like it a lot.

There's no difference really
in the color that's dramatic.

-It looks good.
-[Abby] Yeah, I like it.

Yours is long.
Let me see. Does it feel too long?

[Madie K] It is really long.
It's just gonna take getting used to.

Like, whipping the hair around,
normally, I'm used to this.

-So it's gonna be weird. But I like it.
-We'll see how it dances.

[majestic music continues]

[music fades]

[Bramhall on phone]
What? Oh wow!
That's really long.

It's long and it's thick.

She doubled them up, so it's super thick.

-
Do you like it?
-Yeah.

Do you like it?

Yeah, it's beautiful.

I like it. I like it a lot.

-[Rosemary] Ariel, are you excited?
-I am too excited.

[laughing] I can't hide it!

-Been wearing extensions your whole life?
-Yeah.

-What made you like…
-Basically since… since like high school.

-Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
-High school. Wow.

Ariel, so she's excited,
'cause she's never worn a wig before,

but she's always wanted to wear a wig.

[exclaiming and laughing]

Creating the wig
will basically be the alternative for her

so she can do less work with her hair.

It's just so much easier
when it comes to your day-to-day life.

I started working with the Cowboys
about five years ago.

Around , they were looking for someone
who really specialized in textured hair.

Because a lot of the girls would dance
and do so much with their hair,

but sometimes it gets a little difficult
when no one specializes in that.

I know for a lot of the girls
it was a big shocker to them

that they had to go out their way
to get their hair done.

And it can be a self-conscious thing

because our beauty doesn't really define
who you are when the talent comes in,

but it definitely plays a big part.

And so if your hair
or your appearance is one of the things,

especially as a Black girl,

then it definitely can make you feel
like you're behind.

And then you're good. Feels good?

-Yes, I love!
-Awesome. Yeah.

-Thank you so much!
-You're welcome!

[laughing]

-Thank you! I love it! It looks so good!
-You're welcome. It does look good.

-The color looks great.
-Wait. You ate. It looks so good.

-[Rosemary] Four plus four?
-[laughing] Eight!

[Rosemary] You've taken care
of your skin really good.

-Yeah.
-[Armani] Thanks. That's the goal of .

Glass skin.

What do you do?

I exfoliate my head, like…
once or twice a month.

With, like, a scrub?

-[Armani] Mm-hmm.
-Mmm.

-Is it good side? Or left or right?
-[Armani] Um, yeah, this side.

-[Rosemary] This side?
-Yeah.

Do you want it far to the side or kind of…

Um, kinda. I don't think Kelli
likes the deep side part.

-So kind of right above the eyebrow.
-Okay.

If that makes sense.

[gentle music playing]

[Armani] When I was about ,
I had braids in my hair,

and when my mom was taking my braids out,

she noticed that one of the spots,
as she took the braid out,

there was no hair there.

Um, and my dad has alopecia.

So we went to the dermatologist,

and they did some tests,
and it did turn out that I have alopecia.

Okay, so I'm gonna put this on.
Let me know if it is too tight.

Okay.

I would have months where
it would fall out in just little patches.

Then it would come back.

And then I would go maybe a year or two
without any of my hair falling out.

I did have bald spots.
They always grew back.

Like, I knew it would always grow back,
so I never worried about it.

But going through training camp
on my rookie-year season,

doing the maintenance for natural curls,

it was starting to take a toll on my hair.

[somber music playing]

[Armani] And then, one day,
it just all fell out.

I woke up that morning…
I had a hair appointment, actually.

And I woke up that morning,

and when I pushed my wig back
just a little bit,

the whole thing just slid off,

and I could see the braids of my hair

still attached to the inside of the wig.

It was hard because I wanted so hard

to dance with my natural hair.

I don't think any of us knew
that this would happen

because of the type of alopecia
that I was diagnosed with.

And my dad,

I didn't know how to have
that conversation with him at first.

I didn't want him to feel bad

about passing down this gene to me,

so I just kind of let my mom tell him.

And then I think the next day,
I actually talked to him on the phone.

Um…

He told me how beautiful I was. [laughs]

[stifling tears]

[crying softly]
He told me how beautiful I was and…

that he still loved me.

Not that I would ever think
that he wouldn't,

but it just still felt good
to hear him say.

In the Black community,
our hair is such a statement,

so the fact that I don't have any,

it's very hard.

The length is still okay?

-Yes.
-Okay. Perfect.

[Armani] But that was the first year
that we had Rosemary.

So I called Rosemary, I told her,
and she was like,

"Okay, we're gonna still come in
for your appointment today."

"We're gonna figure something out.
I promise it's gonna be okay."

That was a pretty neat opportunity
to even have that experience

of being able to talk to someone
about getting a wig.

-Y'all have practice tonight?
-Yes.

-How's that been going?
-It's been good.

[sighs] I think
the rookies are getting antsy.

-'Cause it's getting close to that time.
-Yeah. Yeah.

-So…
-They still have to make cuts.

On Monday, they were saying
they had to make a couple.

Yeah. We've cut four.

-So far?
-So far. So there's five more cuts to go.

-[Kelly V] Let's see them.
-[all gasping and exclaiming]

-[Abby] Oh my gosh, that looks good.
-[Madie K] Oh my God!

-Did you guys expect me to go this short?
-[Kelly V] That is cute.

[Ariel] Insane! I know.

-[Abby] Do you love it?
-[Ariel] I do!

Madie! Did you try…

[Abby] Can you do a part of "Thunder"?

-No, I haven't flipped my hair once.
-[Abby] Then now's the time.

I feel like I can't even get it…

[laughing] Wait, what's the moves?

[laughing] Madie,
the team is in three days.

[Madie K] There we go. I got it.

-[Abby vocalizing] Thunder.
-[Ariel] Do it with like…

[all] Yeah!

-Oh cute!
-[Ariel] Okay, not the tongue, but…

[all laughing]

[Kinsy] If it gets in your face,
you just have it like…

-I'll just be like…
-[Kinsy] Yes. You just keep it…

[Madie K] So is everyone feeling, like,
all right about this week? Are you uneasy?

[Abby laughs nervously] Yeah.

-Like, I don't know.
-[Kinsy] I don't know either.

'Cause some days,
I feel like I'm doing good.

-And some days I feel like I'm doing bad.
-Yeah.

-I suck.
-[Kinsy] Yeah, same.

-So, you know, it just changes every day.
-Yeah.

[all agreeing]

[Kelly V] No, and recently,
they haven't said anything to me…

-[Kinsy] That's awkward.
-…in a positive way, so I'm just like…

"Are you losing hope in me? Do…"

-But that's me overthinking.
-[Ariel] Right.

Because I have to just remember,
like, that that's…

to not overthink every comment.

[Madie K] One of the vets told me…
Who was I talking to about it?

[Kinsy] "No comment is good comment"?

They were like, "Kelli is not scared to
give a bad comment. She would tell you."

[Madie K] So true.

[Kinsy] But people still have to go.
You know?

That's how I feel about myself.
There still is…

I'm not oblivious that there's
actually five people have to still go.

[Kelly V] You just never, like,
unfortunately really know your last day.

[Ava] Yeah.

I didn't know that day
was gonna be my last day when it happened.

-Close to the end, so we'll see.
-[woman laughs]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Kelli] Okay, Ariel.

So yesterday, she was number ,

and today, she's .

Now, so far, Madie K's not gotten noticed.

Stickered. Neither has Jenna.

Dayton. I mean, we've been so mesmerized…

-…with just how pretty she is.
-I know. She's beautiful.

I remember this was
the conversation last time too.

[suspenseful music continues]

I'm tempted to give the leaders stickers
and let them pick their .

We've done that before.

Chandi, Armani, Jada.

Megan.

I'm gonna put y'all
in a position of input.

We have to make uncomfortable decisions,

but y'all have insight into
the locker room and your group rehearsals.

You have stickers.

If you will put your stickers
on the people

that you think are ready tonight.

[all] Yes, ma'am.

How's Kayla in terms of reentering the…

-[Jada] Like she never left.
-Okay, good.

-I think Kayla's done well this season.
-[Kelli] I think she has too.

[Jada] She fits right on back in
like a glove.

Charly. She has grown a ton.

And you can tell in her confidence,

which is what
I feel like k*lled her last year.

She's worked her butt off this year.
Same thing with Kelly.

[Kelli] Is she less in her head this year
than last year?

Yes, for sure.
She's very coachable, which I love.

Ava, I love… I love her.

We were rookies together
my first year trying out.

-It's crazy how long it's been.
-[Kelli] How long ago it has been.

She is two different people,
in the best way.

She definitely needed that time
to grow up a little bit,

and I think it's definitely shown
in her style, her personality.

-I'm shaking.
-[Kelli] What do you have, just one left?

I just have one left.

I have these people left.
And I have… I can only give one.

-[Megan] Like
The Bachelor.
-[Jada] Good luck.

-I know. It's like the rose.
-[Jada] Final rose. It feels like it.

I'm sweating over here.

When I talk to Dayton,
I think she is just not ready.

I think she's just…

She told me, she goes,

"I can see everyone is,
like, better than I am."

And I said, "Don't get in your head."

[Kelli] When? How recent?

[Megan] This was the rookie-only practice.

I wouldn't want her to be the girl
who's struggling all year long

and that it's evident
to the rest of the team.

I also… I really like Abby.

I just wish she would smile more.

I think Abby throws her body
into things a lot.

We could work on that.

The only thing
I'm slightly concerned on is her memory.

She sometimes gets a little flustered.

There's more things
that she needs to refine this year.

I feel like if she had another year,

she could come back better.

I also love Madie.

I just… I don't notice her.
Whose group is she in?

-Mine.
-[Armani] I don't notice her and want to.

[Megan] If she made the team,
I think she'd be struggling a ton,

and I don't think that's fair.

I feel like
you wanna make the team and thrive.

[Kelli] Okay.

-[Megan] That was hard.
-I know.

-[Armani] That was so hard.
-[Judy] I hated that.

Well, thank y'all.
I know it's tough, but honesty is a gift.

And everything y'all said
is not inconsistent

with our thoughts
or our feedback as well, so…

[woman] Thank you. Good luck.

-[Kelli] Thank y'all.
-[Judy] Thank you.

It's interesting. They all think
Dayton would struggle, struggle, struggle.

But, I mean,
the pink elephant in the room,

can our staff handle it?

[Judy] I think it's gonna depend on…

Shelly.

[man] The first time
that you had to cut her,

did that impact
your relationship with Shelly?

You know, it… fortunately, it didn't.

Or if it did, Shelly didn't…
Shelly remained professional.

She stayed on staff.
She continued with our staff meetings.

I think she may have…

Maybe three or four weeks,
she was kind of quiet.

[Bramhall] The night that Dayton was cut,

I was kind of told
I didn't have to come to work that day,

and I probably knew it in my gut
that it was happening.

And it bothered me
that they couldn't sit me down

and tell me themselves.

I had to find out
from my child at : a.m.,

who was just driving around Dallas
because she didn't wanna come home.

I came to work for a year
and spoke to no one,

except for who I needed to,

and it was very surface.

Like, it was all business.

Um, and that was hard because…

we were friends.

If anything, it wasn't necessarily
her not making it,

I was way more hurt by Kelli and Judy.

I probably could have handled it a lot
differently if we had had a conversation.

I mean, I hate to break her heart, but…

I don't… Yeah.

[pensive music playing]

[pensive music continues]