02x04 - At What Cost

[bunniefuu]

-[crickets chirping]
-[owl hooting]

[Kelli] I feel pretty
comfortable with three. I'd want to…

I'd like to sleep on one of 'em
over the weekend.

[Judy] Agree.

[Kelli] Let's start with… this group
to start our conversations with.

[sighs]

[contemplative music playing]

[Kelli] I wasn't expecting
the group leaders' input

to be so consistent,

and it really was,

which helped me in my head and my heart.

They know their year better than we know.
They know it's gonna get tougher.

They know it's gonna get more fast-paced.

They've been in rehearsals,

and they see who responds
and who's struggling.

[Kayla G] Hello.

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

-[Kelli] Your smile is beautiful.
-Thank you so much.

We are making releases,

and you're not gonna
make the team this year.

-[Kinsy] I see.
-[Kelli] So… that's the bad news.

[Kayla G] I know
that I can change my style.

If I just have more time,
I can do that for you guys.

[Kelli] I wish we had more time,
but we don't.

Yes, ma'am.

I would never audition--
From Texas, I can't go somewhere else.

[crying softly] Sorry.

I really felt like…

if this was gonna be my year…

or if I were to make this team,
that this would be my year.

[pensive music playing]

[Kelli] You think Shelly
will retaliate towards us?

I did say one thing to Shelly
that I wish I hadn't have said.

I told her, I said, there's…

There's… It was
before I knew how she was gonna do.

I said there's no way
I would want to cut Dayton again.

[Kelli] I wish
we weren't in this situation.

[Judy] I know.

[Kelli] How are you feeling?

I feel good.

Um…

I'm really tired today,
but I feel really good.

[Kelli] I don't know what to say

to make this conversation

easy on any of us at this table.

Mm-hmm.

[Kelli] Um…

Here's where…

You're down here in…

in our scoring.

And the consistent word
that keeps coming up

with your performance in this year's
training camp is that you are struggling.

-Okay.
-[Kelli sighs]

I think it'd be a disservice
to have you make this team

and the struggle be all year.

Or if we just did this because you're
Dayton and you deserve it, 'cause you do.

We want you to be successful here.

[tearfully] I want to too,
but not if it's…

if I'm not ready for it.

-[Kelli] Right.
-[sniffles]

It's hard to say you're not ready.

You've been around this your whole life.
You know what I mean?

But if you haven't trained for this
intensely the past year or two,

I would give yourself some grace.

To be honest, like,
I… I stepped away from dance for…

[crying] …maybe three years, um…

just 'cause I felt like
my heart wasn't in it.

Um…

When I started dancing about a year ago,

I just wanted to do something
I was passionate about.

I really wanted to come back

and do something to make myself proud,

which I do feel like I have done
'cause I made it this far.

[Judy] We've seen a lot of growth in you.

I feel like you are
a different person now to talk to,

and that's harder for us, because…

we are really attached to you.

Do you want to talk to your mother
or would you want…

[sobbing] Sorry. I don't mean to…

[Dayton] I can… I can tell her.

I can tell her.

[sobbing] She's been so supportive, so…

I don't…

I don't want to say
I'm gonna disappoint her,

'cause I know that's not true, but…

-I think it'll be fine if I tell her.
-[Kelli] Okay.

Are you okay to drive home?

[Dayton] Mm-hmm.

[sniffling] I'll be okay.

-[somber music playing]
-I'll be fine.

[Judy] Please, if you need us…

If your mom wants to call,
I'm here for her.

I'm sure she will.

[Judy] I love you.

Love you.

[somber music continues]

[sniffling]

It's hard when you have
to put your heart aside

and do the job you're hired for.

I mean…

We wouldn't be doing our job.

[Kelli scoffs]

-[crying] Yeah, but at what cost?
-I know.

At what cost is…

heartbreak?

[Kelli sniffling]

[introspective music playing]

[Kelli] It's a very unique situation.

You have somebody's child…

[crying softly] And, um…

I have the ability to make
a dream come true or not.

And that, I don't like.

Um…

She's a personal friend of my daughter's.
She was just at my daughter's wedding.

I've seen Dayton since she was a baby.

I know how much this means to her mother
and to Dayton.

The struggle that I have is
it would be real hard to take a position

that someone else earned
and not give them that position

because of Dayton's background here.

My heart says just, you know,
give her a uniform and move on.

But everybody saw Dayton struggling.

So, you know, the conundrum is,

if we pick Dayton on the team,
who do we say no to?

I called Shelly.

I said, "How are you doing?
And, "How's Dayton doing?"

And she said, "Dayton's doing okay,
and I'm doing okay."

So that's better than…

avoiding me
or not answering me, or you know…

I don't know.
She could hate us. She could resent us.

She could… I… I don't know.

Moms, um…

Moms protect their cubs. [laughs]

And I would too.

And quite frankly, I think we probably
have a little scar tissue

from our recent experiences
with Tina and Victoria, so…

I hope Dayton feels good about herself.
That's the most important thing.

And I hope Shelly can separate herself
and her experiences from it enough

to know that her child
is different than her.

And I want…

I want Dayton to be happy
and to thrive in her passion.

I'd actually love Dayton
to find more passions than just DCC,

'cause this is not…

this is not the only world there is.

Are you putting them in a triangle?

You know what? I thought
I would do the rookies in two lines

because they're not in the triangle yet.

We can watch the veterans do it.
Then we can watch the rookies do it.

You're gonna put the veterans
in their triangle spot?

[Judy] Mm-hmm.

[expectant music playing]

[Judy] Ahead of creating a team,

we've been talking
about the point of the triangle.

I do see Chandi, who has never been
the point, as one of the points.

The point of the triangle has become
this really prestigious place to be

when you're one of the best dancers
on the squad.

You're one of the ones
that we know won't make a mistake.

The person you depend on the most
ends up being the point of the triangle.

I've designed it
to where there actually can be two points.

That's the one I'm not sure about now.

I think Jada has a great presence.

She would just be so statuesque
at the point of the triangle.

And I think Megan could do it.

It has to be somebody that,
every rehearsal, gives it their all.

[Judy] Okay. What I'm gonna do now
is set some of "Thunder."

But I'm not putting rookies in it now.

I'm gonna watch y'all
as a separate group, okay?

Okay, so for your first triangle,

let me have on the , Chandi.

[women cheering and clapping]

[Kaydianna] I love you. Oh God!

[laughing] Ahh!

Hi.

Okay, you go to a second pyramid,
and it is…

Go to the , Jada.

-[all cheering]
-[woman] Jada!

[cheering continues]

-[woman] You guys seem too happy.
-[Judy] Did that make Jada cry?

Someone else's makeup, probably.

Thank you. Okay.
It's a little far forward!

[Judy] That was somebody else's makeup,
not mine.

[laughing] Yeah, I'm, like, "Oh!"

-[Judy] Okay, go back to your lines.
-I'm shaking.

And what is your last move you just did?
Are y'all good?

Five, six, and seven, eight.

And a walk, two, three…

[Jada] Being named point,

it's something I almost
never put on my list of goals

because I just thought it wasn't

something I'd ever be considered for.

I feel like when you stand in that spot,

you're almost expected
to be like the "yes, ma'am" girl,

and you're expected to be the one girl
who's gonna follow the rules to a T

and never push the boundaries.

If anything, I'm one of the most
opposite people to all of that.

[Judy] Two, three, four, five.

[Jada] I'm not gonna change
who I am because of the formation,

but I'm also not going to slack
on the formation because of who I am.

One, two, and three.

And y'all remember,
let's not do too much arms.

One, two, three…

[Judy] It's a hard position.

When you're out there
at the point of the triangle,

you feel alone.

Like, you could be doing the wrong step,

and you wouldn't know it
because you're all by yourself.

That person, everyone else
will follow whatever she does.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…

[intriguing music playing]

[Jada] Okay, if we're being honest,
who do we think the last cut's gonna be?

-I don't know.
-[Armani] Oh God.

Vomit, throwing up. I don't know.

It's gonna be a toss-up.

-[exhales] Yeah. Yeah.
-[Megan] For sure.

So good.

And very reasonably priced.

You know me. I'm on a budget.

Our contracts are gonna be signed soon.

[Armani] It's always… You can take it home
for a week and read it.

[Jada] I'mma take it home and Wite-Out
some things and change the numbers.

Yes, we should still do something
outside of just cheering,

but there's so many ways just
to make this something

that people can actually live off of,

because for us to all be struggling
financially is…

-I'm kind of over it. Yeah.
-It's really difficult.

This is a multi-billion-dollar company,

and it's the number one
sports franchise in the industry,

so it kind of does not translate.

Of course
it's a privilege to be here, but like…

I think there should be a discussion
before we get our contracts,

like you said.

Because once they write them,
I don't think they want to rewrite them.

-No.
-So I think it should be addressed.

And like, speak with the legal team.

-It also goes back to, well, who's all in?
-Yeah.

Is it just us four
who feel that there's issues in it,

or is the entire team
gonna sit down and say,

"Hey, we all feel that this is an issue"?

You have to remember,
the rookies haven't been here.

They don't…
We didn't understand as rookies.

[Chandi] I see both sides to it.

Like, I guess since my rookie year,

I feel like I've had three raises so far,
which has been amazing.

And I feel like
every year is getting better.

But at the same time,
that's not a livable wage.

Yeah.

[pensive music playing]

I would love to, like, leave this place

-better than what it was when we started.
-[Megan and Jada] Yes.

To know that we opened up
the conversation, or at least, you know,

started a little bit, would feel better.

[Armani] We're giving iconic this year.

Also, we have, like,
the first two points of women of color.

That's pretty badass too.

-Our legacy.
-[Jada] Our legacy would be the money.

[all laughing]

[Jada] Yeah.

We do deserve to get paid a fair amount,
but at the same time,

I'm here to dance because I love to dance.

And you do get a lot of perks.

And I don't have the answer on which way
is right or which way is wrong,

but I can see both sides,
and I support both sides.

[laughs] Which is…
It's hard to do as well.

The Cowboys have given me
this platform to dance

and help me continue on
with what I love to do.

And I don't think that I have
the courage to do what they're doing,

and fighting for us,

and the future cheerleaders of the Cowboys
or the NFL.

I respect them,
and I hope that everything…

resolves pretty soon.

-[baby gurgling]
-[Jalyn] Ryan, you want to hold him?

[Ryan chuckling]

What's up, bud?

[Jalyn laughs]

-See? Don't be scared.
-I'm not scared.

-[Jalyn] He's not as fragile as they seem.
-[baby gurgling]

[Jalyn] Okay, give me the scoop.

-I feel like I'm out of touch of what's…
-You are.

…going on.

[Chandi] What do you want to know?

I don't know. I want to know
all the juicy stuff, all the dynamics.

So you, Armani, Jada, Megan.

[laughing] There's lots of different
personalities amongst that group.

Yeah. I think I'm the quiet one.

But that's just me.

Like, I've always been a quiet individual
until smaller settings.

-[Jalyn] Who is the loudest?
-Everyone but me.

[laughing] Okay, well…

It's been interesting.
It's just been a different year.

But I also am selfish,
and I just want it to be like last year.

-[baby fussing]
-You want your paci?

-He's like, "Get it away."
-[Jalyn] What's wrong?

[baby crying]

-Do you want to go to Aunt Chandi now?
-[Chandi] Okay. Get over here, buddy.

Let's see if Aunt Chandi
can make you happy.

-[Chandi] Yeah, he loves me.
-[Ryan] Could be a sign.

-[Jalyn exclaims]
-[Ryan chuckling]

Let's see if she can get you calm.

Uh-oh.

-[dog scampering comically]
-[Jalyn muttering]

[Jalyn] Look!

-Look at the dog.
-[Chandi] Look at the dog!

[Jalyn laughing]

I'm really bony. Don't you remember
when you were a baby?

-They don't like my boniness.
-[Chandi] We're the same. We're similar.

[Jalyn] I told her, "You're gonna have to
beat him harder to get a burp out of him."

[Joanna] Yeah, definitely. Hi.

[Chandi] He farted, so be careful.

Yeah, hi. Come on, let's get you burped.

Oh! He's drooling.

[Joanna] Chandi's been very

even-tempered throughout most of her life.

She definitely is a rule follower.

There you go. Yeah, bye.

-[bright music playing]
-[women laughing]

[Joanna] I think
she has a lot of pressure on her.

But Chandi is the kind of girl…

She's tough, she's strong, she's smart,

and she knows what it takes
to keep on keeping on.

[bright music continues]

[Chandi] I'm adopted.
My mom said I came to her in a dream.

My mom and my dad
adopted me right from birth,

and I actually have a younger sister
who's adopted as well.

I think my mom knew
that I was gonna be a dancer

since the day she got me.

The first thing I remember
is I was wearing this little blue tutu,

dancing to "Big Blue Frog."

She's like, "You love the spotlight."

She was a dancer as well, so she put me
in dance, let me get my energy out,

and I fell in love right away.

With Chandi, I sterilized everything,
even if her Binky fell on the floor.

I mean, I literally would sterilize
it in the pot for, like, three minutes.

-[Jalyn] And then…
-And then with Kira, it's like, "Oh!"

-And you wipe it. It's so easy.
-[Jalyn laughing] Yeah.

You're like, "You're fine."
The first one survived, so it's okay.

[Joanna] Chandi was very easy as a kid.

Lots of friends,

very, very happy, generally, overall.

Chandi was always singing
and dancing around the house.

[Chandi] Growing up, honestly,
I remember it was always my mom.

She would do anything for my sister and I.

Like, anything we wanted to do,
she would make happen.

But my dad was never really around
or, like, super involved.

[bittersweet music playing]

My parents are divorced now.

I believe they divorced when I was .

[voice breaking] But, yeah, my dad, uh…

When I was ,
him and his new wife sat me down

and told me that
I didn't have to see them again.

And so I was like,
"Cool. I won't see you."

From then on, I took it upon myself

to, like, assume a role of a parent.

Yeah, look at you! Oh!

[Chandi] I felt like
because I was probably the one

who had the least amount
of emotion in the house,

I'll just shove more emotion down.

[Joanna] I've actually only seen Chandi
cry once when she was ten years old.

So she never really likes
to express her vulnerability

to anyone other than herself.

[Chandi] I take on a lot,

and I'm really good
at pushing things down.

You want to be perfect

and be someone
that everyone's gonna look up to.

So you learn to put on that face.

[Joanna] Because she's a perfectionist,

because she tries
to do everything the right way,

she's not as open to talking about things

because she doesn't want

people to look at her in a lesser way,

a weaker way.

But I think she's realizing now
that vulnerability is helpful

in the healing process.

[music fades]

[Kelly V] Ugh, there's so much stuff. Ugh.

Where is she?
Oh my God! I think she's home.

I forget the time change.
I'm like, "Oh, she's at work."

[laughs] No, she's not.

[phone ringing]

-[phone chimes]
-[Kelly V gasps] Hi!

-[on phone]
I was just talking about you.
-[Kelly V] Aww!

You're the topic! You're all I talk about!

[laughing]

Honestly, I haven't had
the chance to talk to you because

I have been so busy, so…

No, whenever… Whenever, you know?

It's okay. I'll call all your friends.
Who do I have to call?
[laughing]

No, no.

And then I get scared that if I
call you too late, you're gonna think--

-That I'm gonna have a heart attack?
-You're gonna think I was cut.

-
It can happen again.
-Yes.

It's okay. I know.

When I say we're doing this together,

girlfriend, believe me,
we're doing this together.

[both laughing]

Oh my God!

She definitely
sits at her phone all day waiting.

[laughing] Aw…

In a few days, I'll be here for a month.
In, like, three days.

That is the hard part
for anyone who gets cut at this point.

The longer you're here,
the more you can see it,

and smell it, and want it.

They told us, "By July th,
we want to have our final roster."

It's crunch time now.

I need to review the tags
that we've learned.

[expectant music playing]

[Kelly V] A tag, so that's actually
what they do the majority of the game

in their four sides.

So that's why there's four groups.

And then tags can be done
to any piece of music.

Side, down.

They're super important to know because

you have to follow the leader

and pick up by the second step
what dance it is.

And there's .

[laughing]

I write down every move and the count.

So if it's like one, two,

I say, "Arms up on one, head on two."

We swing. We punch, box and up.

Turn and head.

I have more notes in my notebook right now

than I think I did
for most of my college classes.

[expectant music continues]

[Madie K] I'm a visual learner,
so I'll video it once

and then watch myself back.

That's how I pick it up faster.

Jada sent me her long list
of corrections today.

So I probably should do that right now.

In and pop. In and pop.

Round. Round, up.

Trying to go over
absolutely everything I've learned

just 'cause they can
honestly tell us to do the thing we did…

the very first dance we learned.

So you kind of have to be prepared
to do absolutely everything.

-[excited chatter]
-[suspenseful music playing]

[Kelli] We're gonna do some tags.

One, two, three, four, five, six…

[Michele] We are coming to the conclusion
of training camp.

And so you're learning

a lot of content very quickly.

And you only have basically hours
to master it

before you need to return to rehearsal

and have it pretty much performance-ready.

-[walkie-talkie chirps]
-[Kelli] Sid, can you cue and play "Yeah"?

[tense music playing]

[Kelli] Go, music. "Rude Boy."

Stand by for "I Like It."

Like, "Okay, what are they gonna play?
Hopefully, it's something that I know!"

-[walkie chirps]
-[Kelli] Go, music.

[Abby] They're not saying
the name of the dance.

Chandi just does a dance.

You just have to know what it is
in two seconds.

[exclaims] Is that the wrong counts?

She usually does the same five or six.

I haven't done it with Jada, so I don't
know what ones she usually calls.

[tense music continues]

[Ava] I wake up in the mornings
and a dance is running in my head.

And it's been playing in my head
the whole eight hours that I slept.

It's insane.

[Judy] This is the kind of job
that you just can't turn your brain off.

I think that it is overwhelming for them.

They want to succeed.
They don't want to let anyone down.

They don't like making mistakes.

This is all so they can feel

what it will take to get through a game,
to get through a performance

and to be part of our team.

[music fades]

[Abby] I was gonna ask you guys,
do you have any tips with boots?

'Cause I feel like
I was falling all over yesterday.

[indistinct chatter]

I even practiced them in the ballroom.
I wasn't falling all over.

-It must be the turf.
-[Jada] The turf moves under you.

-It's gonna move with your feet.
-[Abby] Okay, that makes sense.

All right, it's :. Let's walk.

-[indistinct chatter]
-[expectant music playing]

[Kelli] It is troubling
Madie hadn't gotten anybody's sticker.

Remember? Let's watch her on the entrance.

Last night… I couldn't do in the stands.
She was kinda going, "Yeah, hi-di, h*."

[Judy] Right.

I know exactly what you're talking about.

[Kelli] At this point in training camp,
we have two cuts left

to make our full team.

And for us, it's…
You know, we know it's a big decision.

We know it's a big decision.

So, that's the time
that I hate the most about my job.

'Cause the pressure,
you just feel it, and it doesn't go away.

-Are you ready?
-[Judy] I am.

I'm not.

I'm… I'm feeling uneasy.

[indistinct chatter]

[Kleine] I'm having some toe issues.
Actually, not toe issues.

-"The ball of my foot" issues.
-[woman] Yeah.

-What do I do?
-Um, we can start to pad it.

-Pad the ball.
-[woman] Yeah.

[Kleine] Do I just have to deal with it?

-Probably.
-[Kleine] Okay.

[cheerleader ] IT band hurts
now from my hip flexor to my kneecap.

I'm in so much pain right now. It's okay.

[cheerleader ] It's the worst thing,
because you can either stop,

or keep going and tough it out.

[cheerleader laughs] Ow!

[Madie K] It goes on like this,
or do I rip it off?

-[woman] Yeah. Yep.
-The whole thing? Oh my gosh.

My hands are so shaky.

Sid, can you cue up "Thunderstruck"
at the kick line part?

[cheerleader exhales]

["Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
playing on stereo]

[Kelli] Charly's need a little work,
don't they?

Her right one, her fan.

["Thunderstruck" finishes playing]

[on PA] Test. Okay, y'all, stand up.

Charly, your kicks need
to be more corner-to-corner

and higher.

-[Kelli] Yes.
-[Judy on PA] Yes.

And then your jump kick at the end,

I could tell they were getting lower
'cause you were tired.

Yes, ma'am.

[Judy] Okay, let's do that again.

[cheerleader] Let's go, girls.
You got it. No problem.

["Thunderstruck" resumes playing]

[Judy] Um…

Madie's leg lift could take…
it was a little late again.

["Thunderstruck" finishes playing]

[applause]

[Judy on PA] Madie,
your leg up on the leg lift

was a tiny bit late again.

And then your supporting leg
looks unsteady.

Yes, ma'am.

[laughs] I can't see.

-[Judy] Okay, next group.
-[cheerleader] Good job, girls.

Madie is… she's on the bubble.

You know, some days
everyone is a Madie… lover.

And then there's some
that just don't notice her.

We need her, if she's gonna make the team,
to stand out.

-[Melissa] Everyone is so good.
-[Kelli] Mm-hmm.

I mean, how do you… You know, it's just…

It kind of becomes
the ones that already have a…

saturation of wow factor.

["Thunderstruck" resumes playing]

[Kelli] Cooper does,
from here, look a little rigid.

She's real rigid.

Mm-hmm.
[on PA] Okay, let's do that again.

["Thunderstruck" resumes playing]

Ava, good style on entrance.
Now I want to watch, uh…

-[Judy] Jenna.
-Jenna.

[Kelli] Strong. I mean, physically strong.

-Jenna looks cute. She's strong.
-[Judy on PA] Okay, next group.

-Good.
-[Kelli] Huh.

She looks more mature on the board
as opposed to, like…

-Madie.
-["Thunderstruck" resumes playing]

[Kelli] Madie's still doing
her tilt to tilt.

[song fades]

Okay, Madie, try not
to swing your arms too high on the…

No, just on the last sparkles.

-When you're walking. Yeah.
-Oh, just like…

[Judy] Yeah, and not doing
so much shoulder and throws.

Yes, and don't tilt your head
so much on the chassés.

-[mouthing] Chassés.
-[Judy] Yeah, just chin pop. Chin pop.

-Is that better?
-Okay, y'all, take a water break.

[clapping and cheering]

[cheerleader] You're good. Good job.

[Kelli whispers] Wow. It's :.

I can give them something to do.

-Yeah.
-And we can go talk, or we can…

-Yeah.
-[Kelli] Yes and yes.

[Judy] Yes and yes. Okay.

Um, all right, so for tonight's purposes,

we need to start making decisions

from consistent low scores.

So here's who before tonight

went across the mark.

Madie, Jenna, Cooper.

So, talk to me about your notes on Cooper.

Tonight, I don't think she stood out.

[Kelli] I wrote,
"I didn't notice her double pair."

-Her kicks were sort of heavy.
-[Judy] Yeah.

Um…

Any comments on Jenna?

Making top or…

[Judy] She's cute as can be,
and she has gotten better.

I'm starting to see her potential,

but she's not head above water this year.

Who's a yes for Jenna tonight?

I don't want to be a no. I'll be a maybe.

[Kelli muttering] Okay, so… [murmuring]

[Judy] What about Madie? I mean…

-I know I'm just jumping around.
-Okay, Madie has been…

I'm surprised she's down here.
I thought she was higher.

Do y'all have any thoughts?

[Haley] I don't have any for tonight
other than "just blended in."

[Judy] She's not bad.

Except, you know, you can't blend.

You gotta stand out and work on kicks
with boots on your feet somehow.

[Kelli sighs] Okay, thank you.

[Melissa] You're welcome.

[Kelli] I need to see Cooper.

Um…

And Jenna.

Okay?

-[Darcy] This is fun. Dance is fun.
-[indistinct chatter]

-[woman ] We love you.
-[woman ] Dance is fun.

-[woman ] Look at you.
-[woman ] Dance is fun.

You're amazing.

You made it this far, which is
like every girl's dream, you know?

-Yeah.
-[woman] You got this.

[pensive music playing]

[Kelli] Hey! Come.

Have a little seat. How are you?

-I'm doing all right. How are you guys?
-[Kelli] We're good.

I'm looking through notes of yours
so that I can give you some feedback.

Yes, ma'am.

We have good news
and probably not-so-good news.

[softly] Okay.

Um, the good news is…

is that the last couple nights here
we have seen potential.

The unfortunate news is

is we are in the last week,
and we're making cuts,

and there's no way
you're gonna score up in the top .

And we've really enjoyed you
in this training camp and see--

[voice breaking] There's nothing more
I can do to try to fight

and work my way up there?

-[Kelli] There is, but not this year.
-Not this year?

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Kelli] I wish we had more time.

So you have done great
to get to this moment in time.

Thank you. I really appreciate that.

[both exhale] Okay.

Well, that's where we are.

-Can I give you guys a hug?
-[Kelli] Yes, please.

-We will be here. Same place?
-[Cooper] Yes.

-[Kelli] Same season? Next time?
-[Cooper] Thank you so much.

[Judy] Hope to see you back.

-[Kelli] Okay.
-[Judy] Thank you.

[Kelly V] Whatever happens…

I promise you,
everything is gonna be okay.

Whatever. Whether you're back here…

No matter what,

everything is gonna be okay.

-I'm a testament to that, yeah? Okay?
-I know.

I love you. Everybody is so proud of you.

-[Kelli] Hi! It's a long walk, isn't it?
-[Jenna] It is.

-[Kelli] We don't want it to be.
-[Judy laughs]

[Kelli] Um…

You have us confused.

Okay.

[Kelli] So the… the challenge is
you're… you're not top tonight,

but you have made a very positive
impression on us the last couple nights,

which is the right time if you're
gonna peak is now, if it's not too late.

-Yes.
-How does that make you feel?

I don't want to put
unnecessary pressure on you.

I would love the opportunity to come back.

I feel like at the start of training camp,
I was pretty confident.

And then just my nerves
started getting to me,

and when I dance with nerves,
it's like I lose it.

I was getting in my head.

And I feel myself getting out of it.

I feel it. It's clicking.
Like, I know that it's happening.

And so if you would give me
the opportunity to come back tomorrow,

I would very much appreciate it.

I just don't want to
put unfair pressure on you,

'cause we are really close to out of time,

but you're fighting in a good way.

[Jenna] Pressure is a privilege, so…

[Kelli] Okay, go home and get some rest
so you can wow us tomorrow.

-Okay. Thank you guys so much.
-[Kelli] Okay.

-[Jenna] Thanks. Good night.
-[Kelli] All right. Good night.

We've just gotta make
some uncomfortable decisions.

Very uncomfortable.

[Kelli] Madie or Jenna.

[Cooper crying] I'm sorry.
I know exactly how you feel.

[Jenna crying]

[Cooper] And it hurts really bad.

[crying] I know you don't want to hear it,
but it's not like never

that you can get a spot on this team.

[Madie K] As soon as people saw Cooper,
it wasn't even like a little chatter.

It was, like, dead silent.

Even though it's her dream ending,

it's like you feel like it's you.

Right now everyone is so good that

it just depends on, honestly,

what Kelli and Judy want that day,
so it's hard.

[Cooper laughs] All right.

[somber music playing]

-[Ava] Taco Bell? Yeah?
-[Madie K] Yeah. T Bell's good.

-[Ava] I don't even have my card.
-[Abby] I have Apple Pay.

-[Ava] I have a card. See if it bounces.
-[Madie K] Okay, I have cash.

[laughing]
I don't know if I can afford to…

You might have to Venmo first.

[Abby] I have Apple Pay.
Let me add money to my account.

I only allow so much
to my checking account.

-[man]
Taco Bell. Order when you're ready.
-Can we get the Doritos Loco Taco Supreme?

-[man]
Okay.
-And then, can I get…

[man]
Do you want one?

-One. Did you get two things or one, Ava?
-I'm getting two.

-[Abby] I want a burrito. What kind?
-[Madie K] Just one second.

-[man]
Okay. Take your time.
-[Abby] Sorry, we suck.

Okay, can I have a chicken quesadilla?

-[man]
You can.
-[laughing]

And then can I get a-- Is Mountain Dew
gonna keep me up all night?

-Yeah, probably. What about a sweet tea?
-A Sprite?

-[man]
Starry?
-A Sprite?

[man slowly]
Starry?

Starry? I thought you said, "Sorry."
[laughing] Sorry.

Okay, I think…

-[Ava] I'm getting embarrassed.
-[Abby] Okay, I think that will be all.

-That was hard.
-[Ava] Poor man.

-[man]
Uh, $..
-Okay. Thank you.

-[Ava] Thank you.
-[man]
No problem.

-What is a Mountain Dew Starry?
-[all laughing]

You’re cheerleaders? Cowboys Cheerleaders?

Um, we're trying to be.

[Abby] Manifest it for us!

Okay. Because I was like
they look like they…

-[Ava] We're trying to be.
-[Abby] We're trying.

I'm rooting for y'all!
I hope y'all do good!

Thank you so much!

This order's gonna be $..

[Abby] During practice, I don't even think
about food 'cause I'm so overwhelmed.

[Madie K] I feel like I'm gonna throw up.
I'm so nervous.

And then we'll see
what's gonna happen tomorrow.

[Ava] The math isn't mathing.

Because the last day of training camp
is supposed to be tomorrow.

And it's not really making sense, so we…
Yeah, we wonder, don't we?

Like, I don't know.

I used to be able to tell
when there would be a cut,

but now I feel like it's been
the most random ways that I have no idea.

You don't know what to expect.

-Like, today was kind of odd.
-[Madie K] Yeah.

And you know what just sucks?
It just feels like this is already a team.

You know what I mean?
Like, we've worked together for so long.

[car window vibrating]

[Madie K] We're gonna be fine.
We're almost there.

Be each other's biggest fans.

-[Madie K] Yeah.
-So how long has that sound been going on?

[Abby] I think we could add
a penny up there.

-See, I was looking for a receipt.
-[Madie K] Like a clip.

-[Abby] Okay, Madie, get your paws off me.
-[Madie K] Bunch of clips.

[Madie K] After you ask me to massage you.

[Abby laughing] I did!

You're like, "Give me a neck massage.
My neck hurts."

[Ava] I gotta switch lanes.

I'm overwhelmed.

[Jada] Feel like I'm in high school again.
My mom's feeding me dinner.

[Lisa] Enjoy it.
It's only gonna last two more days.

Best part about parents visiting
is they cook for you.

[Jada] Mom!
Can you just sit for two seconds?

[Lisa] No.
I've been sitting too much today.

[Bailey] I've been sitting too much!

This is my first time home
to sit since : a.m. this morning,

and all you want to do is more stuff.

[Lisa] No, I get it. I sometimes…

I realized today how difficult it was.

When I picked you up from work
and you got out late.

I was like,
"How do you do this every day?"

-I don't know.
-[Lisa] Yeah.

[Jada laughs]

[gentle music playing]

[Lisa] Jada, from a young age,

always said she wanted to be
a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

We didn't have the financial means

to fly her down there
for multiple weekends

or stay in a hotel for a week.

It just wasn't, you know,
something that was possible.

Hello, Kelli, Judy and judges.
My name is Jada. I am …

[Lisa] And when auditions went online,

both her sister and I encouraged her
and just said, "Just do it."

"This is your one chance,
your one opportunity."

[bright music playing]

[Lisa] Making the team after,

you know, how difficult it was
for us to get her there.

And, yeah, she's…

It had to be the proudest moment
of her life

'cause it was definitely one
of the proudest moments of my life.

I realized what a hectic schedule it is
to watch you.

[Lisa] She was never really
given anything.

You know, she always had to work hard
for what she wanted in dance.

So she's really
always wanted people to realize…

Okay, we don't all come
from the same background.

We don't all have the same family
situations, the same financial situations.

And I think with her getting
point position the fifth year,

I think this is probably

the year that she's felt, um,
more empowered

in having a voice.

[Lisa] Your first last game
is coming very soon.

-Your last first game. That's what it is.
-That is actually really weird.

I told them Dad's coming,
crossing fingers to meet the team.

-Yeah.
-[Bailey] He's never come.

-He hasn't. It'll be fun.
-[Bailey] Gonna be weird.

I was saying, "I've never taken a picture
with Dad in my uniform."

[Lisa] Oh!

That'd be nice.

That will be nice. It'll be fun.

[Lisa] That will be.

I love my dad. He's the reason I wanted
to be a Cowboys Cheerleader.

-[gentle music playing]
-He's made me a fan of America's team.

And I owe that love for the Cowboys

and the passion
for wanting to be a cheerleader to him.

He just told me, "You know,
you're gonna be a Cowboys fan."

And I was like, "Okay!
My dad likes the Cowboys, so do I!"

And yeah, here we are.

Dad wasn't really around
when I was younger.

My parents were completely separated.

I think I was five at the time.

And then he was living out of town.

So I don't have many
childhood memories with my dad.

[indistinct chatter and laughter on video]

[Jada] But at the end of the day,

I think his heart is a heart of gold.

Dad has never
seen me be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

To be named point,

that was just another one of those

"everything is exactly
how it's meant to be" type of moments.

Like, what are the odds that
my dad's gonna see me for the first time,

and I happen to be the very front girl?

I'm excited.
I'm definitely excited for it.

-Cheers.
-[Lisa] Cheers. Dessert cheers.

[Madie K] I'm trying to go into it
thinking, "Just one cut. The odds…"

-So close.
-[Sophy] It's so close.

I know, and it's so hard too,
'cause you've gotten so close to everyone.

-Yeah.
-So there's also that side of things too.

Me, Abby and Ava, we were riding home
from practice Friday.

[Sophy] Uh-huh.

And we were like,
what's crazy to think about is like,

there's two out of three of us.

-That's how small the one cut is.
-Yes.

We all looked around at each other,
we're like, "Oh gosh!"

-You think about it like that, it's scary.
-It's weird. Yeah.

-[Madie K] Uh-huh.
-But you should be so proud of yourself.

I definitely am. It's taken me five weeks
to understand, like,

you have to be proud of yourself,
or it's not like…

-You know.
-Mm-hmm.

It's hard to actually feel that way

when you feel like
you're about to get cut.

But honestly, just in the few weeks,
I feel like I've grown up so fast.

But you wouldn't be here
if you couldn't do that, so…

[Madie K] But I'm not gonna feel good
until it's over.

-[Sophy] Until you know. For sure.
-[melancholy music playing]

[Madie K] I feel like a mix of emotions,
to be honest.

Obviously I want to make it.
It would suck to get cut.

It's just… Yeah, it's hard to remember
why you came in the first place.

But some competitions feel like
you don't want to help each other.

'Cause if you help each other,
then they're gonna do better, but here,

everybody wants to help each other
so everybody looks perfect.

It's almost like you're working
to keep everyone together.

You totally can.

I told my mom, I was like, "I'm gonna try
literally until I can't dance anymore."

-Like, push myself tonight.
-Yes. Aw.

And, like, just perform because…

That's all you can do
at the end of the day.

[melancholy music continues]

I'm stressin' in my head, but I'm here.
Could be my last day.

Might as well give it %
and see how it goes

'cause there's nothing else I can do.

[Sophy] Whatever happens,
we're here for you,

and you've gained us
for the rest of your life, you know?

-Aw! I love you.
-[Madie K] I love you too.

[Sophy] Positive thoughts.

[melancholy music fades]

["Dirrty" playing indistinctly on video]

[on video]
Hi, it's Jenna,
and I'm excited to be back

to tell you a little more about myself.

A special memory with a former teacher
is when my ballet teacher

came up with the idea to dedicate a solo
to my mom and surprise her with it.

The song was about a little girl
telling her mom she loved her…

She talks a lot about her mom.

I remember her talking about her mom
at the uniform fitting.

Our comments were things like,

"Love her, fun to watch, great style,
sexy and powerful, great extension."

[Judy] Mm-hmm.

Judy, "Nice presentation on choreo."

"Kicks, wow."

You never say "wow."

"Technically not their strongest.
Very well-trained."

I definitely, in going back,

feel stronger about Jenna and Abby.

Madie K's not gotten noticed.

[sighs] Do you want to see Madie K?

[Judy] We can.

She was a perfect scorer though
at the beginning.

[Kelli] Yes.
"Young, but seemingly mature."

What do you think?

[Judy] I think it takes a different
kind of person to make it that young.

Like, not everyone can.

[Kelli] Okay, I want to watch 'em dance.

-[Judy] Ready?
-[Melissa] Come on, girls!

-["S&M" remix playing on stereo]
-[Kelli] Get it, group two!

♪ Come on, come on, come on
I like it, like it ♪

[Kelli] Okay.

Madie, and Jada,
is the last pose hard to stick?

Or is she trying to dance so hard…
Is that hard to land and stick?

[Jada] No, you just have to put
all your weight in the left.

It can get like that, right?
With a… [laughs]

[Kelli] I know we're having y'all go
from a hundred to zero when it's a stop,

but if a camera's on you and you bobble,

it just looks amateur,
so you gotta stick it, yeah.

[Jada] I think keep your weight
in this right one.

Step on your right,
and then you can switch it over.

-[Madie K] Slow it down?
-[Jada] Yeah.

Put your weight on your right, now switch.
Yep.

-[Madie K] Okay. Thank you.
-[Jada] Yeah.

-[Judy] Okay! Next group.
-[woman] Yeah, group one.

[woman] Oh no.

-[vocalizing] But we didn't do…
-We haven't done…

Oh yeah. I was like…
You're just staying too long.

-Yeah.
-[Kelli] What do you think of Jenna?

[upbeat country tune playing on stereo]

[Haley] It's supposed to be
a straight line?

I don't know. I'm trying to watch Jenna.

[upbeat country music continues]

-[song fades]
-[all cheering]

-[Kelli] Jenna, just much better overall.
-Thank you.

[all cheering]

I have so much more feedback
when I can see y'all up close.

-[Judy] Okay, y'all get a drink.
-Yes, ma'am.

-[Chandi] Good job, girls.
-[pensive music playing]

Um, Jenna's got it in her. She… She's…

I thought that one was worse,
but what she does to me is…

if everybody's hitting and hitting,
she's like…

-She's soft.
-[Kelli] She's more controlled.

[Judy] But she's pretty,
and her kicks are beautiful.

-I don't doubt her potential.
-I don't either.

[Kelli] We got some strong ones.

[pensive music continues]

[Kelli] Everybody thinks, "Oh!
The last cut. Why did you cut me last?"

It's because we're trying to give you
every chance to make this team.

[pensive music continues]

[Kelli] I still wanted
to think about Jenna,

and now I'm attached to her.

Madie K started off so strong,
but she definitely has areas to grow in.

She's not the most mature dancer
in the room.

I don't know, all things just pointed to,

"Wait through the weekend
and think about this final decision."

[pensive music continues]

We know it's a big decision,
and we know it involves not only them,

but their family and their support system.

You just… you feel it,
and it doesn't go away.

[Kelly V] Okay, all day,
I have actually been nauseous.

I was literally gonna text you earlier
that I woke up,

and I'd got another coffee,
and I couldn't drink it. I was so nervous.

-No, I barely ate today. I can't eat.
-No, I know.

Honestly, I was talking
on the phone with my mom,

and I didn't ever think I'd even be here.

No, I know.

In the position that there's one cut left

to make this team.

No, I know.

I need to sit and process.

[Kelly V] Process
that our lives can change in four hours.

No matter what, really.

[Kelly V] Yeah.

[Charly] Oh my gosh.

I'm, like, so scared. [sighs heavily]

["You've Got a Woman" by Lion playing]

♪ Workin' on this dream with you
Oh baby ♪

♪ I wanna spend my life with you
Oh baby ♪

♪ I could see the stars all shinin' ♪

♪ You and me could be ♪

♪ Happy like this together ♪

♪ You've got a woman… ♪

[Kelli] I want to have
a conversation with you

'cause I feel so strongly about you.

♪ You've got a woman… ♪

[Kelli] "Strong technique,
super cute, fun to watch, a yes."

This judge went from a "no" to a "maybe."

Said, "You got lost in showmanship."

So that's about the second or third time
where we've heard,

and I hate this word,

but "boring" or "got lost"
or "didn't notice."

♪ Come along and follow me… ♪

[Kelli] I saved the best for last
'cause I wanted you to make this team.

♪ You've got a woman… ♪

But being forced, and I am, to pick ,

you're of .

You're not gonna make the team this year.

[funk music playing]

[introspective music playing]