A judge’s perspective on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader finals
Many thanks to Karla from the DCC Yahoo Group for this article
On The Sidelines, June, 2010
From the Judge’s Table (Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine)
by Kristi ScalesDallas Cowboys Cheerleader auditions are already stressful and ultra-competitive, but this year’s evaluations during the final round included an extra wrinkle that made the process even more daunting for the contestants: The judges used Cowboys Stadium’s high-definition video board to view the afternoon jazz combo and high-kick line. Yes, I’m talking about the giant center-hung scoreboard that happens to be the largest hi-def of its kind in the world.
When the camera zooms in as your face and body appear on a digital board that is 72-feet high and nearly 180-feet wide, let’s just say that there is no way to hide any blemish or imperfection. As one of my fellow judges noted, the high-def board is not just revealing, it’s punishing.
That little freckle on your cheek or your shoulder? It’s the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. That cute little pockmark scar on the edge of your forehead (the one you got when you had chickenpox as a four-year-old) ? Well, it’s the size of a Toyota Corolla. Hopefully you didn’t eat a chocolate bar recently; that pimple could be as big as a pickup truck.
And even though you removed your belly ring, that little hole above your belly button is still as big as a Hyundai. And that little bit of body fat just above the waistline? It’s not merely a spare tire. It’s an 18-wheeler, baby. Seeing some “jiggle” is good if you’re talking about a bowl of Jell-O, but on a high-def board it looks like a tsunami of cellulite.
Is this fair? Not necessarily, but it’s the reality of performing at Cowboys Stadium in front of 80,000-100,000 fans who are watching you on the scoreboard, not just the sideline. So for the afternoon portion of finals, it was only appropriate that we, as judges, evaluated the contestants from the same perspective as the fans. We literally sat in midfield seats on the second level. From our vantage point, we could look down and see the contestants dancing on the field, but also look up at the digital board for the close-ups.
And here’s the good news about those close-ups. As much as the hi-def can be punishing, it can also be flattering. We’re talking about beautiful, talented girls. Watching them perform up-close on the board, you can better appreciate their dance technique and training. And, oh yeah, their good looks.
Let’s use some returning veterans as examples. Did you know that Kelsi Reich is called Skittles by the Junior DCC who attended summer dance camp? Why? Because Kelsi’s dimples are so deep, she can fit a piece of Skittles candy in each one. On the digital board, those dimples appear as deep as the Grand Canyon. And Whitney Isleib’s blue eyes … well, they’re the color of waters surrounding a Caribbean island. Crystal Trevino’s six-pack abs would make Terrell Owens jealous.
Finals also had an international flair with contestants from Tokyo, Japan, and Cali, Colombia, the girl from Colombia making it to boot camp. We also had contestants from coast-to-coast across the USA, including Oregon, Utah, Michigan, Idaho, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Washington, California, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Texas, no surprise, had the largest number of contestants.
As a judge, I’m really proud of all 73 girls who reached the finals. I wish we could have kept all of them. Congratulations to each one, and best wishes to the newest group of America’s Sweethearts.
