Dancing in Dallas

MorningSun.net
May 6, 2015

Pittsburg’s Kaleigh Lundy Walker is currently living in a dream and on the cusp of becoming a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

“It’s definitely been a dream of mine to audition, but to make it this far has been just a really great experience and makes me feel very accomplished and proud of myself for making it this far,” Walker said.

Last Saturday, Walker was one of several hundred who auditioned for a spot on the squad and was one of the 132 that were successfully welcomed to the semifinals round on Sunday. After learning a minute-long dance routine and the kick line, she became one of 59 finalists for the final rounds this Friday and Saturday.

With a passion for dance that was born right here in Pittsburg, Walker has taken those skills all the way to Dallas — where she currently lives — and aiming at the stars to earn a coveted spot on the Dallas Cowboy cheerleading squad.

Walker — born in Augusta in 1983 — moved to Pittsburg when she about seven years old when her father Gary Lundy — currently the chairman of the board — came to work for Watco Companies in 1991. She attended St. Mary’s Colgan and graduated in 2001, then earned her degree in journalism at the University of Kansas.

While she was at St. Mary’s Colgan High School, she served as the captain of the school’s dance team and also danced at Jody Phillips Dance Company in town.

“It’s been a huge passion of mine,” Walker said. “My sisters and I grew up dancing, my mom (Susie Lundy) was a dance teacher in Pittsburg, so it’s just been a big part of our lives.”

For the last 10 years, Walker has lived in Los Angeles, where she met her husband Russell — who also attended KU at the same time she did, but didn’t meet her until an alumni event in L.A. They moved to Dallas about a month ago.

“My husband is from Oklahoma and obviously I’m from Kansas, so we were kind of just ready to be a little bit closer to family and we still wanted to be in a big city,” Walker said. “We thought Dallas was a good fit.”

Russell, who owns a wood flooring company, said he’s proud of her accomplishments already, but also laughingly chimed in that if she becomes a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, he’s going to be dropping that title in introductions and conversations all the time.

“I think it’s incredible. At her age — she’s 31 — she’s really been deadset on this for several years and have really gone out and made the best of her efforts,” Russell said. “… She’s incredibly goal-oriented and hasn’t missed a beat. She does it all in stride.”