1. Confidence Breeds Success- Be proud of your abilities as a cheerleaders and be confident in every move that you make. When a difficult stunt is thrown at you, be confident that you are the right person for the job and that you can complete the task at hand. Make sure you talk the talk and cheer the cheer.

2. Smile!!- No one wants to see a sad cheerleader. That’s why the word cheer is in the word, ok maybe not but smiling is key to putting the crowd in a good mood. Also make sure your smile is genuine. Don’t over-do it and make sure it’s relaxed so that you can prove to the judges that you truly love what you’re doing and not just faking it.

3. If You Don’t Stick the Landing…Keep Going!- Just because a landing didn’t go as planned and everything didn’t turn out perfect doesn’t mean you should just give up. Judges like to see perseverance in a cheerleader and seeing that you can overcome a mistake and still put on an awesome performance says a lot about your character.

4. Ask Questions- Don’t be shy or embarrased that you don’t fully understand a routine or what is going on in a tryout. Make sure you make yourself heard and fully comprehend what is going on. If you don’t you will look lost and confused and more embarrassed than if you asked the question.

5. Stand Out!!- Make sure the judges and instructors can see just who you are and how good you are. Don’t fade in the back where you’re best moves won’t be showcased. It doesn’t matter if you make some mistakes that probably wouldn’t be seen in the back, instructors are looking for cheerers who show that character that they love to be seen and perform well in the spotlight.

So there you go, my tips on being the best you can be. So now, go out there with the right positive mental attitude, proper physical shape, and perform you’re best!

By Sean Connolly

Even if you root against the Cowboys, you can appreciate the beauty and skill of the women who root them on from the sidelines.

Dallas Cheerleaders on the sidelines

For the girls and women out there, here’s an inside look at what’s involved in being a Cowboy cheerleader. For the men out there, here’s an opportunity to discover that there’s a lot more than looking good involved in cheerleading.

For Cowboy cheerleaders, there’s a combination of great perks but also real community service involved. Here’s the way the Cowboy website describes it:
“Perform at sold out Cowboys games in Texas Stadium; Travel to exotic locations on Annual Calendar Shoot; Entertain US military troops throughout the world on USO Tours; Appear on national television special while participating in Auditions airing this fall on CMT; Lend time and talent at community service events; Share your knowledge and experience with kids at CAMP DCC; Bring smiles to residents of nursing homes and hospitals; Perform at professional hockey, baseball and basketball games; and Receive extensive training in dance and vocal techniques.”

Working with young people

By the way here’s the audition schedule for the new squad: PRELIMINARIES: Saturday, May 10, 2008
SEMI-FINALS: Sunday, May 11, 2008
FINALIST PANEL INTERVIEWS: Friday, May 23, 2008
DANCE FINALS: Saturday, May 24, 2008

But for you young women living in Los Angeles or Florida, please remember the requirements: High school graduate or have a G.E.D.; you must live in (or relocate to) the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and have reliable means of transportation; you must be able to attend all rehearsals; and you must be 18 years old by Preliminaries.

A lot of people assume that being a Cowboy cheerleader is a full-time, but that’s not true. Many cheerleaders have jobs or attend school and some spend much of their time raising children.

And people want to know whether there are set rules about height and weight. According to the website: “You should look well proportioned in dancewear. We DO NOT have specific height and weight requirements, however, a lean figure is demanded by our uniform.”

You need a variety of skills if you want to make the team and the Cowboy judges focus on the following: Dance Technique; Enthusiasm; Poise; Showmanship; Personal Appearance; Personality; Energy; High Kicks; and Splits.

And if you think it’s just about how you look and your athletic ability, don’t forget the other parts of the audition process: there’s a personal Panel interview with the judges. Then there’s a written test to check your general knowledge about the Dallas Cowboys Organization, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders history, the National Football League, and current events.
And as the website notes: you’ll be required to perform a ninety second individual talent presentation, (e.g. – singing, dancing, dramatic interpretation). “This will be your opportunity to impress the judges with your creativity and talent. Bring two copies of your music on CD or cassette tape. You may wear whatever costume design you wish to enhance and complement your performance. If your talent is singing, make sure there are no lead vocals on your accompaniment CD or tape.”

If you’re good enough you may just find yourself in next year’s calendar. For the moment, meet some of this year’s Cowboy Cheerleading team.

Cowboy Cheerleader Brooke Sorenson

Cowboy Cheerleader Andrea Rogers

Well this is just the beginning for us at cheerleading4ever.com. See you next time. And for those of you in the Dallas area thinking the time is now, we wish you the best of luck!