Season 5

For the first time, the magnificent Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is the venue for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders auditions. Over 600 candidates with dreams of making the 2010-2011 DCC team arrive before sunrise for the preliminaries. Only 96 ladies will be invited to the semifinal round. At semis the following morning, the candidates are expected to learn an intense and intricate DCC combination and the world-renowned DCC kick-line choreography in under an hour -- and then, exhausted and nervous, perform both dances in front of the judges. The intensity of the competition comes to an end when 47 girls are invited to join 27 returning DCC veterans at the finals auditions.

The 47 new girls invited to attend DCC finals auditions have had two weeks to prepare, but are they ready to swap dance moves with the 27 returning DCC veterans? From judges' panel interviews to elaborate solo dance routines, all the girls are scrutinized and critiqued. And for the first time ever, the DCC combination dance and kick line portions of the audition are performed on the field. This year, the judges view the performances on the mammoth 60-yard long HD screen hovering from the roof of Cowboys Stadium. From this vantage point, the slightest misstep, bad hairstyle, gaudy make-up or flabby tummy is magnified and seen like never before. At the end of the day, 44 girls are invited to training camp.

DCC training camp begins. The training camp candidates arrive at Valley Ranch for the first time and have the opportunity to meet their idols and mentors -- the DCC veterans. DCC director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and DCC choreographer Judy Trammel lead the orientation meeting with each training camp candidate and veteran, sharing a little known yet surprising fact about themselves. The following day, before the first night of rehearsals, the veterans break the tension and promote team bonding when they host a luncheon for the rookie candidates. DCC alums join the party and offer some insightful advice to all in attendance. That evening, the first night of rehearsal reveals these rookie candidates have a long way to go if they are going to take the field with the vets for the first game.

In just the second week of rehearsals, the first cuts of a training camp loom. Before the arduous rehearsals begin, a few select veterans in training camp are sent to film a segment for Good Morning America and they help to make a life-long dream come true for one lucky lady. Then, the rookie candidates are fitted for their DCC uniforms. It's a process that is tinged with excitement and optimism as these girls hope to one day wear the iconic blue blouse and belted white shorts on the field at Cowboys Stadium. To date, the training camp candidates have learned four routines and this week's rehearsals are important for all. The evaluation of the candidates' mastery of these dances will be meticulous under the watchful eye of DCC Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and DCC Choreographer Judy Trammell. Four candidates are called into the office for a meeting with Kelli and Judy. Who will be warned and who will be told, "This will be your last night"?

Week four of training camp begins with the rookie candidates getting their DCC "Makeovers." From having their hair and make-up revamped to receiving full body tans and teeth whitening, the rookie candidates are transformed into the DCC mold and in the process instilled with a new confidence and drive to make the squad. Next, both rookie candidates and veterans audition for the illustrious DCC Show Group. The evening is a magnificent showcase of the girls' talents and abilities to perform powerful dance moves and acrobatics. But only a select group will be chosen for this squad. As rehearsals begin, the training camp candidates know there are more cuts coming. DCC Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and DCC Choreographer Judy Trammell are looking for marked improvement by everyone. Three candidates are called into Kelli's office for a face-to-face meeting about their progress. The atmosphere is tense and emotional for all, but cuts must be made. Who lives to dance again at Valley Ranch?

The end of training camp is approaching, and DCC cameo photos are on the schedule. The training camp candidates and veterans are readied for their close-ups, dressed in their fitted DCC uniform with their hair and makeup flawless. Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammel are searching for the perfect DCC package, and these photos are a tell-all. The good and the bad is revealed. Next, technical director Kitty Carter shows up at Valley Ranch and directs the girls through rehearsal. With Kelli and Judy looking on, Kitty is quick with her blunt honesty in calling out the glaring mistakes made by the candidates and veterans during drills and routines. Kelli's and Judy's eyes are opened to a wide array of lingering problems with this class -- from performance issues to weight gains. Tonight, no one is safe from being scrutinized. Eight girls are called into the office. Who stays? Who goes home?

The 2010 squad must be announced in the next two days. At a local high school football stadium, the girls take to the turf for their one and only field rehearsal. Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammel are joined by technical director Kitty Carter to observe and critique from the stadium seats. Here, the mirrors and pristine dance floor are gone, and the field proves to be a strange and trying surface for the rookie candidates to perform their routines, kick line and flying splits. For Kelli and Judy, this field rehearsal reveals potential problems with how some of the girls manage and stand out on the field. The following evening, back at Valley Ranch, Kelli and Judy focus on the training camp candidates throughout the final studio rehearsal. Both know the squad must be chosen tonight, and the candidates' performance throws Kelli and Judy into a cloud of uncertainty. Are there still others who will be sent home during the squad photo shoot the next day?

Thirty-four rookie candidates and veterans suit up for the squad photo. Will the girls win Judy's and Kelli's approval, or will this be the last time some of them wear the iconic star-spangled uniform? With the squad finally set, the 2010 DCC take to the turf of Cowboys Stadium for their first field performance in front of 85,000 ecstatic fans. For the rookies, it is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and the veterans cherish the reignited excitement once again. Next it's time for the 2011 DCC Swimsuit Calendar photo shoot, and we follow the veterans on their trip to an exotic location in Mexico. Finally, the DCC Show Group is scheduled to take to the stage at Cowboys Stadium for the Super Bowl Kickoff event. These girls are the most accomplished and powerful dancers on the squad, but the staging is tricky and rehearsals reveal they have yet to master the choreography. By show time, Judy and Kelli make the necessary adjustments and the DCC deliver another explosive performance.