Erin (S13 Rookie)

* 24-years-old from Texas. She thinks think year’s training camp has changed her as both a person and dancer. She feels more confident in the style. She began dancing as a toddler and loved it. Getting into the concert dance world, she still missed other dance styles. She felt like she was losing the entertainer side of her. She began really thinking about DCC her senior year of college. Some people in her dance scene weren’t very supportive of this dream because they didn’t truly understand “why.” It was something she just decided in her heart to go for, and she decided to listen to herself. It was terrifying, but she mustered the courage and made it to training camp. However, she wasn’t ready, and the DCC style was too big a change from anything she’d ever done. She had lots of self-doubt and was completely overwhelming and became the first cut. Getting rejected motivated her to prepare intensely for this year, taking all the prep classes she could. She really thinks she’s changed, and now there’s a lot at stake for her. Based on all of her preparation, if she made the team, it’d be incredible. She thinks if you get rejected, don’t give up, but work even harder towards your goal.

## **Confessionals**

Total: 26

Season 12: 14 (T19th most)

Season 13: 12 (T16th most)

Season 14: 0

### **Season 12**

**(12.4)**

* "The veterans are awesome. They are coaching us. Each step, they’re giving us little tips."
* [First rehearsal] "The style is so different in my body than what I’m used to, so I got a little bit overwhelmed."
* "This was definitely a hard night for me. Just, the style was so different. But it also made me kind of realize I need to kick it into gear and show them that I can do their style."
* "We are ready to go. This process is incredibly stressful to me, because I’ve never done pom before. I’m used to doing contemporary dance, which is very much about extending and being fluid. And this is like sharp, and one movement on each count, which is really challenging for me to pick up."
* "I don’t know why I had so many struggles with balance. I guess maybe doing it in front of them, I was a little nervous. At least I know going into tonight to work on balance.
* [Before office visit] "If I got cut tonight, I would feel like I didn’t have the chance to show my potential to learn this style and really improve throughout training camp, because that’s what I’ve done my whole life: pick up new styles and work on them. This is definitely the most challenge style I’ve done because it’s so different, but I would feel really disappointed."
* [After office] "I feel a little bit on eggshells because I know that they’re going to be really watching me on Monday. But I do feel confident that I have two days to really hone in on these dances and fine-tune them."

**(12.5)**

* "Learning the jump split, Lacey gave me a lot of correction. It’s a little bit scary, but by the end I think I really got it."
* "I really feel good about my jump split. Hopefully this night keeps going my way. I’ve practiced the dances all weekend, so really looking forward to showing them I’ve improved."
* "Kitty (Carter) talked a lot about attacking the movement and that’s really how you find that spice that draws someone in to watch you. So, I think I definitely learned how to find that attack in my movement."
* "We’re at the end of week 2. I am struggling still to get some of the key aspects of this style, so I think I’m definitely on their radar. I just hope they can give me the time that I need in order to get there."
* [Before office] "I’m a little confused. I felt pretty strong tonight. I wasn’t really expecting to get called into the office tonight, and having been called in once before, I’m just definitely a little shook up."
* [After cut] "Definitely disappointed. It’s not fun to be cut, but I’ve learned so much as a dancer. I do think I will be back next year. I learned a lot about what I need to work on, and I feel like if I took some classes in this technique, I could excel next year."

### **Season 13**

**(13.1)**

* I tried out last year and I made it to training camp, and I was actually the first one cut. [*Flashback*] It definitely lit a fire in me to come back and really take this year to prepare.

**(13.2)**

* Having made it to training camp last year, I’m just hoping that I make it back to finals.
* [Laying on the ground with Madeline] Madeline: We just finished semifinals. We’re exhausted. Erin: I feel like I didn’t do my absolute best, so I’m trying to just keep my confidence up right now. Madeline: Our futures are in their hands. Erin: Yeah.

**(13.5)**

* I’m “cooking” right now, waiting to get a little bit blonder.

**(13.7)**

* [Before office] I was the first cut last year, and that was really hard, not getting to have more time here in training camp. So, I’m really hoping that I can hear some corrections that they’re wanting from me, and be able to make improvements from here on out.
* [After office] I think this was a good check-in at a good time in training camp, but I think I have a lot of work to do going forward, and I’m ready to just work hard and show them that I can do this.

**(13.8)**

* I was learning to saddle a horse and everything was going great, and then all of a sudden the horse tail comes out of nowhere and whips me in the eyes. Never been whipped in the face by a horse before.

**(13.9)**

* I’ve never danced on a football field before. I didn’t get to learn the entrance last year, so this is my very first time so it’s very different. It seems like if I focus on the arms, I mess up my yard line and vice versa.
* I think the biggest thing I noticed with the veterans is just their confidence and their comfort out here on the turf. You know, that’s the point I hope to be at in a year.
* Last night, I was called out for not hitting my yard lines. I was actually overshooting them, so I think it’s really important tonight that I show Kelli and Judy that I can hit those yard lines and I can glide across the field like one of the vets.

**(13.12)**

* Biography

**(13.13)**

* [Makes team] "I can’t even believe it. I can’t believe that’s me. This is insane."

## **Commentary**

### **Season 12**

**(12.4)**

* “Erin, you know you’re struggling with this style.” – Kelli
* "Erin, I don’t feel like your body is into this style yet. I know you’re technically trained and have that capability, but right now it looks like you’re kind of chasing the tempo." – Kelli
* [At alumni workshop] “Oh, she stumbled”
* “Good recovery on your fall. I fell a couple of times myself.” – Tina Kalina/“Okay, Erin, keep your weight in the balls of your feet so you can transition faster and easier.” – Sarah Gourley
* [Erin stumbles at practice again] “She stumbles a lot.” – Mia Greenhouse/“Yeah” – Cassie Trammell/“That was the fifth time she stumbled.” – Mia
* "Erin, you had a lot of trips earlier, too, and you stumbled again today. I think that goes with being grounded, because in the boots it’s going to be a whole lot harder than in Nikes." – Mia
* "Erin concerns me." – Ashton Torres/ "Yes. Definitely."/"I was totally surprised by her. I thought she was going to nail it. She fell countless amount of times today." – Ashton/"That’s like what I’m seeing is a baby deer, like trying to figure out where to put my body."– Sarah
* "I don’t think Erin is making any corrections, you know, the weight changes we keep telling her about. She better pick it up fast, or she’ll be kicked out quickly." – Cassie

**(12.5)**

* “Erin concerns me on style.” – Kelli
* [Yes or no’s] “I’m going to say… not yet on this routine. I felt like you were rushing. Maybe even a little delayed. But you weren’t on it.” - Kelli
* [Kitty Carter stops her] "Catch it, hit it! - [Erin tries again] Can you catch it? [Erin asks with her hand?] Yeah, no with your mouth, tongue. Yes, with your hand." [Shows her how to do it] – Kitty
* “A little bit of Erin’s posture looks out of line.” – Kelli
* “I respect Erin’s training, but she just started kind of getting out-performed.” – K

### **Season 13**

**(13.1)**

* She’s a beautiful technically trained modern dancer, but she’s still going to have to fight style and power to compete with the other ladies in the room. – K

**(13.2)**

* Erin’s messing up. – K
* [Semifinals judging] Because the amazing thing, wow, she’s so much stronger than last year. – K/ She was her last year?/ She was in training camp last year. – J/ I thought she was beautiful, but she just looked tired to me./ And that was one of the reasons that got her cut, was she was tired. – J

**(13.7)**

* Whoo! Erin looked pretty on that. – K
* You’re rushing really bad. And dance wider. – J
* Erin has definitely broken out of her ballet box. – K

**(13.9)**

* [Field entrance] Erin’s still jumping ahead. – K/ She’s struggling. – J
* [Field entrance] Mistakes. Stopping and starting. – J
* Erin looks great. – K
* Um, Erin, hello! – K/ Oh my gosh, so sexy! I noticed Erin right away. You were just like, bombshell. That was fantastic. I loved it. – Marshall
* I have seen progress in Erin from last year. – K [end of episode confessional]

**(13.10)**

* Whoo, Erin is working it. You go, girl. – K
* Much stronger than a year ago. – J

**(13.12)**

* Erin looks great. – K

## **Office Visits**

### **Season 12**

**(12.4)**

* [End of episode, 3rd of 4 called in] Kelli says she seemed to be a little more flustered tonight than some of the others in the room. Seems she struggling for that, and Kelli doesn’t have an easy answer for that. This is not a pianist in the corner or a drummer. This will be a challenge for her, because it’s not what she’s trained in, and she’s not the strongest performer in the room. Erin feels she can get there. The alumni told them a lot of ways to change up their practicing, and she thinks she needs to look into other ways. Kelli says she has the frame, the look, and the control – a lot of things in her favor. She says they have the day off tomorrow, and Erin says she’ll spend it practicing. [*Erin leaves*] Judy says she likes her personality. Kelli agrees and says her eyes are brighter and she’s pretty.

**(12.5)**

* [End of episode, 3rd of 3 called in] Kelli says since auditions, she’s loved her technique. Her style is not DCC style right now. They don’t think she’s progressing to their style quickly enough for this team this season. Erin feels like she’s picking up on a lot of things that she didn’t know of before, because she’s never done this style. She feels like she’s coachable and a quick learner. If they would give her a little more time, she thinks she can show them that she can get there. [Commercial break] She feels like she has it in her, she has that power, and people have noticed that she has moments. Understands it just needs to get there faster, but she just feels like she has it in her. Kelli respects her as a dancer. She’s just being outpowered in the room. They think she does have the skills to make this team, but now if she’s interested, she needs to work on powerful style. For now, tonight will be her last night. Erin is grateful for the experience and training. It was a little shorter than she’d have liked. She asks if they would advise her to come back if she’s interested. Kelli says if she exposes herself to different genres of dance, specifically power-oriented ones. [*They thank each other and Erin leaves*] Kelli says it’s interesting that they’re at the point where they turn down fine-arts majors for people that are more captivating.

### **Season 13**

**(13.7)**

* [Mid episode, first of two] Kelli says she started off strong, and that everyone’s been excited to see the improved Erin. Erin says she now feels confident in the DCC style, though she may not have shown them her absolute best. She hopes to show them everything she has. Kelli states that this will come down to several not obvious things, some of which are musicality and being comfortable and fun to watch. Erin says she’ll get that down. Kelli dismisses her from the office, telling her to relax and to keep up what she did at auditions.

## **End of Journey**

### **Season 12**

**(12.5)**

* Is the first TCC cut from training camp at the end of week 2

## **Other**

### **Season 12**

**(12.3)**

* Her solo performance is shown

* Shown being invited to training camp

**(12.4)**

* Loses her balance at the veteran workshop

### **Season 13**

**(13.1)**

* Shown introducing herself to the judges at preliminaries

**(13.2)**

* Nick Florez does a short little “interview” with her and Madeline before they perform at semifinals
* Fifth-to-last shown being invited to finals

**(13.3)**

* She’s shown successfully naming a current Dallas Cowboy at panel interviews
* Shown performing her solo at finals

**(13.9)**

* When Melissa Rycroft asks the rookies for their weaknesses, Erin says hers is standing out

**(13.11)**

* On the board, it can be seen that she’s received stickers from 5 of 6 evaluators (everybody but Judy)

### **Season 14**

**(14.4)**

* She’s revealed to be tied for 18th (with four others) based on how the TCC’s were scored at finals

**(14.12)**

* Although she doesn’t perform with show group, she’s present on stage with Molly while the show group is getting changed in anticipation for their second routine

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