Chelsea Elizabeth

* 20-years-old from Texas. When she was 16, her 14-year-old cousin was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. They were best friends and like sisters. Sadly, a year and a half after her diagnosis, she passed away. If she was still here and knew Chelsea was trying out, she would be supportive, and Chelsea tries to live her life as she did, and every day just say, “go for it.” Her cousin is an inspiration to her. Chelsea has a passion for dance and a passion for inspiring people; she thinks that’s what you need in order to be a DCC. It’s not just about the dancing; it’s about having people look up to you, and being a good role model. To be a DCC would be the biggest honor of her life.

## **Confessionals**

Total: 55

Season 7: 45 (**Most in season**)

Season 8: 10 (T16th most)

### **Season 7**

**(7.1)**

* Kelli walked out, I was squealing and grabbing my friend. I couldn’t believe it was actually happening.
* Judy is like a superhero. She’s very well-spoken, and she’s very respectable and she’s very powerful, and I really admire that.
* [Struggling at semifinals] Learning the choreography was rough.
* When the judges came out, the girls were clapping, and they were playing the music, I started shivering. I started shaking. I was like, “I’m so nervous right now.” I’ve never felt this before.
* Biography
* [Finals] This could all be over today, and that’s what’s scary.
* [Makes training camp] Now, I’ve got to get ready for training camp. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I’m saying that; it’s a dream come true.

**(7.2)**

* Today is a really special day, because Alex is moving in with me.
* It’s great that Alex has been through training camp before. It’s gonna be helpful to know what’s coming next. It’s like she’s my mentor, so I’m really excited about that.
* I got out there, and I was like, “Wow. I got myself into something really hard.” Really, a lot harder than I thought it would be.
* [Gets feedback] I could agree with them more. It was a really difficult night, and every other count I was off. So, tonight I’m gonna go home and rehearse and rehearse all day tomorrow, and I’ll have it perfect by tomorrow, tomorrow night.
* [With Alex Hermes] I think it’s important that we know the routine as well as we possibly can tonight. They’re gonna look and see who went home and who practiced it, and who knows it.

**(7.3)**

* Today is our first rehearsal of this week, third rehearsal in all, and we’ve had the weekend to recuperate. Hopefully this will be a better practice than the last one.
* [Kickline] My mind just kind of went, “We’re doing this? Okay, we’re doing this.”
* The first and only time I got to do [the jump split] tonight, I had a girl pull me down and kind of pulled a muscle, so it really hurt for me and I got up and asked the veterans, “Is it normal to feel like your leg is ripping in half?”
* It’s uniform fitting day. I’m really, really, really excited. Could barely sleep last night. I’m definitely looking for to put on the uniform, get the feel of it. Prelims were exactly a month ago, so it’s just completely surreal.
* Dancing for Kelli and Judy still to me is completely nerve-wracking. I don’t know what it is about dancing in front of them, but I just completely lose my mind and I need to stop.

**(7.5)**

* Knowing that tonight could be a cut night and having Judy and Kelli watch me do the jump splits for the first time since I hurt myself is definitely scary.

**(7.6)**

* It’s definitely been a long, grueling process getting to this night, but every girl that’s here deserves to be here. We’ve been working so hard, and I hope Kelli and Judy will be able to see that.
* It’s definitely nerve-wracking to have all this attention on me. I’ve tried to manage to fly under the radar, but something like this you really can’t prepare for. Hopefully they’ll give me a chance and I’ll be here for the final squad to be announced.
* [Before office] We’re so close I can taste it, and to get cut now would just be devastating. I just hope that they don’t cut me.
* [After office] Kelli and Judy basically told me that I need to get my confidence back. I thought I was a shoo-in, honestly, but now I don’t know.
* We’re at Java Me Up, and I’m just getting together with some of the girls. We’re going to meet and talk about some of the stresses that we’ve been going through. It’s just really nice to have that support.
* Right now, I think more than practice, we just need support and we need to build each other up.
* It’s just really nice to have that support from your sisters – these girls that you’ve been in the trenches with this whole summer.
* It’s definitely nerve-wracking knowing that my season could be coming down to these couple of hours outside, but I’m ready to go.
* I hope I’ve redeemed myself tonight. I think, just confidence is all I can do, and hopefully they’ll see it.
* The fact that there are cuts to come is affecting me. I think it’s affecting a lot of us. It’s hard to dance knowing that your every move is being evaluated.
* [About being called into the office] If tonight were to be my last night, I would have gone down swinging. I think that I gave it everything I possibly could tonight.
* [Before office] All season, I didn’t get called in once, and now, the last couple of nights of training camp, I’m getting called in twice in a row. So, I don’t know what their plans are for me.
* [After office] I think if I make this squad, it’ll be based on personality. I did not dance my way here. I think they just see something in me that America’s gonna love. I’m just happy that I made it through tonight, because it was a rough one.

**(7.7)**

* [Makes team] This is a really big accomplishment. You know, I wasn’t athletic growing up. I didn’t have a lot of trophies and stuff, but this locker is the best trophy that I could ever receive in my life.
* Next, we’re about to put all our stuff up and then go out and practice.
* I think everyone’s kind of on edge, wanting to get everything perfect, but mistakes will be made, but they won’t be made whenever the actual game comes.
* I’m ready to take the field and show my friends and family what I’ve been working on all summer.
* I have been dreaming of this day since I was little, and I can’t wait to get out there.

**(7.8)**

* We have a lot to prove as a team. This is our second performance in front of a really big crowd, and so it’s definitely a lot of pressure.
* It was so exhilarating. It was amazing to be in front of that crowd. It was just an honor to be out there.
* Tonight, we have our first appearance as Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. We’re not dancing tonight, but that’s really good, because we’ll get to ease into this.

**(7.10)**

* I was really excited to get to watch the game footage.
* I thought the squad photo was amazing. It was great to see myself in there, and then all of my friends. We’ve worked so hard for that, and so I’m just proud.
* I’m definitely anxious. My heart’s beating, my palms are sweaty. This is a moment that I’ve been working for my entire life, so it just feels really good to be standing here right now.

**(7.11)**

* This is our first Monday Night Football game, so we’re all just anxious, excited, we all can hardly stand it. We’re just ready to get out there and everyone’s just crazy.
* I’m nervous and in a hurry.
* [Retrospective confessional about season with flashbacks] To achieve this dream after everything I had to go through, it just means the world to me. I’ll tell anyone, I talked my way onto this squad. I will be in this organization until they either ask me to leave or I can’t move any more. I’m in love with this.

### **Season 8**

**(8.2)**

* It’s always nerve-wracking, going into interview panels. You have to be on your toes. And you don’t want to come off as someone that’s really dumb, because they don’t want those girls on this squad.
* This is my passion. If I don’t make it into training camp, I would be crushed.

**(8.6)**

* I got called out. I was expecting it. I just started laughing, really, when I was doing the across-the-floors, because what do you do, you know? You just smile and just go across the floor, that’s all you can do.
* [About being called into the office] It’s definitely the worst déjà vu that you could ever have in your life, is hearing your name called to go into the office as a veteran.
* [Before office] I don’t know why they called me in, honestly. All of these girls are fantastic, so I don’t know why they called any of us in. I guess we’ll find out when we go in there.
* [After office, with Danielle Marie, Jennifer Alexis, and Kim Nicole] We were just called into the office. We were all told that we were fat, or I’m sorry, overweight [*the others laugh*]. We were just told that we were overweight and not to show up to cameos on Monday, so we get a day off.
* [After office, with Danielle Marie] Chelsea: That weight is not maintainable, so if that’s what they’re expecting of us, then I might as well just take myself out right now. Danielle (crying): It is what it is, so… Chelsea: Hey, we’re still on the team and we still have our uniforms. Fat or not, whether we fit in them or not, which we do…
* [About being called into the office (for the third time this episode)] It’s a completely different feeling whenever you’ve been through a year and then you’re getting brought down to a very low level. It’s terrible.
* [Before office] My mind is definitely going a million miles a minute. I don’t know what they could be talking to me about, but we’ll see.
* [After cut] Well, I was just cut from training camp. I’m not a cheerleader anymore. I do wish they would give me another shot. This is my whole entire life. I’ve built my life around being here and now I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know if I’ll come back. This is a really hard process. I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ll come back.

## **Commentary**

### **Season 7**

**(7.1)**

* [Semifinals] I like this girl. – Charlotte/ Me too. You do?  I do too. – Kelli/ I do a lot. – Charlotte
* Small-town girl. That’s what I like to see. Give me five. – Kitty Carter
* Better, that was better, Chelsea. – Kitty Carter
* If you want to go for the attitude, I like the attitude, just don’t get raunchy on me. – Kitty Carter
* I like Chelsea a lot. She’s bright, bubbly, smart. – K
* [Discussing her favorite solos of the day] I think Chelsea’s got great potential. She could be a 50-yard-line girl. – K
* I think she’s a real strong performer.
* Wow, she does have good kicks and a bright smile.
* [Finals deliberation] She was the best interview of the day. – Charlotte/ Her father had seen the cheerleaders on a U.S.O. tour in Bosnia. And that made a big impression on her. Love it. – K

**(7.2)**

* Chelsea, bright. Need to control the choreography, but very strong potential. – K
* Very big, bold, gonna-be-fun-to-watch style. Need to polish your interpretation of choreography, kind of placement. – K

**(7.3)**

* Slow down, Chelsea. You get so excited that you start going fast and messy. – J
* You’re built like I used to be. That’s a good thing. – K
* Chelsea doesn’t know what the heck she’s doing. – J
* Did you practice that? – J/ I did, I’m sorry. I didn’t know where my mind was. – Chelsea/ Okay, it’s like you didn’t know what you were doing. – J

**(7.4)**

* Megan and Kali, your kicks looked a little bit low, along with Chelsea’s. – J

**(7.5)**

* [Jump split] Make sure that right is perfectly forward and you’re not ending on an angle, okay? – Shelly Roper-McCaslin

**(7.6)**

* [DCC entrance] Big, Chelsea! – J
* Chelsea is kind of a hot mess on the field. It’s just not pretty to watch her right now. – J
* It’s so distracting how clunky you are, and I hate to keep using that word because I don’t know what word to help you come out of that. – J
* She is clunky and big. – K/ She had a lot of mistakes though. – J
* Chelsea’s making rookie mistakes during her routines. I think she needs to really be confident. – K
* Chelsea, mistakes. – J
* You’re kind of doing the toe-heel and you’re trying to be up on your toes, and it’s giving you that bounce that you don’t need. – J/ Okay, just stay on my toes the whole time? – Chelsea/ Yes, glide. – J/ Get Chelsea Botox so she won’t look like she’s worried. – K/ I know. – J
* I wonder if Chelsea’s going to get better or worse in boots? – K/ I think she’s a clunky, clumsy mess. But she’s energized. – J
* You have great energy, but sometimes you channel that into rushing and doing things a little wrong. – J
* You just hung your foot in the air. Point it. Attach it to your whole leg and point it. – J/ Raise it. – K
* I don’t want Chelsea to be scared, because when she gets scared, she gets perhaps overwhelmed and she underperforms, she undersells, and she kills her own chances. – K

**(7.7)**

* Chelsea’s gone crazy with her expressions. – K
* In your catalogue of expressions, let’s just stick with the fun smile. – K
* [Talking to squad after team announcement] Chelsea, you’re still clunky. – K

**(7.10)**

* What was your yard line? – K/ The half in between. But now that they’ve changed, I know where I’m supposed to be, and I fixed it since then. This video helped a lot. – Chelsea/ But it’ll change again. So, you have to know every time. – J

### **Season 8**

**(8.2)**

* I think she’s a clunky veteran, too. The rookies right here are better.

**(8.6)**

* What the heck are you doing? – Kitty Carter
* [Confessional before her first office visit] I’m disappointed, because the veterans know what the expectations are, and they need a wake-up call. – K
* It’s very difficult to pull four veterans from our cameos. I knew it would be an emotional decision. My bigger concern is that they make the necessary adjustments in nutrition and fitness to be ready for our squad photo and our first game. – K
* [After first office visit, to Kelli and Judy] Chelsea’s being toxic out there. She’s being very immature. I mean, I’ll go out there and honestly tell them that, you’re gonna react like this, does that tell us what you’re worth? I mean, I’m going to be ugly. – Kitty Carter
* [After first office visit] It’s important for me right now to go out and visit with Chelsea and the rest of the team, because one bad apple, as they always say, can make the whole group go crazy. The veterans did not step up and actually act like veterans. They acted like crybabies. Chelsea is being very toxic. So, I feel like I have to step in. – Kitty Carter
* [Outside, after first office visit] Your reaction was not what we were expecting. Just, you just need to go talk to Kelli. I expect you to be a veteran, is what I expect, Chelsea. – Kitty Carter
* [Show group auditions] Chelsea is clunky. – K/ Look at that. She’s a mess. – J
* Chelsea looks like she’s all pissy standing up there. – Kitty Carter
* Chelsea drew negative attention to herself. We’ve been focused on rookies, but Chelsea’s not dancing like a veteran. And I don’t know if she’s challenged herself to be better, either. That’s what’s concerning. – K

## **Office Visits**

### **Season 7**

**(7.6)**

* [Mid episode, third of three, at Cowboys Stadium] Chelsea asks them how they’re doing, Kelli says great and asks the same of Chelsea. Chelsea says she’s been better. Kelli begins that at auditions and the first weeks of training camp she started off really strong. They’ve always said she’s never been totally refined with her dance technique, but there’s a big, bold, bright quality that they like. There’s been times with the choreography where she’s kind of backtracked a bit. She’s started seeming a little clumsier and less articulate with the dance steps. Then, tonight, she took more steps back because on the entrance, she doesn’t even look close. She has to have an experienced, fluid, and kind of a maturity about that moment, not like she’s chasing someone in a junior high track meet. She hates to tell her this, but she’ll be honest: when Chelsea was entering and going across the field and she was watching, she thought she liked her, but it may need to be next year. Chelsea says she’s supposed to be here, and Kelli asks why? Chelsea says it’s just something that she thinks she was born to do. It has been her dream forever, and she’s very passionate about it. Kelli says they believe in her dream, but it may not start this year. She asks what Chelsea would say. Chelsea opines that she would be disappointed, but she’s be back next year. She’s upset that she’s disappointed them with her dancing, and Judy says she hasn’t disappointed them; they just see so much more in her that needs to be pushed. Kelli says they’ve always felt she has good, big, bold style, and being timid is not an option there. Chelsea states that she’s never been timid her entire dancing life. She doesn’t know what it’s starting now, but it stops tonight. Kelli tells her to “keep those B’s”: big, bold, and bright. In the meantime, she should also work on her fluid motion coming out. She only has a few hours to fix it. Chelsea says she will, and says she never wanted to be in the office, but she is and it’s okay. [*Chelsea leaves*] Judy asks if they’ve broken her spirit, and Kelli says in some ways, yes. Maybe they’ll reverse that tonight.
* [End of episode, second of four] Chelsea says, “long time, no see,” and Kelli welcomes her back. Chelsea thanks her and says, “it’s good to be here,” jokingly. Kelli says the bottom line is they want her to make this team. She has potential, but she is by no means ready. Chelsea promises she can fix everything. Kelli informs her they could say good night to her tonight, give her the technical time she needs, because she does need it. Chelsea says she can fix technique issues. Kelli asks her to prove it, by asking what she’s doing right now to fix her technique. Chelsea says besides getting notes from veterans on what to fix… but Kelli stops her and says she needs to take technique classes. Chelsea agrees. Kelli says they could have her back tomorrow, and that she’s going to hear Judy squawk at her all year long. Judy says she doesn’t want to squawk Chelsea’s name all year long, either. Chelsea says she would rather have her name be squawked all year than have to wait a year to hear it again. Kelli tells her they’ll see her tomorrow. [*Chelsea leaves*] Judy says she gets points for personality, and Kelli says that counts.

### **Season 8**

**(8.6)**

* [Mid episode, second of two (for now), with Danielle Marie, Jennifer Alexis, and Kim Nicole] Kelli tells them it’s quality control time: all of them have gained weight from last year. All the judges noticed it at auditions. They’re starting to notice it more here. They have made the decision not to photograph them for cameos. They’d be wasting everybody’s time. Chelsea asks if they don’t want them to show up for cameos at all, and Kelli confirms this, saying they have last year’s pictures. Some of them are 8 pounds heavier than last year, so while this conversation may be shocking, Kelli’s tired of hearing about this from other people. She adds the next conversation would be that they’re like a rookie and not making the team. They should take this seriously, and until they hear otherwise, they won’t be doing appearances in uniform.
* [Mid episode, immediately following previous office after Kitty Carter alerts Kelli and Judy of Chelsea “being toxic” regarding the previous office visit] Kelli tells Chelsea to talk to them. Chelsea isn’t sure what they’re talking about. Kelli brings up her “explosion” in the locker room. Chelsea apologizes, saying she didn’t explode, but saw her friends hurting and wanted to cheer them up and let them know it would be okay. She apologizes again if it came off wrong. Kelli tells her that is “B.S.” and she doesn’t buy it. She says Chelsea’s a little out of shape/heavier, and postulates that she’s being partying (Chelsea denies this). Kelli asks if she’s not drinking, and Chelsea mentions doing so on the weekends. Kelli says athletes that need to stay lean do not, and that’s where she needs her to be. She needs her to be serious; she barely made this squad and her dancing has not improved. She doesn’t think Chelsea’s taking it seriously. She tells her to tone up, and that she can’t get sloppy on weight or dance. Chelsea jokingly asks if they don’t want her to come on Monday (to the cameo shoot), and says they can call her – she’ll be by her phone, as she walks out the door. Judy says that was uncomfortable. Kelli says it should have been an easy night.
* [End of episode, second of two] Kelli asks how Chelsea is, and she responds that she’s terrified. Kelli doesn’t like the direction that she’s going as a veteran, and they’ve tried to express that in some of the dance notes, and then they had discussions in the office on Friday, and she didn’t like her reaction [flashback shown]. Kelli fears that Chelsea’s toxic in the locker room, or that the outburst sent the wrong message to the rookies and veterans. Chelsea wants them to know that isn’t her. From the bottom of her heart, she did not mean that. She was blindsided, her friends were crying, and she was upset. All she wants to do is be a good veteran and a good example. She says she can begin to say how much this means to her and how much the organization has completely changed her life. She’s absolutely, completely sorry, and wanted to tell them that, face-to-face. Kelli appreciates that, but the decision they’ve made is to release her from this training camp. Chelsea asks if she can have one more chance, and Kelli says the decision’s final, and she’ll have the choice to see how she handles that. She tells her she can be noble and mature and take more dance classes and get herself in tip-top shape and reaudition, or she can react like she did in the locker room a couple of nights ago. Chelsea says she is devastated, and she has no one to blame. She thanks them, and Kelli says she’s sorry.

## **End of Journey**

### **Season 8**

**(8.6)**

* Cut at the end of week 6 of training camp (7th of 8 to leave, 40 left afterwards)

## **Other**

### **Season 7**

**(7.1)**

* Shown dancing after Kelli gives a confessional about there being a few great performers at preliminaries.
* Shown being invited to finals.
* At panel interviews she’s asked why she wants to be a DCC: she responds that this is such an amazing organization, and she became passionate for it after her dad came home from being stationed overseas and told her about how wonderful it was to have to DCC perform for them.
* Shown being invited to training camp.

**(7.2)**

* Alex Hermes moves in with her at the start of the episode.
* Introduces herself at the opening meeting: she’s a really good juggler and accidentally passed all the tests you would need to be a certified clown.
* She’s one of the rookies at the Verandah Club practice.

**(7.3)**

* She gets mildly hurt doing the jump split for the first time.

**(7.6)**

* She’s one of four TCC’s that Judy makes repeat the entrance (with Whitney as a comparison).
* She’s one of the seven rookie TCCs that meet up at a coffee shop before rehearsal.

### **Season 8**

**(8.2)**

* Second-to-last shown being invited to training camp.

**(8.6)**

* She responds to the office visit by mockingly referring to the veterans called in as “fat,” and can be seen joking outside afterward the initial office visit that “the fatties are still on the team.” Kitty Carter catches wind of this, tells Kelli and Judy, and confronts Chelsea, who is brought back in for a second office visit immediately afterwards.
* After her cut, she tells the team outside that she was cut, and it isn’t a joke. She is hugged, and several veterans are shown appearing upset.