Kat (S10 Rookie)

* 29-years-old from Texas. When she was 15, she was on the US National group team for rhythmic gymnastics at the world championships, which was the most challenging thing she’s ever had to do. Now she works for an advertising agency, managing client relationships. One of their clients is former Cowboy Roy Williams, who just started a new company. [*She’s shown working with him*] She’s passionate about her career, but she feels like something’s missing in life. She misses performing in front of a crowd, and nothing makes her happier than dancing. If she makes the team, it will be tough struggling that and work, but it would be a dream come true. This is now or never.

## **Confessionals**

Total: 33

Season 10: 28 (2nd most)

Season 11: 5

### **Season 10**

**(10.1)**

* [First cheerleader confessional of season] “Today, we are at the very first day of DCC tryouts. It’s finally here!“
* “Just seeing Kelli for the first time, I’m just so excited. It’s like, I’ve been waiting to see her for so long, and there she is in the flesh.“
* “We are on the board, so we’re coming back tomorrow.“
* “I was so blown away by how huge it is. I’m just overwhelmed by all of it, and I feel like I just never want to leave.“
* “The combination’s pretty hard. It’s really fast. Eight eight-counts – it’s a lot to learn it so quickly.“
* (*Biography*)

**(10.2)**

* “There’s such good talent out here. I’m so glad that I went to Kitty (Carter’s). I feel like it was the frosting on the cake that I needed to really bring it today.“
* “I just made it to training camp! I am in for the ride of a lifetime. It’s gonna be tough, but it’s gonna all be worth it if I can make this team.“

**(10.3)**

* “I think it hit me while I was sitting in that (first) meeting that we’re not all going to stay here. And so, I really have to work hard to earn my spot on this team.“
* “Having Kelli and Judy sit in those chairs watching every move really is intimidating. And I’m trying really hard to not let it get in my head.“
* “I thought that I was getting better at picking up choreography, but I was a hot mess. Unfortunately, I parted ways with my previous employer because the training schedule just wasn’t going to work out with my job. Which was a complete shock. But now I can really practice all day tomorrow, so I can come back and really show them that I can do this.“

**(10.5)**

* “We’re just starting the third week of training camp, and we have a lot of routines under our belt now, and so I think the expectations are just getting higher.“
* “Really? Coach Garrett’s here? Like, just to be in the same room with him is amazing.“
* [Office visits announced] “Definitely a little surprised. I thought I was safe. Kelli probably wants to see what I’m doing to get on the same page as the other girls.“
* [Before office] “I’m definitely nervous to get cut. I mean, that can be what getting called in the office means, so I just hope that’s not the case.“
* [After office] “I think the hardest part just is that you’re working so hard, but you still don’t know if you’re going to be on the team at the end of the day, and so it’s very emotionally challenging. But I really do feel like I’ve improved so much, even just over a week, and I know that that’s what’s going to get me through this.“

**(10.6)**

* [Cameos] “I’ve never done any modeling, so my plan is to just use my dance poses. I’m channeling my DCC, and I’m going to go make it happen when I get in front of the camera.“

**(10.7)**

* “We’re back here at AT&T Stadium, where this journey began, and we are going to have a session with Melissa Rycroft which is really awesome and exciting because we’ve got a huge practice tonight on the field.“
* “The camera angle that Melissa Rycroft was shooting from brings new details to attention that I didn’t even think about before.“
* [Learning field entrance] “Going across the field, I felt like I was flying. I was just trying to get to the next yard line.“
* “This is it right here, everything that I’ve been working for, it all comes down to tonight. It’s now or never.“

**(10.8)**

* “Tonight is a big night. This is the last night of training camp. The whole summer comes down to this night. We’re either going to leave a cheerleader, or we’re not.“
* “I want this more than anything. I’ve never sacrificed so much and worked so hard for something.“
* [Crying] “I feel like I’m exhausted emotionally. It’s taken a toll. I’m just ready for them to announce the team.“
* [Crying after making team] “I can’t even describe how I feel right now. I thought I was about to get cut and I’m on the team now.“
* “This is the very first time I’m performing not as Kat anymore but as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, so that’s a lot of pressure.“
* “Rehearsal today was a little bit shaky for me just because there were so many last-minute changes with Ashley being hurt. So, I’m glad we got the kicks out then, and so now I can go and perform and do what we do best.“
* [End of season retrospective with flashbacks] “My journey to game day has not been easy. I had to fight every single day to not get cut. I’m 29. This was my one chance. I gave it everything I had. The last night of training camp was an emotional roller coaster. I don’t think I could have lasted five more minutes. When Kelli named the team, all the sacrifice is worth it. To be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader means dreams can come true, and I feel so happy. It’s so rewarding.“

### **Season 11**

**(11.2)**

* “Being a DCC is life-changing, I feel like a different person when I put on the uniform. Lots of pressure because the judges expect a lot from us coming in as veterans. Season was amazing and I don’t want to give that up.“
* [After panel interview] “I’m disappointed in myself, should have worn something safer.“
* “Everything is at stake, so I’m ready to go in and earn back my uniform.“
* [Training camp candidates being announced] “Sitting in my chair, and I’m just terrified, Kelli hasn’t called my name yet. It’s just scary.“
* [Not invited back to training camp] “Right now I feel like they’re going to call me tomorrow and say they made a mistake… I’m in shock.“

## **Commentary**

### **Season 10**

**(10.1)**

* “I like that little gymnastics girl.“ – Kelli
* [Preliminaries judging] “Oh, she’s the little gymnast. Kat’s interesting. I kind of put a little question mark by her looks. But she has a cute style, looks to have a cute personality.“– Kelli
* “The little gymnast has it.“ – Kelli
* “No effort in kicks.“ – Kelli [*Meant positively*]

**(10.2)**

* [Kat's solo at Kitty Carter's Dance Studio] “And that’s all beautiful. It’s gotta be more percussive and more aggressive. Right now, it’s too supple and too lyrical. I want you to attack the movement, even when you go up. Bam! Nail that bitch up there.“ – Kitty Carter
* “At the end of the day, it’s about if you can dance. Not with a ball, but with pom-poms. So, I pretty much re-did the last part of her solo.“ – Kitty
* “Kat’s a little out of control. “– Kelli/“I think she’ll struggle if she does make it.“ – Charlotte
* [Finals deliberation] “I’ve been all over the map on her. Then she blew me away with her solo, of course.“ – Kelli/“I question her power. Out on the field, she’s almost so flexible that she loses a little bit of control. And the girls around her were popping a whole lot more. And so, I just question whether she could physically do the style that you guys need.“ – Melissa Rycroft

**(10.3)**

* “On this routine, you look like you’re out of your wheel house. I’m hoping your dance can equal your gymnastics talent.“ – Kelli
* “Kat is super cute. She gets really scared and meek when she dances, though. And I really wanna work with her on that.“ – Melissa Rycroft
* “I pulled you out because I kind of want to know what’s going through your mind right now.“ – Melissa/“After last night, I was definitely kind of disappointed in myself.“ – Kat/“Dance-wise, you’re great. I can tell, though, that you’re scared. ‘Cause you’re dancing scared.“ – Melissa/“If I have an experience like I had last night where I just completely forgot, what do you do?“ – Kat/“I think what you need to do is just practice and not gulp when you hear them say, “Hey, Kat. Come up and dance.” Be confident that your dance really got you here. Just don’t get lost and don’t get in your head.“ – Melissa
* “Fun to watch. FTW.“ – Kelli/“Still mistakes, but I saw a little bit of improvement.“ – Judy

**(10.5)**

* “Kat looks like she’s doing a different dance than Robin, because she’s off beat.“ – Kelli/“Yeah, and she doesn’t know it.“– Judy
* “Robin, fun to watch. You’ve got the 'P' in punctuation. She has all these little, bitty extra little pops. And when you’re dancing next to Kat, Kat, it almost looked like y’all were doing two different dances, because [Robin]’s really hitting the beat, and you’re just gliding through it.“ – Kelli
* “You’re too soft. Could I see you on the team? Yeah, maybe a little bit, but, I mean, not as convincing as what I’ve already seen.“ – Kitty Carter
* [End of episode confessional] “Kat still concerns me a little bit, but I am seeing progress with Kat. I think she’s absorbing what we’re saying, and she’s doing her best.“ – Kelli

**(10.6)**

* “Don’t be nervous.“ – Melissa Rycroft
* “Better.“ – Judy
* “She’s a smart performer, and she has responded to our feedback. This is not her style of dance. But she’s really been impressive.“ – Kelli
* [Cameos] “Kat is very thin, and it’s showing. I hate to tell anyone they’re too thin, but she is frail-looking.“ – Judy/“But from here though, I do think she’s...“ – Kelli/“There’s been some pretty shots.“ – Judy
* “It looked like you were questioning yourself a little bit here and there. You’ve got to dance huge.“ – Bree Hafen

**(10.7)**

* “The girls coming here today are all lacking in power, and so I think it’s time these girls get put into a real-life scenario. They’re going to act like it’s game day, and I’m gonna see what they’ve got.“ – Melissa Rycroft
* [Field entrance] “You’re getting there way too early.“ – Judy
* “Kat’s kicks on the end would be beautiful, Judy.“ – Kelli/ “Yeah, but she’s got to stay in line.“ – Judy
* “Kat being a strong kicker is in her favor.“ – Kelli
* “You’re trailing off behind the line. Your kicks look beautiful, but if you’re curving the line, then that’s ugly. And we have cameras right down there that shoot straight this way, so this line is very important to us.“ – Kelli
* “Kat being on the end, I’m real confident with. Taylor being close to the end, I’m very concerned about because Taylor’s kicks are not camera-ready.“ – Kelli
* “I feel pretty confident that Kat would not make mistakes on that.“ – Kelli
* “Kat’s got her work cut out for her, dancing next to Robin.“ – Kelli

**(10.8)**

* “There’s still a lot of training camp candidates that are still on the bubble… We’re gonna be watching Kat to see if she can have a big presence on the field.“ – Judy
* “Kat’s making way too many mistakes.“ – Judy
* “That was weird on Kat.“ – Judy/“Kat just made some mistakes.“ – Kelli/“Oh my gosh, and so did Stephanie.“ – Judy
* “There was quite a bit of mistakes in that one, and I feel like that was a dance that’s been cleaner up to this point, so I was kind of surprised y’all made that many mistakes.“– Judy
* [After team announcement] “I kept Kat because she made progress throughout training camp and she’s enthusiastic. I think our fans will like her. And I like her on this team.“ – Kelli
* “I’m so excited to go see Kat. She doesn’t know I’m here, and she doesn’t know that I’ve been watching her. She’s been on the Jumbotron all night long, and I’m so happy for her. I can’t wait to see her.“– Melissa Rycroft

### **Season 11**

**(11.2)**

* “Your interview outfit is inappropriate.“ - Brenda Teele
* “Kat’s outfit had cut-outs that exposed torso, and once Brenda called her out, Kat tanked, and she never recovered.“ – Kelli
* “I think Kat is on the bubble and I don't think she did herself any favors in this interview.“ – Kelli
* “I thought she was powerful, but maybe not today.” – Judy [on-field]
* “Mine was totally interview-related, I think she was very disinterested. And I figure if you can’t be interested in talking to us, then you aren’t interested in talking to others.“ – Charlotte/“Don’t think she was disinterested.“ – Judy/“Nervous?“ – Charlotte/“Well, nervous after [Brenda] chewed her up and spit her out.“ – Kelli/“I put “no-brainer“.“ – Kristi Scales/“I think it’s a misunderstood energy she’s giving off.“ – Kelli

## **Office Visits**

### **Season 10**

**(10.5)**

* [Mid episode, second of two] Kelli knows with Kat’s gymnastics background, she has the dedication and work ethic needed to make this team. However, she’s not trained for their style. Kat thinks she’s really improved since the start. She thinks she got nervous, which is another thing she needs to work on. Judy could tell that she was nervous, and it shows. Kelli sees some potential – she’s not top 36 in the room currently – but there’s something that makes her believe in her. She advises her to think less, and express herself with the music more, which is when she’s fun to watch. But she needs to get their style.

## **End of Journey**

### **Season 11**

**(11.2)**

* Not invited back for her season season at finals.

## **Other**

### **Season 10**

**(10.1)**

* She introduces herself to the judges at preliminaries: she was on the US national team for rhythmic gymnastics.
* She’s shown being invited to finals.

**(10.2)**

* She’s shown performing her solo at finals.
* She’s shown being invited to training camp.

**(10.3)**

* Melissa Rycroft pulls her out of the Verandah Club practice for a one-on-one conversation.

**(10.4)**

* She gets 95 push-ups in the 2-minute challenge, which is the most seen out of anyone.

**(10.5)**

* If you pause, you can see a list of the scores she received at auditions: she was ranked #41 and received 6 yeses, 8 maybes, and 2 no’s.

**(10.6)**

* She’s one of five of those “struggling” to attend the Verandah Club mentoring session with Melissa Rycroft, where Kat brings up being brought into the office and being told she needs to master their style.
* Her final cameo shot is seen on screen.
* She’s shown doing a solo performance at show group auditions.

**(10.7)**

* She’s one of five TCC’s to attend the Melissa Rycroft session at AT&T Stadium.
* She’s one of six that Judy has repeat the field entrance.

**(10.8)**

* She’s one of five that Judy has repeat a dance.
* Her cameo photo above her locker is highlighted.
* Melissa Rycroft greets her at her locker after the game.

### **Season 11**

**(11.2)**

* Grilled by Brenda Teele, who says her panel outfit was inappropriate.