Season 9

## Veteran DCCs

Sydney (7th year, GL, SG)

Nicole (5th year, GL, Pro Bowl, VOTY)

Angela (4th year, 2nd GL)

Brittney (4th year, SG)

Emma (4th year, GL, SG)

Holly (4th year, GL, Point, SG)

Katy (4th year)

Veronica (4th year)

Ashley (Marie) F. (3rd year)

Danielle (3rd year)

Jacie (3rd year, 2nd GL, SG)

Jasmine (3rd year)

Jenna (3rd year, SG)

Jennifer (Alexis) E. (3rd year, 2nd GL, SG)

Jessica (Marie) P. (3rd year, SG)

Jordan (3rd year)

Kelsey (3rd year, SG)

Kinzie (3rd year, SG)

Abby (2nd year)

Ashley (Nicole) H. (2nd year, SG)

Jennifer (Kathryne) A. (2nd year, 2nd GL, SG)

Jessica (Allison) M. (2nd year)

Jinelle (2nd year, SG)

Paige (2nd year)

Rachel (2nd year)

Samantha (2nd year, SG)

## Rookie DCCs

Ashley (Michelle) P.

Breelan

Caila

Courtney

Erica (SG)

Lacey (SG)

Loren

Mary (ROTY)

Melissa (SG)

Victoria

## Unsuccessful Candidates

Amy (Semifinalist)

Ashley (S14 TCC) (Semifinalist)

Emily Roslyn (Semifinalist)

Emily and Haley (Semifinalist)

Miranda Nicole (Semifinalist)

Shelbi (Semifinalist)

Tessa (Semifinalist)

Courtney (S10 TCC) (Finalist)

Jessika (S11 Rookie) (Finalist)

Kelli (S11 Rookie) (Finalist)

Kelsey (S11 Rookie) (Finalist)

Robin (Finalist)

Shannon (Finalist)

Taylor (Finalist)

Whitney (S11 TCC) (Finalist)

Alex (Veteran cut)

Courtni (Veteran cut)

Morgan (Veteran cut)

Hannah (Cut from training camp, end of 9.4)

Meagan (Cut from training camp, end of 9.4)

Christina (S12 Rookie) (Cut from training camp, end of 9.5)

Mallory (Cut from training camp, end of 9.6)

Alexandra (Cut from training camp, middle of 9.7)

Chandler (Cut from training camp, end of 9.7)

Vivian (Cut from training camp, end of 9.7)

## Triangle

The 2014 season starts with the hopeful waiting outside AT&T Stadium for preliminary auditions. They enter and listen to Kelli’s speech, where she announces the return of Melissa Rycroft to help select the team this season. The candidates then perform freestyle in groups of five for the judges. Kelli, Judy and Charlotte then deliberate over the candidates, and then the board listing the numbers of the 110 candidates invited to semifinals is revealed. Semifinals is next, and the candidates learn the routine on the stadium field. They then perform in front of the judges (which includes Neil McCoy for the first time) with the routine and then the kickline. The judges then deliberate, and then Kelli announces the finals. The show ends with discussion of the Fan Pick voting.

**Biography**

Amy

Shannon

Alexandra

Christina

**Confessionals**

**End of Journey**

Amy (Semifinalist)

Emily and Haley (Semifinalist)

Tessa (Semifinalist)

### **9.2 – “Dancing for Your Life”**

**Summary**

The pre-finals session at Kitty Carter’s Dance Factory leads off the episode. Panel interviews follows (and includes Kelsey’s 50-yard answer that is brought up for each of the next three seasons). The 85 finalists (30 veterans and 55 new candidates) arrive at AT&T Stadium the next day for the main portion of final auditions, and perform their solos. Everyone then performs the routine and kickline on the field. The judges than deliberate the finalists. Kelli then announces the fan vote winner (Loren), and the remaining training camp candidates, with 43 selected in total, and three veteran cuts.

**Biography**

Caila

Melissa

**Confessionals**

**End of Journey**

Kelsey (S11 Rookie)

Shannon

Alex (Veteran cut)

Courtni (Veteran cut)

Morgan (Veteran cut)

### **9.3 – “Welcome to Valley Ranch”**

**Summary**

The episode leads off with the opening meeting of the 2014 training camp for the 43 TCC’s (16 rookies and 27 veterans). This is followed by the first rehearsal of training camp. The rookies then have a Verandah Club practice led by Jennifer (Alexis), and with Melissa Rycroft (who has conversations with Christina and Breelan). The final portion of episode involves the next rehearsal at Valley Ranch (which include TCC’s and veterans competing/dancing based on where they’re from (Southeast Coast, Texas, and West Coast). The episode ends with the first office visits, including two veterans being called in. For the first time in the show’s run, the episode ends with Kelli giving a retrospective confessional about the week and her thoughts moving forward.

**Biography**

Loren

Erica/Courtney

Breelan

Meagan

**Confessionals**

**Office Visits**

End of Episode

Christina

Alexandra

Hannah

Veronica

### **9.4 – “A Week of Firsts”**

**Summary**

It’s week 2 of training camp, and the squad convenes at Valley Ranch for a rehearsal, where they go outside to learn the kickline and the jump split. They finish indoors, and have two brief office visits. The rookies (along with Veronica and Hannah) then go to AT&T Stadium for uniform fittings. Courtney has a brief scene discussing her life as she drives from work, and this leads into the Social Media Seminar for the entire team, led by Shannon Gross and Kelli. Week 2 ends with a Valley Ranch rehearsal, with guests Melissa Rycroft and Kitty Carter. They have them dance in groups according to their ages. At the end, six are brought into the office (including four veterans) and two are cut, including the veteran, Hannah.

**Biography**

Courtney (2) – sort of

**Confessionals**

**Office Visits**

Mid Episode

Loren

Meagan

End of Episode

*Hannah (2)*

Paige

Brittney

Veronica (2)

Courtney

*Meagan (2)*

**End of Journey**

Hannah

Meagan (41 left)

### **9.5 – “Getting the DCC Look”**

**Summary**

The episode begins with rookie makeovers, which now takes place at Halcyon Days Salon, where amongst other things, Loren is changed from a blonde to a brunette. Brittney, Courtney, Paige and Veronica then have a session at My Fit Foods. A week 4 rehearsal at Valley Ranch follows, with Stephanie DiBiase-Wheat (director of the Allen Ice Angels) and Jennifer from the salon, with the girls performing based on hair color. Next, the team goes to Belk for a fashion seminar, with them modelling on the runway towards the end. The next segment is a Melissa Rycroft mentoring session at the Verandah Club with Ashley P., Breelan, and Chandler, where they watch themselves on film. The final segment is a week 4 rehearsal at Valley Ranch, with the third cut of the season.

**Confessionals**

**Office Visits**

Mid Episode

Courtney (2)

Loren (2)

Ashley P.

End of Episode

Vivian

*Christina (2)*

**End of Journey**

Christina (40 left)

### **9.6 – “Time to Get Serious”**

**Summary**

The sixth week of training camp starts with a rehearsal at Valley Ranch (with Melissa Rycroft and Tina Kalina present in place of Judy) and guest choreographer DJ Guthrie. Cameo shoots follow, and then Melissa Rycroft has a mentoring session with Breelan and Caila at the Verandah Club, where she brings out their families to inspire them. The final event of the episode is a field practice at Valley Ranch to conclude week 6 of training camp. Office visits conclude the episode, with the group leaders being asked to sit in on their group members’ evaluations.

**Confessionals**

**Office Visits**

Mid Episode

Vivian (2)

Loren (3)

End of Episode

Alexandra (2)

*Mallory*

Vivian (3)

**End of Journey**

Mallory (39 left)

### **9.7 – “A Lucid Dream”**

**Summary**

Week seven of training camp starts with a practice on the field of AT&T Stadium, with two office visits and one cut. Next, almost all the rookies go to Java Me Up for “Girl Talk” with Melissa Rycroft. The final event of the episode, and of week seven, is a field practice at Valley Ranch in boots. The practice moves inside for a little bit, and then the final office visits of the season ensue (with Vivian reading a poem during her visit). Two more cuts bring the squad to 36.

**Biography**

Victoria

**Confessionals**

 **Total:** | 38

**Office Visits**

Mid Episode

Chandler

*Alexandra (3)*

End of Episode

Breelan

*Chandler (2)*

*Vivian (4)*

**End of Journey**

Alexandra

Chandler

Vivian (36 left)

### **9.8 – “The Payoff”**

**Summary**

Week 8 begins with a rehearsal at Valley Ranch. Kelli and Judy call in Ashley and her group leader, Emma, for last minute office visits. Kelli then announces they’ve made the team by showing them a flyer for a “Meet the Team” event, and flipping it over to reveal it shows all of their cameo headshots on the back with the title “2014 Squad.” Cheryl, the DCC executive assistant, instead of calling them into Kelli’s office, calls them into the DCC locker room at Valley Ranch. The next day, the new squad goes to an offsite studio for the squad photo. The squad then has a rehearsal for the “Meet the Team” event at the Gaylord Texan, followed by the actual event (with special show group performances). The 2nd Annual Hog Hunt team retreat at Willawalla Creek follows. The girls are divided by groups, and have a tent-building competition (with Group 3 winning for their superhero-themed tent), followed by a shooting competition (which Brittney wins for Group 3, again), making Group 3 the overall victors. On the day of the first pre-season game, the team arrives at Valley Ranch and travels by bus to AT&T Stadium. The team views their new stadium locker room, and then has a pre-game rehearsal on the field. They perform their first game, and Courtney and Ashley P. get retrospective confessionals about the season. After the game, Breelan finds Melissa Rycroft at her locker, and gets a retrospective of her own.

**Confessionals**

**Office Visits**

Early Episode

Emma

Ashley (2)

## Miscellaneous

* This is the first season to switch to using first names for cheerleaders only, however, it appears this decision was not made until some time into production. For instance, most of the cheerleader biographies include them introducing themselves by their first and middle names. Additionally, especially early in the season, there are random confessionals where the chyrons (seemingly accidentally) include the middle names.
* The change to no middle names creates an issue in that there are two brunette Jennifer's, two brunette Jessica's and three Ashley's this season. While the official squad switched to using the first initial of their last names at this time to distinguish them, the show handles it differently, this season.
	+ Jennifer Alexis (who officially becomes Jennifer C.) is still referred to as "Jennifer Alexis" most of the time, where as Jennifer Kathryne (who confusingly becomes Jennifer A.) is just referred to as "Jennifer"
	+ The issue with the Jessica's is mostly handled by ignoring them. Jessica Marie (who becomes Jessica P.) is only ever referred to as "Jessica," and Jessica Allison (who confusingly becomes Jessica M.) is just made completely invisible.
	+ The show has the hardest time deciding what to do with Ashley Michelle (who officially becomes Ashley P.). It randomly titles her as both "Ashley Michelle" and "Ashley," shifting more towards the latter as the season progresses. Other characters refer to her as "Ashley," "Ashley Michelle," and, rarely, "Ashley Pro." Ashley Nicole (who officially becomes Ashley H.) is referred to as both "Ashley" and "Ashley Nicole." Ashley Marie (officially Ashley F.) continuing her trend of receiving minimal airtime since halfway through Season 7, gets no confessionals, and is just referred to as "Ashley" when mentioned.
* This season occasionally uses something called the "DCC video blog," which are basically normal confessionals, but set in a room with a plain background, and with a fake camera recording graphic on screen.
* This is the first season to have the episodes each end with Kelli giving a summary of her thoughts on the process
* This is the first season to regularly begin the practice of commercial breaks in the middle of office visits.
* This season marks the return of Melissa Rycroft, who functions in a mentorship role for the TCC's
* Lacey is the longest tenured rookie from this class, cheering for 5 seasons.

**Unofficial Carey DePasquale Award for most invisible rookie:** Victoria (4 confessionals)

* In contrast to the other rookies, who all receive reasonable airtime, Victoria is 100% invisible for the first six episodes. She does receive a biography in the seventh episode, which saves her from complete obscurity.