Alexandra (S9 TCC)

* 25-years-old from Florida. She’s a special education teacher, working with children with moderate-to-severe disabilities. [*She’s shown working in the classroom*] At times, it is stressful and difficult, but also very rewarding because her students come to school with a smile on their face, happy to see her. She’s also an Allen Americans Ice Angel. Over the last year or so, she’s been working on her technique and taking classes, hoping that her efforts of trying out for the team will pay off soon.

### **Season 9**

**(9.1)**

* I’m so excited. Today is the day.
* [Semifinals] I’m super nervous. I think this is gonna be the most nerve-wracking round for me.
* Judy, she’s a very fast teacher, so you kind of have to pick it up pretty quickly.
* Biography
* I left everything out there, and all I can do is pray and hope that my number is called.

**(9.2)**

* Today is the final audition round for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, so we’re here at AT&T Stadium, and we’re just ready to do our solos and do the combination and kick line.

**(9.3)**

* I really don’t know what to expect. This is my first year auditioning, and I’m a ball of nerves right now.
* I got here about two hours early, and I’ve been just practicing with some of the veterans. They know what Kelli and Judy are looking for, and so it’s great to get some feedback from them.
* [Before office] I’m nervous. You really don’t want to be called in. You’re just worried ‘cause you never know. Every night could be a cut night.
* [After office] It’s intimidating being here in training camp, and it’s a lot of material, so I kind of have to just take a deep breath and do what I like to do, which is dance and perform.

**(9.4)**

* Today, we’re here, week two of training camp. I’m excited about tonight. I feel like I’m more relaxed, more comfortable. But pressure is still on. The reality is cuts have to be made and so, it could be a cut night. If it is a cut night, I don’t want to hear my name called.
* I just want to make sure that I can do the jump splits right. This is my first time doing it. So, I don’t want to go out there and look like a fool.
* [Criticized by Kitty] I would like to think that I have other qualities about me that Kelli and Judy saw, that they will want me here besides my features. So, that was kind of scary.

**(9.5)**

* I think I need a little bit of work on my look. I don’t know. We’ll see what they have in store for me. I’m a little nervous.
* [Makeover reveal] Kelli was – she was lost for words. I can actually feel my scalp, my head is lighter. I think this is a better look for me. As far as trying to make the team, I think this’ll increase my chances.
* My hair definitely feels lighter. It moves a lot more easily now, so hopefully I’ll be a little bit more fun to watch on the dance floor.
* [Belk session] When Kelli said that she had a surprise for us, my heart definitely started beating fast because usually the surprises are not good.

**(9.6)**

* I’ve come this far. For me to go home now would just be devastating. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life, and I’m going to show them that I deserve a spot on this team.
* The musicality of the choreographer was extremely difficult. I was like, “Oh, gosh.”
* Nothing I’ve ever been through has been more strenuous physically and mentally than this process. They are making us earn every single one of those stars on that uniform. We’re about to go back inside the studio. Tonight is probably going to be a cut night. Hopefully, I can just make it through tonight.
* [Before office] When I first heard my name, I was frustrated, because it kind of feels like I’m running a race that I can’t win, because I fix one thing, and then there’s something else that I have to correct or fix.
* [After office] It’s nice to hear that Kelli and Judy are not ready to give up on me. It’s motivation for me.

**(9.7)**

* Being here, it’s very intimidating because there’s so many seats. Just looking at it, I just get goose bumps and chills.
* It is extremely scary. One simple mistake can cost you your spot tonight.
* [Kelli says she’d cut her based on tonight] I knew I messed up. But it was definitely hard to hear that because I’ve been working so hard and I just, I don’t want to go home.
* [Office visits announced] It is extremely scary. They don’t want to see those simple mistakes. I just don’t want to go home. I’m not ready for tonight to be my last night.
* [Before office] At this point, I think I’ve been in the office, like, all of training camp, so I’m just trying to stay positive right now.
* [After cut] I can’t really be sad because I’ve done everything that I can do. I’m happy, and I’m happy with the feedback that I’ve gotten from them, and they’re encouraging me to come back next year.

## **Commentary**

### **Season 9**

**(9.2)**

* You’re on a roll *[?]* – K
* You’ve got to give the chick credit; she’s got a good package. – Melissa Rycroft
* [Finals deliberation] I loved her energy and she can move./ Her kicks were kind of low on the left. – Charlotte

**(9.3)**

* Alexandra’s not real flexible. – K
* You looked a little tight. – J
* Alexandra is chasing the choreography. – K/ She’s got pretty, long legs, though. – J
* Look at Alexandra, going on her toes. – J/ Alexandra, you are really bad. – K
* Alexandra is still messing up yesterday’s. – J
* [End of episode confessional] Alexandra seemed like one of the most overwhelmed ladies in the room tonight. – K

**(9.4)**

* You’re already letting your arm bend. If you start relaxing at all, it puts pressure on your partner. – J
* Alexandra is trying and she is smiling, but she is kicking with a sickled foot. – K
* You are already sickling your foot. – J/ See my foot? That’s sickled, that what we mean. This part of your foot is what you want to kind of kick to God. – K
* Instead of being a nice turn out, hers are inverted. Because of her height, she will be in the middle of the kickline, so her kicks must warrant being on the 50-yard line, and they’re not there yet. – K
* I just can see that you’re just kind of an untrained dancer. But you are better tonight than you were last week. – K
* Come on, Alexandra. Pop that booty, you got one, girl. – Kitty Carter
* Do you think you’re the long shot? – Kitty Carter/ No, ma’am. – Alexandra/ You are. You’ve got bad feet. The only thing you’ve got going for you is you’re pretty and you got a little bit of a pop. – Kitty

**(9.5)**

* Alexandra has worn this style of hair for three years. – K
* It’s almost like she has a lot of heavy hair and it doesn’t seem to move. – K
* Alexandra’s makeover was one of the most complicated makeovers I’ve ever been a part of. This is critical for her. – K
* Wow, Alexandra’s hair. Look how good it dances. – K/ It looks amazing. – Jennifer (from Salon)
* Alexandra’s doing really well on the runway. It makes me more interested to see her in rehearsal. – K
* She’s got the body. – K
* Alexandra’s [kicks] are terrible. – J/ Yeah, they’re bad. – K
* You’ve got to know how many kicks to do at the end before you go into that jump split. That’s gonna hurt somebody. – J

**(9.6)**

* You’re chasing the DJ combo. – K
* Gotta get your kicks up. – Tina Kalina
* I think you have so much more potential than you’re showing us. It’s in there. We’re just tying to dig it out. – J/ Is there a fighting chance for Alexandra? – K

**(9.7)**

* On your toes. You’re not good at learning on the fly and being able to do it right then. But you have to be. – J
* Alexandra does not look good on the field tonight. – K
* Chandler, Alexandra, lots and lots of mistakes. – J/ Alexandra, you’re kind of chasing the choreography. If two of you were going home tonight, it would be Chandler and Alexandra. – K
* Watch Alexandra. Can you see her? – K/ Yeah. – J
* The kickline needs to look like one precise unit, and Alexandra’s not dancing in a precise manner. – K
* Where should you be looking right now? Okay, get into your split and let’s just do your arm on one. – J/ She can’t get into her split. – K/ Y’all, every one of y’all should be able to sit in the splits. – J
* [After cut] At the end of the day, in our locker room, I like character sometimes over the cosmetics. In Alexandra’s case, she is an unfortunate example of someone that I really would like on this team, and she just doesn’t have the technical experience or the performance confidence to be game ready for us yet. – K

## **Office Visits**

### **Season 9**

**(9.3)**

* [End of episode, second of four] Kelli says she’s not the strongest one in the room, and that the environment is testing for any skilled dancer. They’re concerned that she looks a little bit more lost, and that they will go faster with routines. The current routine was 60 eight-counts, in contrast to 8 eight-counts for the routine at auditions. Alexandra knows she has to take the material and really absorb it – it’s just the teaching style is really fast, and she’s just trying to pick up on every little detail. Judy tells her to bring the best that she can, but to know the material. She’ll have to take her learning capability up a level. Kelli says she needs to come back strong. Alexandra thanks them and promises that when she comes back, she’ll have it down, and that she has been working with Jacie, Jasmine, and Jenna. Kelli feels that’s smart, and that those are three great cheerleaders. Alexandra promises she’ll be better on Monday, and that they’ll see her fun side.

**(9.6)**

* [End of episode, first of three, with group leader Nicole sitting in] Kelli asked Nicole to join them because both they and Alexandra need help. Kelli tells Alexandra she went backwards in kicks and dance, tonight. She’s not used to that many mistakes from her. Now they’re trying to decide whether to keep her/give her more time and if there’s anything else she can do. Kelli’s afraid they’re just delaying the inevitable. Alexandra’s frustrated because she wants them to see improvement, but… and at Kelli’s suggestion, she admits their feedback is sort of crushing her spirit. Judy wants her to be aware of the mistakes she’s making so she has the opportunity to fix it (Alexandra agrees). Alexandra wants to make the team and is trying her hardest and has made so much progress from last year up until now. She doesn’t want to go home because she knows she can do it. Kelli says they’re on her side, but out of time. Nicole says Alexandra can fix these things. Kelli is willing if Alexandra is willing (she is). She jokes to Nicole that now she’s her problem.

**(9.7)**

* [Mid episode, second of two, at AT&T Stadium] On being asked how she felt tonight, Alexandra says very different, and it sort of brought her back to auditions. She realized she shouldn’t be making these little memory mistakes. Kelli thinks she’s smart and beautiful, and they like her in this environment. She’s shown improvement, but every night they’re seeing flexibility issues, timing in the sequence issues, and a basic lack of technique that some of the others have. It was pretty evidence on the field, tonight. Judy thought she took a few steps backwards when she had been going forwards. Alexandra says her kicks were better tonight, and Judy agrees, saying it looked like she was giving them everything she had. Alexandra agrees that it’s still not natural – she still has to think about doing the proper technique while getting the kick height. From her expression, Kelli can tell she’s concentrating and trying and showing improvement. She really likes her and thinks she’s right for this team (Alexandra really wants to be here). However, Kelli doesn’t think she’s ready for this team. She’s done a good job of taking their critiques and criticism and working hard, but she thinks they’ve passed her up and she won’t be ready. Because of that, tonight is her last night. Alexandra knows she needs time and knows they’ve seen her progress; she just doesn’t want it to be the end. Kelli feels they need to just be honest and realistic at some point. It kills her that they tried so hard to get her where she needs to be, and she just honestly thinks she only needs more time. Just take more dance technique and come back at the next audition. She asks for, and receives hugs from Kelli and Judy. [*As Alexandra leaves, she tells them she’ll see them next year.*] Kelli hates killing the spirit of the good girls. Judy agrees and doesn’t think everyone that’s left has Alexandra’s attitude. Kelli says she was the one who grabbed her heartstrings.

## **End of Journey**

### **Season 9**

**(9.7)**

* Cut from training camp early during week 7 (5th of 7 cuts, 38 cuts afterwards)

## **Other**

### **Season 9**

**(9.1)**

* She’s shown being invited to finals

**(9.2)**

* Before finals, she tells Jasmine she’s excited but nervous, who tells her to have fun
* She’s highlighted (by name) performing her solo at finals
* She’s shown introducing herself to the judges for the field portion of finals
* She’s shown being invited to training camp

**(9.3)**

* Introduces herself at the opening meeting: she’s currently a special education teacher.

**(9.5)**

* She gets a “before” makeover shot before her makeover even begins
* During the makeover, they cut off her wig, revealing her true hair underneath
* Makeover glamour shot before and after: hair completely changed to a bob cut
* Shown walking the runway at the Belk fashion show