Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
General Information
Team	Dallas Cowboys
Established	1960
Director	Kelli McGonagill Finglass
Members	36
Captain
Nickname	America's Sweethearts
History
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1960 - Present)
External links

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) are the National Football League cheerleading squad for the Dallas Cowboys. ^[1]

History

1960's

Before the founding of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (DCC), the football team's cheer squad was a male-female group called CowBelles & Beaux. The group made its sidelines debut in 1960. Local high school students made up the squad. It was typical of other cheerleading teams throughout the 1960s, rarely getting much attention. At that time, cheerleading was more about, as its name implied, exhorting the audience to show their support for the team. Seeing the cheerleaders was rarely a reason for watching football at the time.

1970's

In the early 1970s, Cowboys manager Tex Schramm decided to change their image to boost attendance. At first he simply tried hiring professional models but that did not work due to the their lack of athletic ability. He then knew that he needed professional dancers with stamina who would be able to perform through an entire game. He worked with local choreographer Texie Waterman, who was charged with auditioning and training an entirely new and unique squad which would combine an attractive appearance, athletic ability, and talent as performers.

This group, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders appeared on the sidelines during the 1972–1973 NFL season.

Even greater national attention came in 1978 when the squad was on two network TV specials, NBC Rock-n-Roll Sports Classic and The Osmond Brothers Special on ABC. In 1978, they had their own hour special to launch the season for Monday Night Football.

The made-for-TV movie The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, was aired January 14, 1979. Starring Jane Seymour, it had a 48% share of the national television audience^[2][3]

1980's

The sequel, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders II, was aired January 13, 1980. Through the years, they have had many other TV appearances.

They have toured throughout the US (on and off field) and overseas. Included in this are regular appearances in United Service Organizations (USO) tours. This started in the Christmas of 1979, for US troops stationed in South Korea. This remains a regular function for them.

2000's

The cheerleaders release an annual swimsuit calendar.

As of 2009, the director of the DCC is Kelli McGonagill Finglass, and the choreographer is Judy Trammell.

Since 2006, the DCC have been featured on the Country Music Television/CMT reality television series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team where hundreds of hopefuls tryout to become members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Uniform

The uniform itself is a carefully guarded trademark and may not be duplicated in any way without the written permission of the DCC. The internationally recognized blouse, vest and shorts were originally designed by Paula Van Wagoner, of the Lester Melnick store in Dallas. Since first introduced with the formation of the squad in 1972, there have been only six modifications to the uniform. In May 1989 the original "go-go" boot had gone out of style and a more western oriented design was selected. In 1991, the large buckled belt was left behind in favor of shorts with a more flattering cut. 1992 brought a cowboy-style boot to the uniform, and in 1993 crystals were added to outline the fifteen stars on the vest and shorts. 1994 brought a more western shape to the blouse lapels, and finally, in 1999 crystals were added to the fringe line of the vest. Each modification was approved by Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and implemented by Leveta Crager, who for twenty-four years made and hand tailored every uniform worn by a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Upon her retirement, designer Greg Danison was selected at the start of the 1996 season to continue the tradition of individual craftsmanship.

Off-field Television Appearances

The squad has appeared on variety of TV shows and specials, as performers, guest acting roles, and game show contestants. Some of the shows they have appeared on are:

• The Love Boat - Episodes #62 and #63^[4] - One cheerleader has an unwanted admirer follow her on the ship. Another is hit on by her mom's fiance. As a group the cheerleaders perform their routines.
• Family Feud - Participated as a team, on celebrity special for charity against the Cowboys on the week of June 30-July 4, 1980.
• Harry and the Hendersons TV Series - Made guest appearance on show
• Billy Bob's New Year Special for CBS
• Nashville Palace Show (1981) - Hosted by John Aylesworth.
• Saturday Night Live
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• The Late Show with David Letterman
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team
• Wife Swap
• Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?- Participated on a celebrity special for charity in 2008.

Photos

The DCC on board USS Harry S. Truman on December 16, 2000.

The DCC visit U.S. sailors on board USS Nimitz on June 19, 2003.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders come to a forward operating base in Iraq to entertain troops.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders kickline.

Notes

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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

• Official site of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at the Internet Movie Database
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders II at the Internet Movie Database