In the recent Netflix documentary series America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, we got a glimpse into the world of the famous Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. And it really is their own little world, even before they make the team. Women who try out for the team are quickly and intensely drawn into this world and must Compete against hundreds of candidates to make it to an elite team of 36 women.
The best of the best dancers show up and while some of them may have the talent, looks and personality, sometimes there just isn’t enough room for everyone and cuts have to be made. Over the course of the series, we met several girls we had met who didn’t end up making it to the final 36. We are happy to report that everyone has found success in other aspects of their lives. Here’s what they’re doing today after being eliminated from DCC.
Charly Barby
Charly is from Livermore, California and received her degree in Communications from Arizona State University. Shortly after graduating, she moved to Dallas to try out for DCC. Charly has been practicing ballet since the age of two. She caught the judges’ attention as the only redhead in the room and her incredible solo performance of Andra Day’s Rise Up. She became one of the last two girls to be removed from the squadand it likely would have been achieved had Charlotte Jones, DCC’s chief brand officer, allowed for a 37-woman squad like last year.
But Charly remained in a good mood and returns to Dallas to try again this year. On Wednesday, she wrote on Instagram that she was returning to training camp with DCC this year. She captioned the photo: “I can’t put into words how honored I am to be BACK TO DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS TRAINING CAMP THIS YEAR!!!! This opportunity is unlike any other. Being around these amazing women and dancing with this organization is something I will never take lightly!!! I feel so happy. It is an absolute honor to be at Dallas Cowboys cheerleader training camp!!! I can’t put into words how excited I am for this summer. Never underestimate the power of hard work and dedication. I love you with all my heart @dccheerleaders!!!”
She has continued to dance since last year, posting some of her ballet routines on social media. We saw her on the show develop a close relationship with fellow rookie prospect Reece Allman, who actually made the cut, and the two remain close, having attended her wedding in April. Time will tell if these two will reunite on the DCC lineup for the 2024-2025 season.
Anisha Kurukulasuriya
Anisha was the only DCC contestant of Indian origin and stood out to the judges with her solo performance in Bollywood. After arriving at the 10-day training camp, Unfortunately, she injured her ankle during training and immediately afterwards he was beheaded. However, this did not stop her from dancing.
Anisha has already lived the life of a dancer on a sports team. Before you join the DCC program, she was part of the Golden State Warriors dance team and the San Francisco 49ers cheerleading squad. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California and is a professional dancer specializing in and teaching Bollyfusion.
The series also took a look at her professional life outside of dancing. Anisha earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Southern California and then studied dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco. She completed her orthodontic residency at the University of Southern California, graduating in 2022. Currently, in addition to her dancing career, she is a full-time orthodontist.
She is married and lives with her husband Rohan Sebastian, who is also an athlete and doctor. He captained the Irish gymnastics team at the London Open and won two gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal in the Northern European Gymnastics Championships.
Ari McClure
Ari returned to DCC tryouts for the second year in a row after failing to make the squad the year before. She even moved from California to take advantage of the opportunity. She and Charly, Ari became one of the last two women to be cut during the final round of auditions. Part of this was due to her height. Although there are no height requirements on the DCC website, Charlotte Jones found her height to be an issue as it did not fit in with the other women.
During the show, we learn that Ari is not only a professional dancer, but also a medical device salesperson for Profound Medical Inc., which specializes in a device called Transurethral Ultrasonic Prostate Ablation that helps men with prostate cancer. According to her LinkedIn profile, currently works as Customer Service Director at Hoop5 Networks.
And although she didn’t make the DCC squad, Ari is no stranger to dancingHer talent and experience as a Lakers dancer did not go unnoticed by another NFL team. On Saturday, Ari announced on her Instagram that she would be rooting for the Miami Dolphins as they start the NFL season.
Kelly Villares
From Weehawken, New JerseyKelly began dancing at the age of three, experimenting with a wide range of styles including ballet, toe dancing, jazz, lyrical dance, contemporary dance, modern dance, hip-hop, tap, musical theater and even acrobatics. From there she went on to become an amazing dancer, winning the national championship with her team in the jazz category of the UDA High School Nationals. She then joined the Rutgers University dance team and cheerleading squad, earning dance and leadership awards throughout her college career.
Kelly explained on the show that being a part of DCC was her dream since childhood. Her parents explained that they had postponed their divorce until she was older so that they could continue to support her in pursuing her dreams..
After moving to Dallas and changing her hair color from blonde to brown as part of the DCC makeover, Kelly was unfortunately cut from the lineup. Principal Kelli Finglass gave her some advice on how to improve, and Kelly took it to heart.
On Wednesday, she announced on her Instagram that she returned to practice with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad for the 2024–2025 season. She captioned the photo: “Words cannot describe how blessed and grateful I am to be able to return to training camp for the 2024 season! I am so grateful for this journey and the opportunity to achieve my dreams. ” She, like Charly, became friends with Reece during the 2023 auditions and hopes to join her and Charly on the 2024 lineup.
