Wake Up Girlies Season 2 is officially returning, and the women of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading team are heading back to the field. If you’re unfamiliar, these cheerleaders gained widespread fame this summer with their Netflix documentary. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it, as it offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to wear that iconic blue and white uniform.
To apply, potential cheerleaders must submit a 2-5 minute video introducing themselves and showcasing their dancing skills. The video serves as a first test to see if they’re selected for an in-person competition in Dallas. While hundreds of women apply from all over the country, only a handful get a callback. Out of these, only 55 are selected to compete in the next round. Ultimately, only 36 spots are available on the team, making the selection process extremely competitive. Many women are sent home, even after making it to the final stages, due to not mastering the intricate routines in time.
As we saw in the documentary, it’s tough to watch women who have dedicated so much time and effort to get cut just before earning their uniform. But despite the heartbreak, these women keep pushing forward, because, for many, this is their ultimate dream. It’s also important to note that, as revealed in the documentary, many of these cheerleaders work part-time jobs to make ends meet, as their cheerleading pay often doesn’t cover their living expenses. They are expected to travel and put many hours into practice it was said that they get paid if they were a full-time Chick-fil-A worker.
Besides the lifestyle of traveling, let’s talk about flying kicks at the end of the dance, which surprises many people. As shown in the documentary, one of the cheerleaders did get injured from this position as they jumped landing on the floor with splits causing them to feel that impact which can be hard on their hips. I do have to say: props to them, because that can be hurtful and takes a lot of practice to get done correctly. But in the long run, it can result in them needing surgeries in their knees or hips. I’m always impressed by the amount of hours and work they put into this performance– when I hear Thunderstruck, it’s showtime.
It would be on my bucket list to go to a Dallas Cowboys game to see this performance live instead of on TV and get the real experience of an NFL game as well half-time to watch the girls dance on the field. As of now, I’m aware they are filming season two but I’m not sure when exactly comes out on Netflix. I’m going to assume it will be released in the summer once their season is over, and I’m excited to watch it. Hopefully some of the girls who tried out last year made it to this year’s team.