With football season officially over, most of the world won’t be thinking about the gridiron until the leaves start to turn again. But there is one group of people who are ramping up for weeks of competition with their eyes on the 50-yard line: NFL cheer-team hopefuls.
Every year, NFL cheer teams hold open auditions for new members during the winter and early spring months. Current cheerleaders reaudition, familiar faces return hoping to make a team after years of trying, and brand-new rookie candidates step onto the turf for the first time.
Dance Spirit spoke to four current and former NFL cheerleaders about what it takes to make the team.
Choosing a Team
When it comes to choosing a team, you should consider things like location, dance style, and culture. If you know you can’t handle harsh winters, this should factor into your decision-making. Use social media to your advantage by watching footage of not only dance routines but behind-the-scenes moments of the cheerleaders. Check out the team’s initiatives—do they align with the causes that matter to you?
For MacLaine Funsch, a three-time Indianapolis Colts cheerleader, choosing a team was a no-brainer. She recalls a friend of hers showing her a video on Instagram that sparked her interest. “It was the [Colts] Cheerleaders on the field, dressed up in big, inflatable costumes, doing a dance for Halloween. That is very much my sense of humor. Those tend to be the types of people I surround myself with.” She looked further into the Colts cheerleaders and found that they had a strong focus on mental health advocacy, a cause that has always been important to her. “I thought, These are some good people. Let me just try out,” says Funsch. “And the rest is history.”
Nicole DeSantis, a five-time Falcons cheerleader, attended Pro Action Dance while serving as a member of the Carolina Dance Team during college at the University of South Carolina. There, she saw the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders for the first time. She immediately loved the versatility of the team’s dance style as well as the coaches’ heavy emphasis on being a well-rounded person outside of cheer (they call this being a WOW man or woman). “They’re very supportive of us outside of cheerleading. […] They always say that [being a cheerleader] it’s the icing on our cake—it’s not the full cake.”
Physical Preparation
The audition process requires dancers to perform in multiple rounds of cuts as well as practice on their own to perfect choreography. And that’s on top of any other dance and teaching commitments they already have. This much physical activity in such a short time takes a toll on the body and may require more intentional workout routines and eating patterns.
Former Washington Commanders Command Force cheerleader and nutritional-therapy practitioner Ally Miller has made it her goal to set dancers up for success during the audition process by helping them fuel their bodies like athletes. She stresses realistic timelines for audition season. According to her, if you’re looking to improve your overall fitness or change your body composition, you should be starting the process months before you appear in front of the judges panel—not weeks. “Body-composition changes take time. People also want to improve their energy levels and stamina—that also takes time, and you have to train in a certain way for that.”
Miller shares a helpful mindset shift with Dance Spirit for dancers who train in the gym: “A lot of dancers have the mentality that we go to the gym to burn calories. That’s not motivating. You should be going to the gym to be a better dancer and train for dance.”
Three-time Patriots cheerleader Taylor Yeley loves to weight-train. It makes her feel strong and powerful, she says, and helps her feel both mentally and physically prepared for auditions. She does this along with daily stretching, Pilates, yoga, and dance classes. Yeley uses the dance classes not only to train physically but to keep her brain sharp and ready to pick up new choreography.
Take a Moment for Mental Health
The experience of auditioning for an NFL cheer team can be as stressful as it is exciting. How can first-timers keep their anxiety in check?
According to Funsch, the mental side of auditions is the most important and the most individual. She says that just because a mindset or routine works for one dancer doesn’t mean it’s universal. “You have to find what works for you.” She uses what she calls “audition blinders.” This means that she cheers on her fellow hopefuls but doesn’t look too far into them, watch their videos, or generally compare herself to them. Funsch also journals, meditates, and reaffirms her own confidence daily.
Speaking of affirmations, Yeley has some that have helped her through years of auditions. She likes to recite them in her car before high-pressure situations. They serve as an important grounding technique in an industry where disappointment can be common. “Just to remind yourself that no matter what happens, you are still a great person and all of these amazing things.” Her go-to affirmations?: “I am strong.” “I am beautiful.” “I have courage.” “I am limitless.”
Hindsight Is 20/20
Looking back on her very first audition, DeSantis wishes she could tell her younger self not to worry so much about other people. Her go-to piece of advice is to understand your unique contribution to a team rather than modeling yourself after current team members. “We already have an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader Nicole. Who knows? We might want an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader Brianna.”
Miller’s biggest piece of advice that she’d share with her younger self is to take the pressure off as much as possible. “We put so much pressure on ourselves, and that pressure is not going to get you on the team. You need to get yourself into a mental state where you can dance your best and have fun, and that will show through.”
Top Tips
Nicole DeSantis: Dance big! “When you’re dancing, act like you’re on a football field with 80,000 people in the crowd. […] If you think you’re dancing big, dance 20 times bigger.”
Ally Miller: “I often see people confusing nutrition with dieting and diet culture. Nutrition is so broad and so individualized. Don’t believe every fad thing that you see on the internet—do your homework and do your own research.” She also suggests investing some time and money with a professional to guide you, if possible.
MacLaine Funsch: Even when you’re not performing, you are being observed. The judges want to know that you can get along with a large group of people and be a member of a tight-knit team. “You need to make sure you’re talking to people and cheering them on and showing that side of your personality.” This can also make the process more fun, says Funsch, and take the pressure off.
Taylor Yeley: Yeley uses a mental trick to deal with her nerves. Knowing that the same part of the brain activates during fear and excitement, she tells herself that she’s excited until it feels real. “If you tell yourself you’re excited, then you’re excited. It’s the same physical reaction.”
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