Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
KaShara graduated from Eastern in 2013 with a degree in physical education
Dance Team Morgan Romans, Student Assistant
Click here to meet the 2015-16 @EKUDanceTeam! * KaShara's last name was omitted from this story on the request of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
RICHMOND, Ky. – A former Eastern Kentucky University Dance Team member is moving leaps and bounds in the professional dance and cheer world. KaShara is now a member of one of the most acclaimed and respected spirit squads in all of professional sports, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
We caught up with KaShara – a 2013 EKU graduate and native of Irvine, Kentucky – to get an inside look at the organization, the game day experience and what this DCC holds close to her heart – EKU!
EKUSports: What was the process like trying out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC)?
KaShara: The audition process for the DCC was unlike anything I have ever done. It's like combining a pageant, job interview, talent competition and finals week all into one! I met some amazing people during the experience and learned a lot about how to deal with the pressure that was to come.
ES: Do you travel with the team or just perform at home games?
K: I just perform with the team at home games. However, there are several very talented girls from our squad of 34 that make up our show group and they travel and perform at various events. They always leave an outstanding impression on their audience no matter where they perform.
ES: Do you have pregame "rituals?" If so, what are they?
K: Double, triple, and quadruple check to make sure my uniform is correct. I made the mistake of wearing the wrong outfit in training camp so I'm paranoid about something being wrong now! The only thing I always do before a game is pray and send a huge thanks to the Man upstairs for this amazing opportunity that He has blessed me with.
ES: Describe what a game day looks like from your point of view.
K: Game day is an all-day thing for us. We arrive at Valley Ranch, the current headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys and location of our practice studio, about five hours before the game. From there, we run through our routines we are performing that day and then load the bus en route to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. They drive our bus down into the bottom of the stadium and into our locker room we go to prepare for our pre-game run through practice. We then take the field and do a complete run through of our pre-game dance "Thunderstruck", player intro, and each quarter change routine, plus the routines we do for touchdowns, field goals, and kickoff. After that, we return to the locker room to re-do our make-up, hair, and get ready for our plaza performance. Two of the four groups will perform one routine out on the East and West Plazas for the fans before the game. After those performances, we all freshen up and do some last minute stretching before we go out to the field. Before we go out, though, we have a team prayer and quick pep-talk with some game day reminders. Entering the tunnel before we go out for our pre-game routine is my favorite part of game day. You can barely hear the music because of all the fans. After we perform our pregame and player intro, we go into our corners for the quarters. On certain game days we perform at halftime, but not always. Games usually last about four hours and once it concludes we are bussed back to Valley Ranch. It seems like such a long day but it goes by so quickly!
ES: What is your favorite part about being a DCC?
K: My favorite part of being a DCC is the girls I share the field with. Our team is made up of girls from all over the world and I have learned so much from all of them! Also, the respect our team has from people, not just Cowboys fans, is unbelievable! It is truly an honor to be a part of such an esteemed program.
ES: Can you explain what your experience was like on the EKU Dance Team?
K: EKU Dance Team was the base of my college career. Some of my best friends came from being a part of the team and I am so thankful for that. The program really grew from my freshman year to my senior year. From football games to competing at UDA Nationals, it was an amazing opportunity to continue to do what I love. Being on the dance team for all four years while I was at Eastern gave me so many connections, not just to students, but to faculty and other members of the community that I have kept in contact with since I graduated. I would not have received that kind of networking from another program.
ES: Did being on EKUDT help prepare you for being a Cowboys Cheerleader? If so, how?
K: EKUDT helped me become a better performer and begin to dance in front of a large and often loud crowd. They serve as ambassadors for Eastern, representing athletics where they go, whether it was working a golf scramble for fundraising or volunteering for Shriner's Hospital. All of the experiences through EKUDT on and off the field or court prepared me to be a DCC where we serve as ambassadors for the Cowboys organization.
ES: What's the one thing you miss most about your time at EKU?
K: I definitely miss the people that made my experience at EKU so amazing. The support that the EKU community has for anyone involved in something at Eastern is unbelievable. Whether it was my ADPi sisters coming to a game to watch us perform, the Dance Team going to watch a volleyball game, or just people in the community becoming like family because they come to all the events. It was such a close-knit environment at Eastern and I will forever be thankful that I was a part of it.
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