How Emily Awbrey Overcame Crushing Audition Cuts to Secure Her Spot on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Getting cut from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders roster is one of the most devastating heartbreaks in professional dance, but 24-year-old dancer Emily Awbrey proved that a rejection letter is not an end point. After being cut during her initial 2025 tryout, Awbrey completely overhauled her mental stamina, endured unconventional conditioning, and earned an official spot on the iconic team for the 2026–2027 NFL season.

The turning point did not happen overnight in an audition studio. It required dismantling deep self-doubt, confronting fear head-on, and relying on veteran performers who refused to let her walk away from her lifelong ambition.

Emily Awbrey

From Devastating Cut to a Mental Rut: The Hidden Toll of Audition Rejection

When Awbrey, known to viewers from Netflix’s hit docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, missed out on the final roster in 2025, the initial blow pushed her into an emotional downward spiral. The setback sparked an overwhelming fear of attempting the grueling process a second time.

“I, actually, to be so honest, I think I went lower before I went higher,” Awbrey admitted on Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast. “So I got cut and I always knew I wanted to audition again but I kind of just, I got in a bit of a rut where … my headspace was more, ‘I’m scared to try again because what if I fail?’”

“I kind of just, I got in a bit of a rut where … my headspace was more, ‘I’m scared to try again because what if I fail?’”

Overcoming that paralysis required getting out of her own isolation and seeing what was still possible.

Faith Ward and Emily Awbrey

How Teammates Rebuilt Emily Awbrey’s Confidence

The spark returned when Awbrey traveled back to Texas to support her friend Faith Ward, who successfully secured a roster position on the 2025 squad. During the trip, Awbrey stayed with veteran cheerleader Taylor Altieri, a fellow Oregon native who has danced with the squad since 2023.

Being surrounded by teammates who believed in her talent forced Awbrey to confront the internal dialogue holding her back from stepping back onto the turf.

Emily Awbrey and Taylor Altieri

“And they kind of were the ones who lit that fire in me and reminded me that there’s so many people that are supporting me,” Awbrey noted. “And truly the only person at that time who was being negative was myself, in my head.”

Once she recognized that she was her own toughest obstacle, her entire preparation timeline accelerated.

Emily Awbrey

Unconventional Training: Running to ‘Thunderstruck’

Returning to the audition circuit demanded an uncompromising athletic schedule. Awbrey shifted her daily routine into high gear, hitting the dance studio and gym seven days a week.

She also implemented self-styled musical exposure therapy using AC/DC’s rock anthem “Thunderstruck”—the high-energy soundtrack synonymous with the legendary DCC entrance routine.

• Daily conditioning: High-intensity gym regimens combined with daily studio choreography drills.
• Desensitization cardio: Running miles while blasting the entrance anthem to eliminate stress triggers.
• Mindset accountability: Shifting focus away from past disappointment toward present execution.

Emily Awbrey

“I was running to ‘Thunderstruck’ … genuinely exposure therapy because that song gives me hives. Or it gave me hives,” Awbrey revealed. “So I was like, ‘I need to just listen to this and run to it and not be as scared of it.’ Because I think that’s what held me back last time is I was just, like, scared.”

By transforming an anxiety trigger into a conditioning tool, she stripped away the intimidation factor long before stepping into the judging room.

Emily Awbrey

Debunking the Pro-Audition Myth: Grit vs. External Fixes

A common misconception across professional cheerleading and performance art is that elite candidates rely heavily on specialized clinical coaching or external mentors to rebound from public cuts. Awbrey clarified that her turnaround was entirely self-directed internal discipline.

“I didn’t do any traditional therapy. It literally took my own self,” she explained, noting that real progress required shutting down lingering excuses and channeling encouragement from peers.

Emily Awbrey

Securing the Boot and the Legendary Uniform

The intense preparation paid off in full when Awbrey was officially selected for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad alongside Ward and Altieri. Now fully integrated into the team, she is also participating in major brand partnerships, including a unique initiative with Dr. Pepper.

The promotional collectible honors the history of the DCC uniform, brought to life through the artistry of Dallas sculptor Brad Oldham—designer of the signature belt buckle—and veteran uniform seamstress Meagan Tate.

Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders perform before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.

For Awbrey, wearing that iconic uniform represents far more than a dance career milestone—it marks the triumphant finish of a brutal mental comeback.

✨ Bouncing back from a crushing setback takes immense courage, and Emily Awbrey’s comeback proves that facing your fears head-on produces real results.

💬 How do you handle rejection when chasing your biggest personal goals? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and share this inspiring turnaround with fellow dance fans!

📱 Tag someone who needs a dose of resilience today, and stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes stories from the football field.