Holly Powell is one of those names that just sticks with you if you’ve spent any time falling down the rabbit hole of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) universe. Honestly, if you watched Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team during its peak years on CMT, you probably remember her. She wasn't just another girl in a blue blouse. She was a powerhouse.
She danced. She really, really danced.
Being a Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader meant carrying a specific kind of weight during the mid-2010s. The squad was transitioning. The dance styles were getting more technical, more aggressive, and less "pageant-y." Holly arrived at a time when Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammell were looking for world-class technical ability to elevate the brand. She didn't just meet the bar; she basically leaped over it with a perfect toe-touch.
The Reality of Making the Team
It’s hard.
People think it’s just about looking good in a uniform, but the DCC audition process is a grueling, months-long marathon of psychological and physical endurance. Holly Powell entered the fray with a background that screamed "pro dancer." Before she ever stepped onto the turf at AT&T Stadium, she had a resume that would make most performers jealous. She had the lines. She had the "power."
When you watch her rookie season, you can see the judges' eyes light up. It’s that rare moment when they realize they don’t have to "fix" a candidate's technique. They just have to teach her the choreography.
Holly was a standout from day one. She made the team in 2015 and quickly became a fan favorite. Why? Because she had this infectious energy that didn't feel manufactured. In a world of "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am," her talent did most of the talking. She eventually worked her way up to becoming a Show Group member, which is essentially the Navy SEALs of pro cheerleading. You don't get into Show Group because you're nice; you get in because you can perform a high-octane routine in 100-degree heat without missing a beat or losing your smile.
Why Technical Skill Actually Matters in the NFL
Most people watching from the stands don't realize how far back the cheerleaders actually are. If you're sitting in the nosebleeds, a dancer's "pretty face" is a blur. What you see is the "projection."
Holly had projection for days.
Her movement was massive. That’s a technical term, sort of. In dance, it means taking up space. It means when you kick, your leg doesn't just go up—it explodes. When you turn, you’re a blur of precision. As a Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, she represented the peak of that athleticism.
✨ Don't miss: Austin & Ally Maddie Ziegler Episode: What Really Happened in Homework & Hidden Talents
But it wasn't all sunshine and glitter.
The DCC world is famously rigid. There are rules for everything. Hair, weight, social media, dating—it’s a lot for anyone, especially a young woman in her early 20s trying to navigate a professional career in the spotlight. The show Making the Team often highlighted the "DCC Way," a strict code of conduct that emphasizes being an ambassador for the Cowboys brand at all times.
The Sudden Departure That Shook the Fanbase
If you follow the squad closely, you know that Holly’s time with the DCC ended abruptly. It’s one of the most discussed "what happened?" moments in the show's history.
During the 2017 season (which was her third year), Holly resigned.
It was a shock. You don't usually see a veteran—especially a Show Group vet and a shoo-in for a leadership role—just walk away in the middle of a season. The show touched on it, hinting at "rule violations" and a "loss of trust." Specifically, it was suggested she had been fraternizing with someone she wasn't supposed to, though the details remained somewhat murky as the organization tried to protect its image.
The scene where she sits down with Kelli and Judy is painful to watch. You see a girl who is clearly talented and clearly loved by her teammates, but who had reached a breaking point with the restrictions of the organization.
She chose to leave.
It was a messy exit for a spectacular performer. Fans were divided. Some felt the rules were too archaic and that the DCC lost their best dancer over something trivial. Others felt that the rules are the rules, and if you can't follow the contract, you have to go. Regardless of which side you're on, the squad felt different after she left. There was a visible gap in the front line of the performances for a while.
Life After the Poms
What happens after you hang up the blue and silver? For many, it’s a quiet transition back to "normal" life. For Holly, it was a return to her roots in dance.
🔗 Read more: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
She didn't stop being a performer just because she wasn't a Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader anymore. She moved to Los Angeles. She kept training. She started working as a professional dancer in a much larger pond.
- She appeared in music videos.
- She did commercial work.
- She worked with major choreographers who didn't care about "The DCC Way" but cared very much about her triple pirouettes.
There's something deeply human about her story. It’s a reminder that even when you reach the "pinnacle" of a specific field—like being a DCC—it might not be the right fit for your whole life. Sometimes, the thing you’re best at is also the thing that feels most restrictive.
The Legacy of the 2015-2017 Era
The years Holly spent on the team are often cited by fans as a "Golden Era" of talent. You had girls like KaShara Garrett, Erica Wilkins, and Melissa Wallace. These weren't just cheerleaders; they were athletes who could have easily been on a Broadway stage or a world tour.
Holly Powell was arguably the technical anchor of that group.
When you look at current DCC auditions, you see "The Holly Effect." Girls are coming in with more contemporary dance training. They’re sharper. They’re more athletic. The "pretty girl who can kind of dance" is a thing of the past. Now, you need to be a Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader type of performer—someone who brings a professional, high-level dance background to the sidelines.
What Most People Get Wrong About the DCC
A lot of folks think these women are paid millions. They aren't. While the pay has improved slightly over the years and following some high-profile lawsuits regarding wage theft in the NFL, it’s still not a career you do for the money. You do it for the platform. You do it for the "sisterhood," which sounds like a cliché until you talk to the former cheerleaders who still meet up for brunch ten years later.
For Holly, the platform worked. Even with the controversial exit, her time as a Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader served as a massive launchpad. It gave her a level of visibility that most dancers in LA would kill for.
It also taught her about the "business" of being a public figure. You're always being watched. Every Instagram post is scrutinized. Every public appearance is a performance. That’s a lot of pressure for a 21-year-old.
Practical Takeaways for Aspiring Pro Dancers
If you’re looking at Holly’s career and thinking, "I want that," there are a few things you should actually do. Don't just dream about the uniform.
💡 You might also like: Kate Moss Family Guy: What Most People Get Wrong About That Cutaway
Focus on Versatility
Holly wasn't just good at one thing. She could do the power-house DCC style, but she had the ballet foundations to back it up. If you want to make a team like the Cowboys, you need to be able to switch from hip-hop to jazz to kick-line in a heartbeat.
Understand the Brand
The Dallas Cowboys are a conservative, family-oriented brand. Whether you agree with their rules or not, if you want to wear the stars, you have to play by their book. Holly’s story is a cautionary tale about what happens when your personal life and professional contract clash.
Prepare for the Mental Toll
The "Making the Team" process is designed to break you down. They want to see who can handle the stress of a Super Bowl or a live national television broadcast. If you’re sensitive to criticism, this isn't the path for you.
Have a Plan B
Pro cheerleading is a short-term gig. Most women stay for 2-5 years. Holly’s transition to the LA dance scene shows the importance of having a skillset that exists outside of a specific organization.
The Final Word on Holly
Holly Powell remains a polarizing figure in the DCC community, but her talent is undeniable. She changed the expectations for what a "cheerleader" looks like on the field. She wasn't just a supporter of the game; she was the main event during the breaks.
Her legacy isn't the drama of her exit. It’s the footage of her dancing. It’s the way she inspired a whole generation of studio dancers to realize that "pro cheer" could be a legitimate outlet for their technical skills.
If you want to see what peak performance looks like in the NFL, go back and watch her rookie year highlights. You’ll see exactly why everyone is still talking about her years after she turned in her poms.
To truly understand the impact of a performer like this, look at the evolution of the DCC choreography from 2010 to 2025. You'll see it’s faster, more complex, and more demanding. That shift happened because dancers like Holly proved it could be done. They raised the ceiling.
Next Steps for Fans and Dancers:
- Watch the Archives: Go back to Season 10 and 11 of DCC: Making the Team. Observe the "power" the judges keep mentioning in regards to Holly’s movement.
- Research Contemporary Pro Dance: If you are a dancer, look into how the "Dallas Style" differs from the "Laker Girls" or "Topcat" styles. Each has a specific "flavor" of movement.
- Follow the Alumni: Many former cheerleaders, including Holly, share their post-cheer journeys on social media. It's a great way to see how they've leveraged their experience into choreography, fitness, or business careers.
The story of the Holly Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader era is a masterclass in talent, the reality of strict corporate culture, and the resilience required to move on to the next chapter of a creative life.