The wild history of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Thunderstruck routine, and who created it
Nobody's a second off the beat
You can’t have the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders without their iconic Thunderstruck by AC/DC performance. 36 cheerleaders on the field, all perfectly in-sync, while making their iconic high-kicks. We’ve broken down the legendary performance and meaning of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Thunderstruck moment.
The choreography and Thunder walk
Intentionally designed to be a high-energy moment, the 36 DCC take to the field in a triangle formation. Their “Thunder” walk features synchronised walking, and sharp dancing and then transitioning into their famous kick-line. “Now the hard part. You have to move five yards every four counts,” head choreographer Judy Trammell explains. For anyone who’s ever been on a football field, you can image how hard and precise that is.
They can’t be off beat for a single second while performing in front of 80,000 people. It would throw the whole dance off. It takes rookies weeks to nail during the training camp.
Who choreographed it?
Brittany Evans, a DCC alumna from 2008-2012, is credited alongside Judy for creating the iconic dance. She was one of the group leaders and choreographed the signature routine.
“Since that year was the opening year of the new stadium, they had so many artists perform there for halftime and the DCC would learn new halftime performances, pregame routines, and quarter change dances almost every game!” Brittany says.
@dccheerleaders post thunder glow! #DCCheerleaders #DCC #AmericasSweethearts #thunder ♬ original sound – Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
“When they performed with Tim McGraw her third year on the team, they created Thunderstruck. Judy brought the music and the group leaders put choreography together. Little did they know that their choreography would become iconic. Thunderstruck soon became a fan favorite and they started performing it for every pregame.”
It was created in 2010 for the opening of the new AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The “Thunderstruck” routine was designed to wow the crowd and hype them up before the players ran onto the field. No wonder the auditions are so cut-throat. It takes a lot of skill and talent to nail this decades long dance.
The meaning behind the legendary performance
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“Thunderstruck” by Australian band AC/DC was released in 1990 and features lyrics related to Texas:”Went through to Texas, yeah, Texas, and we had some fun. We met some girls, some dancers who gave a good time.” This high-energy rock performance has been performed by hundreds of DCC over the years, with not a kick out of step.
With eight to nine home games a year, it’s been performed over 130 times since its inception. So it’s truly cemented itself as a pillar of a Dallas Cowboys NFL game. It’s even transcended beyond being performed at just home games, with cheerleaders often performing the dance at their own weddings.
For fans, it exudes the power and strength that the Cowboys are about to bring at kickoff. It represents the energy of the entire organisation. High-level, dedicated, and not messing around. Just like a cowboy. For the cheerleaders, it’s one of the most famous dances and determines whether they make the squad or not. Safe to say we’ve been thunderstruck by the DCC.