Here's a young Kelli dancing with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

The majority of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders consists of Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammel nitpicking cheerleaders’ dancing. So, what was Kelli Finglass like back in the day when she was on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders team? She must’ve been an expert, right? Erm, not quite. We found an old video of a young Kelli Finglass and other Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performing in 1988. Let’s just say that the 2026 version of Kelli would have a lot to say about it.

For context, Kelli Finglass was a dancer on the team from 1984 to 1989. She is the only veteran cheerleader ever to be let back onto the team without having to re-audition. Kelli was offered an admin role for the DCC, then became the director in 1991.

Kelli and the other cheerleaders performed on TV for the 1988 MDA Labour Day Telethon. The routine is to a badly-edited medley of Michael Jackson songs. You can spot Kelli on the front row. She had a blonde perm in the 1980s, by the way.

dcc kelli as a cheerleader 1980s Via YouTube

I think it’s safe to say that the DCC in the 1980s was not exactly at the same standard it is now. If Kelli and Judy were to watch this video now, I bet they’d be telling off the dancers for being out of time, and for not moving sharply enough, and for making too many facial expressions.

kelli finglass cheerleading — Via YouTube

At 3:39, a dancer on the back row gets up way too early. At 2:26, some dancers seem a bit confused about where they’re meant to be in the line.

Like, I can’t even tell what the actual choreography is here, because the dancers are all doing something a bit different.

dallas cowboys cheerleaders out of sync — Via YouTube

In this routine, none of the dancers kick nearly as high as the current team of cheerleaders regularly do. For instance, Kelli’s leg does not make it beyond 90°, and is bent. She’s also out of time with the rest.