'A moment I'll never forget': Orem woman becomes Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader

DALLAS — After enduring weeks of brutal rehearsals, both physically and mentally exhausting, Savanna Dastrup was giving it her all on the final night of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders training camp.

"That was the hardest practice, and I would say hardest audition I've ever been in. You are dancing for your life as best you can. You're on the field, and you are moments away from your dream coming true," she said.

The coaches left the field to deliberate, leaving Dastrup and the other rookie candidates more stressed than ever.

"I remember shaking; my palms were sweating, my heart was beating. We turned around, and a rack of uniforms came out," she said. "That was hands down one of the best moments of my life. All your hard work pays off. My dreams are coming true. I truly don't have words to describe that feeling."

Even a week after the announcement, Dastrup said it's still hard for her to believe this is real life.

"I can't believe I'm even saying this. I am a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader," she said.

Shooting for 'The Star'

Dastrup started dance classes at just 18 months old. After her first performance, hearing the audience cheers and feeling so accomplished, she fell in love with dance. She loved any chance she got to perform, training at The Dance Club and participating in Orem High School's dance company and cheer squad.

When she was 14, her mother showed her "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team," and Dastrup knew she needed to become one. She begged her parents to attend a Cowboys game and wanted to take every prep class she could.

"Every single time I saw the DCC or 'The Star,' or anything that had to do with the Cowboys, I fell more and more in love with DCC and the organization, and this is my dream and my goal, and I want to do everything I can to hopefully make it come true," she said.

Her parents knew it was a lofty goal and even suggested she may need to aim lower, but Dastrup wasn't going to settle for anything less than the best. After high school, she went to Texas Christian University for college and performed as a TCU Showgirl for four years.

Last year, Dastrup made it to the final auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and was accepted into training camp.

Thousands of women apply to be on the team each year, and approximately 80 make it to final auditions in Texas. From there, the dancers compete to make it into training camp, where 45 girls train with the team for several weeks, learning the team's iconic dances before the final roster of 36 dancers is chosen.

Netflix just released its third season of "America's Sweethearts," a documentary following the arduous audition process and highlighting the squad's achievements throughout the football season. Dastrup was a fan favorite from the season, with the show following her "firecracker" impression on coaches Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammell.

Dastrup said she was pushed every single day while in training camp, trying to give it her all even when she was stretched to the limit. When she was cut mid-training camp, she was devastated.

"It was definitely hard, and I learned so, so much about myself," she said. "After I got cut, I really took the year to reflect back on my journey, and I wanted to come back and audition, not only a better dancer, but also I wanted to grow as a person."

Dastrup moved to Paris to attend fashion school, as it was another dream she always had. Moving to another country pushed her out of her comfort zone and gave her the opportunity to take classes in new dance styles and techniques.

"I learned my why and why I loved to dance, and that spark kind of came back and pushed me that much more to work even harder this year. I came back as a more well-rounded individual," she said.

Ready to take on the year

During the 2025 training camp, Dastrup said she was nervous every day and only focused on trying to make the team. But this year, she shifted her perspective to soak in every moment and be grateful for the opportunity to dance.

"It helped me so much mentally and helped me love the process even more. Of course it has to be such a hard and intense process because this team is that elite," she said.

Training camp comes with so much pressure to adequately prepare the cheerleaders to endure everything expected of them on the team, she said. Instead of viewing pressure and stress as an obstacle, Dastrup looks at it as a privilege and an opportunity.

Dastrup said she wouldn't change her journey at all. Even though getting cut last year was the hardest thing for her, it was also the best outcome for her.

"I believe everything happens for a reason, and I'm so glad I was cut to learn that much more about myself and then come back as a better version, a more confident and stronger version. Now, I feel like truly ready to take on the year," she said.

Just being in the room with so many talented dancers was a blessing enough, Dastrup said, but making the team and getting to represent the Cowboys organization is the cherry on top.

"It was a moment I will never forget. Surrounded by 35 of my new best friends, I get to represent an organization I've looked up to for the longest time, and I'm so honored they are trusting in me. It was surreal," she said.

She is so excited to be part of something bigger than herself and participate in all of the community outreach events the cheerleaders do. After a year of not being part of a dance team, she said she is happy to be a teammate again and bask in the sisterhood of the cheerleaders.

Dreaming big

For anyone experiencing a setback, Dastrup says to never give up on your dreams and keep shooting for the stars. It's OK to take a few days to feel the disappointment, but then it's crucial to get back up, set goals and always believe in yourself.

"If I can inspire anybody, it's to dream big and put in the hard work. Don't let a setback define you," she said. "No dream is too big."

Dastrup said she shared a very special phone call with her family after making the team. Her mom answered first, with tears in her eyes, but when her father and brothers got on the call, they were just as happy. Her little brother Watson had even been wearing her slippers all day for good luck.

"Sweet Watson just lost it, full tears. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen," she said. "It was such a moment I'll never forget and such a sweet family moment, too."

She also had a tender moment with her boss from the dance studio she teaches at who previously was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Her boss had a gut feeling the team announcement would be made that day, so she drove to the practice facility to wait for her.

"That truly meant the entire world to me. She had been there for quite a few hours anxiously waiting, and I remember running across the entire parking garage to give her the biggest hug," she said.

Dastrup is overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who has supported her, from her family to friends to her students. She said she is just so honored to have this opportunity and can't wait to see what lies ahead.

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