Netflix has recently released the second season of the documentary series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders” on their platform. This show delves into the world of the renowned professional dance troupe that supports the iconic NFL team, but beneath the surface lies a darker reality that is not adequately addressed in this latest installment. The series follows the annual refreshment of the team, with returning veterans and new rookies vying for a spot based not only on their dancing skills but also on outdated criteria that focus on body image and weight issues.
Every year, the team is refreshed, with a bunch of returning group members (veterans) and new cheerleaders (rookies) all competing for a spot on the squad. While technique, performance skills and the ability to memorise choreography are taken into consideration, other archaic factors are also scrutinised.
Trigger warning for discussions on weight, body image and eating disorders below.
I tuned in last year, naive to how these surface-level things were painfully magnified by the bosses, and sadly that’s not something that has been addressed in the latest instalment of one of Netflix’s most popular documentary series.
