When viewers of the Netflix documentary America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders final noticed Victoria Kalina, she had determined to hold up her blue-and-white uniform and transfer on from the well-known NFL dance group.
Her four-year tenure with the DCC punctuated a lifetime spent across the cheerleaders—Victoria’s mom, Tina Kalina, was a cheerleader herself within the Eighties, and Victoria spent her youth as a junior DCC earlier than auditioning for the squad at age 18 and making it the primary time the next yr at 19.
Now, she’s stepping away, not simply from the 50-yard line however from her house in Texas—having just lately relocated to NYC in pursuit of the subsequent chapter of her dance profession. Dance Spirit caught up with Kalina to talk about life after Netflix, the facility of vulnerability, and her recommendation for younger dancers.
How are you? How’s the transfer to NYC been?
Good! I’m simply now beginning to really feel snug sufficient in making my approach round. I do know my neighborhood fairly strong. I’m not messing up as a lot on the subway anymore. At first, I actually felt like I appeared like a Looney Tune out right here with my cellphone—identical to, “Hey, the place’s my blue arrow pointing?”
It’ll come! You’ve lived within the metropolis for a few month. What made you wish to transfer to NYC?
My two massive dance objectives had been all the time the DCC after which the Radio Metropolis Rockettes. With DCC, I knew I wished to do it after I was younger to offer me some skilled expertise and permit me to dwell at house and avoid wasting cash. The tenure of a Rockette will also be longer than a DCC. I wished to do this after I had matured out of my youthful years.
In Dallas and with DCC we had been all secluded. When you had been DCC, that’s all you probably did. However right here in New York there’s so many alternatives, and after one gig is up there’s extra to come back. So, who is aware of? I’m open to something.
What’s your day-to-day like now?
I practice largely with a former Rockette named Rhonda Malkin. She has taken me below her wing and allowed me to show my professional type a number of occasions per week.
So I’m instructing lessons and privates. I’m additionally coaching and taking personal classes myself within the precision type that the Rockettes requires. I’m taking as many lessons and workshops as I can. The studio is my second home. If I’m not at Ripley-Grier [Studios], I’m at Steps on Broadway, or I’m at Broadway Dance Heart.
I like Danelle Morgan’s precision jazz class that she teaches at Steps. I’m simply absorbing all the pieces I can from her after I’m there.
What was your dance background like rising up?
My mother obtained me into dance, as a result of clearly she was a cheerleader. I’ve two older brothers, and I do know in her coronary heart of hearts she was like, “A lady, please, and let her love dance!” I began at age 2 and stayed with my studio all through my entire life. I began competing at age 6. I studied ballet, jazz, faucet—all the pieces—and did group dances and solos at competitions and conventions. I additionally hit a prima ballerina wannabe period for some time.
I by no means did drill group, however I used to be a part of the Junior Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and took all of the lessons and summer time intensives. It wasn’t till the tip of my sophomore yr of highschool that I actually took a flip and thought, OK, it’s time to start out prepping for DCC.
As a child, I might all the time say “I wish to be a DCC after I develop up.” However I didn’t see it from a mature perspective, slightly than the starry eyes from center college, till I used to be older.
In highschool, I made a decision it will be finest to do DCC proper out of highschool. I used to be considering: I’m recent, I’m used to coaching all day, I’m on my full velocity. So why would I wish to cease that?
On America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, you had been actually susceptible about your struggles with despair and damaging physique picture. What made you wish to be so trustworthy?
At first I didn’t! My mother and I’ve this “magnificence to a fault.” We love to come back off like all the pieces’s picture-perfect. I’m gonna be the picture-perfect Victoria. Truthfully, that will get so exhausting.
I used to be identical to, what, I’m going to be trustworthy as a result of that is what I battle with and it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. That’s not life. That’s not any job. That’s not any alternative. There’s going to be some struggles, and I believe it’s essential for folks to know that.
What has the response been from viewers?
I’ve been flooded with constructive messages. I’m nonetheless going by means of all of them. It’s so superb how one little motion of opening up can contact so many individuals.
When the filming course of was completed and it was time for the editors to take cost, I had a lot nervousness, considering perhaps I shouldn’t have executed that. I used to be considering, Individuals are going to assume I’m weak. They’re going to learn me fully incorrect. However it’s been the alternative.
You additionally shared a few of your experiences of not all the time feeling like you slot in together with your teammates. What recommendation would you give to a younger dancer who’s going by means of the identical factor?
I might say to lean in your assist system and people who actually are there to completely again you up. I do know personally, when these exhausting occasions occurred with me, I might simply wish to keep to myself. However I talked to my mother and leaned on my good friend who’s like my older sister. Though typically I didn’t have these connections with the group, I nonetheless had connections in my life.
Discover these folks, lean on them, cherish them. Additionally simply keep in mind you’re there on your ardour for dance. When you’re at a dance studio and also you’re not mixing with the gang and your group an excessive amount of, however you like dance, you like performing, and you like doing what you do, do not forget that.
Is there something you want you may inform your youthful self?
It’s all meant to be the way it’s meant to be. I actually consider that. Even in my first audition for the DCC, I obtained lower after which I got here again. I do know in robust occasions it’s exhausting to see, however when you dig by means of and hold going, you’ll ultimately see that.
