Iin Netflix’s new docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, there may not be another dancer on the elite team more passionate about the organization than Victoria Kalina. In the series, Kalina, a fourth-year veteran cheerleader whose mother was also a Dallas Cowboys (DCC) cheerleader, stands out not just for her high kicks or her positive attitude, but for her striking vulnerability. Across the six episodes, Kalina gets candid about how being a Cowboys cheerleader has impacted her mental health and her relationship with her body, opening up about the challenges she faced in realizing her dream of rooting for the elite team. .
Read more: America’s Sweethearts It’s a surprisingly unnerving portrait of pink-collar work at its best
Kalina also delivered one of the biggest surprises of the series when she announced at the end that she would not return for a fifth season with the cheerleading squad. We caught up with Kalina this week to talk about filming America’s sweetheartshow she prioritizes her mental health and how she knew it was time to leave.
How was the filming experience for you? America’s sweethearts?
It was absolutely incredible. The director Greg (Whiteley) and the entire crew were absolutely amazing. And I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have been part of it.
This wasn’t your first time on camera as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader; you also appeared Forming the team, the CMT reality show; Was this different for you?
Definitely. I feel like we have to show up outside of the uniform, rather than the process of just getting that uniform, where that’s the endgame. You’ll also be able to see us out of uniform all season long and dive deeper into us as people.
Why was it important to you that people could see more sides of you and your life on the show?
As well as the [show] the poster itself says: “perfection is not perfect”. The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders are so iconic. This uniform is so well known that it is in the Smithsonian, the DCC is so well known. I think it’s important that we take that away, so that you discover that these people are still real, they’re still us.
His mother Tina appeared on the series and in Forming the team and was also a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. How do you feel this legacy has impacted you both?
I think with or without him, we would still be two peas in a pod and inseparable.
Do you feel like you faced any challenges because of this legacy?
I think it partially could have had the disadvantage of being a legacy and [with] the relationship I had between Kelli (Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders) Judy (Trammell, the lead choreographer) my mom and I, but ultimately I think the challenges just came from me being a perfectionist.
In America’s darlings, you had some real moments of vulnerability, particularly when it came to talking about body image and mental health. Why was it important for you to share these parts of your life in this series? Has it ever been difficult to be so sincere?
That was one thing I told myself when it was announced that we were doing this docu-series and that Netflix would follow us through the entire season. I just wanted to promise myself that I would be completely me. Ultimately, after the beautiful responses I received, I think it was the best thing I could have done, because I feel like I inspired other people to be open to talking about this. If I could make one person feel that way, it would make me very happy.
One thing I learned from this is that being a Cowboys cheerleader is an extremely public and high-pressure job, both physically, emotionally and mentally. How do you protect your peace and mental well-being in this type of environment?
Personally, for me, I thrive best and my mental health is strongest in places where I feel like I can just escape and be fully myself. Sometimes in DCC and in the world, I know for myself that I can be scared, which can be difficult at times. So just finding safe spaces was important for my mental health and making sure I felt fully supported and loved.
In the final episode, we see that you chose not to return for your fifth year with the Cowboys. Obviously, it’s never easy to say goodbye, so how did you know it was the right time to leave?
I really didn’t know going into that first meeting. I had every intention of coming back, doing a fifth year, wanting to come back, still wanting to give more to the organization and DCC. That final meeting made me feel like Kellie and Judy – I don’t know how to explain it. I felt like no matter what I did, I would never move up in this career. As an artist or any other job, you always want to strive to be better and I know I didn’t want to spend another year being the same. I would love to do nothing but act because that is my biggest dream. My biggest passion is acting. But I also wanted to know whether or not I was going to move forward, so when I didn’t get that specific answer was when I really thought, ‘okay, I want to put my energy and techniques elsewhere.’
What are you most looking forward to in your post-cheerleading career?
Right now, I’m getting ready, getting my whole life together. I’m moving to New York in six days. I’m super excited. I’m hoping to get an acting job on the East Coast, but I’ll be open to anything and everything that’s out there.
Is there anything you’ll miss about being a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader?
Definitely the acting. As a dancer, you are obsessed with performing and you won’t feel the same ecstatic energy and excited roar from the stadium crowd and fans as you would at a Dallas Cowboys game. There’s nothing I think is equivalent to this, so I’ll definitely miss this being my stage. And I will definitely miss the reactions and the impact that you know wearing that star has on people.
And is there anything you won’t miss?
No!
There are so many practices…
I love dancing, so this was a positive thing for me!
There was a lot on the show about the “DCC look,” especially during the auditions, where it seemed like some girls were cut because they didn’t have the look. Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure on not just the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, but I think a lot of NFL cheerleaders across the league to look a certain way. Do you see this evolving for the organization in the future?
I think so, I mean, there’s always change happening, but I think ultimately it comes down to what the organization specifically wants and what they’re looking for. And that comes from the judges, the coaches and the people who decide.
What has your time as a cheerleader taught you? What are the lessons you will take away from this chapter of your life?
It’s okay to be you, not everyone will love it. Some people will love it. Some people will hate this. Some people will be thrilled with this. And that’s okay. You just need to know what you are doing and that is where you are and where you should be. And if you love it so much and love it fully, make sure you are happy and that it is filling your tank.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
