Kriti Mehrotra
Netflix’s ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ is back again on our screens with season 2, bringing us yet another perfect blend of NFL-adjacent chaos, dance, and entertainment. That’s because it follows the titular brand throughout its 2024 season of auditions, training, public appearances, and game days to really underscore the reality of what it means to be a football cheerleader. Amongst those to play a significant role in this series once again is Kelly Villares, who had auditioned to be on the squad in 2023, too, only to be booted right near the end of training camp.
Dance Has Defined Kelly Villares’ Life Since She Was 3
A proud native of the small township of Weehawken, New Jersey, Kelly Villares has been dancing since she was just 3 years old, and she has never looked back – basically, it’s what has shaped every part of her life. According to her own accounts, she learned acrobatic moves, ballet, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, tap, and many more forms as a young girl, which gave her an incredible foundation. Then, with the help of Studio L Dance Company as well as her decision to begin competing at local and national levels, she gradually learned how to deal with adversity while also really honing her skills.
That’s how Kelly eventually managed to earn the Universal Dance Association’s High School Nationals Jazz Championship with her dance team at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in 2019. From there, she actually went on to enroll at Rutgers University for a Bachelor’s in Nutritional Science while also being a part of their renowned internal Cheer/Dance Team. She was a part of this squad for the entire 4 years she was there and even helped them earn the All-Big Ten Dance First Team Winner Award in both 2020 as well as 2021. As if that’s not enough, she herself earned several individual accolades for her contribution, including Rookie of the Year in 2020 and Veteran of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
It Took Her a While, But Kelly Villares Was Able to Fulfill Her Childhood Dream
Kelly always dreamed of being a professional dancer for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL since she grew up watching the brand expand to a global level with the help of tours and a reality show. Therefore, with the confidence she garnered while at college, she decided to audition to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader (DCC) for the 2023 season — the year she graduated. Her tape did catch the eye of Director Kelli Finglass and Choreographer Judy Trammell thanks to her bright smile, powerful presence, and sheer grace, which translated in her solo too. She hence ended up at training camp, but alas, the pressure she placed on herself and the intensity of it all soon got too much for her, so her nerves were evident on her face.
Unfortunately, since others were faring better both mentally as well as stylistically, Kelli and Judy had no choice but to eliminate Kelly in the last round of cuts with some honest feedback. That’s when the aspiring DDC cheerleader promised to be back again for the 2024 season, and she was, entirely unaware that her journey this time around would be very different. Her practice and perseverance during her time away shone through her abilities, confidence, and skills, which landed her a spot in not only the training camp again but also the actual squad.
Kelly Villares Credits Her Support System for All Her Success
If there’s one thing Kelly Villares has never shied away from admitting, it’s that her parents, Lina Londono and Onel Villares, are the reason she has been able to achieve all her wonders. Their relationship actually crumbled when she was young, but they made the decision to stay together until she was grown to ensure she never felt as if anyone or anything was lacking in her life. They really did put on a strong front for this now Texan resident while supporting her through all dance classes, and even today, they don’t hesitate to show up to see her perform or offer her their best wishes from their respective homes in New Jersey.
Apart from them, Kelly has every single one of her DCC teammates in her corner, especially Reece Weaver and Charly Barby, with whom she really developed a sisterhood during the 2023 training camp. Only Reece made it to the team that year, yet they didn’t let it come in between their connections in any way, shape, or form – in fact, their trio now seems stronger than ever. In addition to these two girls, the 24-year-old has gotten extremely close to Anna Kate Sundvold, Michelle Siemienowski, Madie Krueger, McKenna Gehrke, and Armani Latimer, too. They really as like sisters in arms.
In Addition to Being a Dancer, Kelly Villares is Also a Rising Influencer
When Kelly’s 2023 DCC stint came to a close with heartbreak, she decided to essentially zero in on her dreams by spending as much time in a dance studio as she could to work on her skills. Thankfully, it panned out in the way she desired the very next year, but she had no idea that she’d blow up on an international level just as she was getting started, owing to season 1 of the aforementioned show. Nevertheless, she has managed to remain so humble and graceful that fans can’t help but be pulled into her even more, resulting in her finding herself becoming a public figure/influencer.
In other words, currently residing in Dallas, Texas, Kelly is a DCC veteran, a 2nd-year DCC candidate since she is trying out again for the team this year too, a hopeful choreographer, and an influencer. From what we can tell, despite the fact that she is relatively new to this area of the entertainment industry, she has already managed to secure some significant partnerships with global brands. These include Dick’s Sports Goods, Olay, Treseme, Discover Cotton, Victoria’s Secret, and Charlotte Tilbury, amongst many others, with the help of which she has been expanding her reach. Right now, though, after attending New York Fashion Week and starring in the DCC National Tour, it appears as if her primary focus is on making it to the 2025 DCC squad again.
Read More: Charly Barby: Where is the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Now?
