DCC Alumni Spotlight – Cynde Lewis

Cynde Lewis was a member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for only 2 years, and had more incredible experiences as a DCC than one can even dream! Originally from Richardson, TX, Cynde first heard about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders audition while listening to the Wolf Radio, a Dallas country music station, which advertised the upcoming search to its listeners in the DFW area. While she knew nothing about football at the time, Cynde had an extensive background in cheerleading, having participated in the sport from 6th grade through college at Brigham Young University in Utah. Cynde recalls that the audition process included learning a routine and performing it on the spot, similar to the way our current auditions are run, and also taking pictures to see how each girl photographed. At the end of the audition day, Cynde was 1 of 32 women selected to represent the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Cynde cheered in 1976 and 1977, two years in which the Dallas Cowboys attended the Super Bowl, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1976 and winning against the Denver Broncos in 1977. Cynde cheered under Suzanne Mitchell, and learned choreography from Texie Waterman, two women who truly revolutionized professional cheerleading in the NFL. She recalls that Suzanne was tough, even claiming that “she make you or she could break you.” But Cynde credits Mitchell’s intense perspective for what truly pushed the DCC to become the world class organization it is today. Cynde says the DCC “really danced” at the games and jokes that one of the biggest differences between DCCs then and now is the shortness of the shorts. Despite small changes in the uniform and variations in the styles of dance, Cynde reiterates that “a DCC is a DCC is a DCC.” The values and traditions that DCC fostered when Cynde was on the team, are the same values and traditions we share today.

In addition to getting to cheer twice at the Super Bowl, Cynde participated in many photoshoots, commercials, and even movies. She was 1 of 5cheerleaders featured in the iconic 1977 poster of the DCC, photographed by Bob Shaw, that was added to the Smithsonian Museum of American History in 2018. She was also famously photographed kissing Cowboys player Danny White after the Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1977, although the picture never surfaced until 25 years later. As Cynde flipped through a People magazine at the post office where she worked, she was shocked to see herself in the now famous photo! When asked about the event, endearingly nicknamed “The Kiss,” Cynde jokes that “she doesn’t kiss and tell,” but adds that the moment was simply a celebratory kiss between two good friends. While Cynde had these incredible, noteworthy experiences as a DCC, her favorite moments were never captured on camera. Cynde’s dearest memories are the times she and her teammates would walk down the tunnel at Texas Stadium, right at the beginning of the game. Cynde says that feeling she experienced as she was about to walk on the field for kickoff has “no words to describe it. It was electric”. She explains that the fans were so enamored with the cheerleaders, that they would line up along the tunnel before and after the games and even wait outside their locker room to get the girls’ autographs!

After her second season as a DCC, Cynde started a family with her husband. They now live in Bonham, TX, where they tend to their 30-acre ranch. To this day, Cynde keeps in touch with former teammates through FaceTime and always looks forward to DCC Alumni events to reconnect with everyone! She reminds us to always be friendly and happy, and to wear a smile on our faces, because our demeanor can really influence a fan’s experience. Cynde advises all current and future DCCs to document everything that we do and everywhere we go, because this amazing chapter of our lives will inevitably come to an end, and we will want to be able to share these many amazing experiences with our children and grandchildren when the time comes. “They will be so proud of all that you’ve done,” she says.

DCC Daphne