Latest news with #Chandi


Elle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Where Is Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Chandi Dayle Now?
The acclaimed Netflix docuseries America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has returned for season 2, chronicling the 2024 football season from tryouts and training camp all the way through the last game. But instead of checking in with fan-favorites from season 1, director Greg Whiteley focused on an entirely different set of women. Sixth-year veteran Chandi Dayle was one of the focal points, and her arc is an emotional one. Chandi, who works as many as four jobs during the season, is one of the quieter members of the team and is self-admittedly 'really good at pushing things down' instead of dealing with emotions head-on. Over the course of the season, Chandi experiences high highs, like being named one of the 1st Group Leaders—a role that operates like a team captain—while also having significant lows related to her mental health. And after six years, Chandi decides to put down the pom-poms for good. Here's an in-depth look at Chandi's journey in season 2. The 1st Group Leaders of the team are prestigious titles, but they come with a lot of extra responsibility. 'They help Judy [Trammell, head choreographer] with choreography, they help us with communication, they're mentors, they're guidance counselors, and they're critical to the seamless performances that the cheerleaders do,' Senior Director Kelli Finglass explains in the second season. Kelli and Judy had the rookies vote on who they wanted as team leader, and Chandi received votes from all 24 girls. She experiences the exhilaration of being named to one of the most coveted spots on the team and champions her organization skills that will help her excel, but also admits that her quiet demeanor could be a challenge in a leadership position. Judy saw Chandi's habit of 'always letting everyone else make the big decisions' as a potential roadblock to success, but she recognizes it as something that reminded her of herself when she was younger. Trammell similarly clocks Chandi's need to please, saying she 'craves her attention and approval.' Feeling a kinship to Chandi, Judy is a motherly presence that really believes in her abilities. Chandi and her sister were adopted, and her parents divorced when she was 12. After her father remarried, he and her step-mother sat Chandi down and told her they didn't need to see each other again. Chandi complied and said she assumed the role of a parent because she 'had the least amount of emotion in the house.' Her mom Joanna corroborated this fact, revealing that she's only seen Chandi cry once when she was 10 because she 'doesn't like to express her vulnerability to anyone other than herself.' While Chandi believes her mental health struggles began with her father's absence, they materialized more prominently after a toxic relationship, in which she experienced physical abuse and stalking. Chandi still lives with the fear of this ex popping up anywhere; during a brunch with Jada, Megan, and Armani, the girls are on high alert when they see someone who resembles him at the restaurant. In October 2024, Chandi posted about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 'I used to hide my past, afraid of judgment and shame. Every day, I gain confidence and rediscover the girl I once was. I'm using my voice to stand up against domestic violence. As a survivor, I know I am more than my scars. Every story matters. Let's stand united against domestic violence,' reads the caption. When we first meet Chandi's then-boyfriend Ryan, she describes their relationship sweetly, appreciating that he often anticipates her needs before she even realizes them. But in the finale, she reveals that they broke up off-camera. 'I think the last thing I said to him was, 'I deserve better. I deserve better and so do you,'' she describes to her friend Jalyn, a retired DCC member. Chandi doesn't elaborate on what happened between them but Jalyn seems relieved by the news. 'I won't say 'I told you so'…I'm just gonna say you had to figure it out for yourself,' she says. Following the break-up, Chandi connected with someone she met in the Bahamas who shared a similar past. Feeling like she had no one to talk to and that she was 'crumbling down,' Chandi admits to inviting him back to her room. This makes the other girls on the team worry about their safety, citing strict security rules tied to the team's location. The atmosphere at rehearsal is uncomfortable and Chandi decides to take a mental health break away from the team, returning only for the final game of the season. During Chandi's sabbatical, KayDianna, who stepped in for Chandi as group leader, vaguely responded to a question about what happened in the Bahamas on a TikTok Live, as fans noticed Chandi's absence at games. Her mom visibly reacted to the question but KayDianna brushed it off, saying she'll make a video about it someday. Unfortunately someone screen- recorded the video and put it on Reddit, which prompted leadership to put KayDianna under investigation for bullying and harassment and suspend her from the team. KayDianna maintains that she didn't say Chandi's name or anything incendiary about her teammate, and she ultimately chose to walk away from the team after the accusations. Chandi hobbles into the conference room with a hip brace, ready to say a tearful goodbye to the DCC. She acknowledges her struggles this year before stating that she's really found herself this year. 'There was a long time where I was scared to live without dance because that was my safe place,' she admits just before hanging up the iconic star-spangled outfit for the last time. Since leaving the DCC, she returned to her alma mater at the University of Arizona as an official judge of the Pomline team and celebrated former teammate McKenzie Hughston's pregnancy. She's also continuing to recover after hip surgery.


Cosmopolitan
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Where is KayDianna from Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders now, after she was suspended from the team?
It's that time of the year again. Specifically, the time of the year that you force all your friends to learn the entire "Thunderstruck" routine. In other words, season two of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders just dropped and it's somehow even more dramatic than last season? Mostly because of the team's trip to the Bahamas, which will go down in INFAMY (in my mind). Quick recap: Chandi broke one of the DCC's many, many rules and invited a random man into her shared hotel room – which understandably made her teammates feel unsafe. Chandi ended up taking a leave of absence, and KayDianna stepped up as First Leader. But things took a turn when KayDianna went on TikTok and referenced Chandi and the trip. To be fair, she didn't mention Chandi by name, but was still accused of "being a bully and harassing" and was suspended from the team. KayDianna ended up quitting DCC, and told Netflix producers, "I definitely didn't feel supported, I felt like I was just a body. It was as if Chandi got the perks of being a First Leader and I got the responsibility part of it. When all this went down I was confused, my teammates were confused, we just didn't know what was gonna happen." So, what's KayDianna up to post DCC? First of all... "After prayerful consideration, I have made the decision to step away from my role with the Dallas Cowboys organisation," she said. "While this was not the ending I had envisioned, it is one I felt led to make for myself, in full faith and peace. I'm deeply grateful for four unforgettable seasons – filled with growth, meaningful friendships, and memories that will stay with me forever. Though this door has closed, I trust fully in god's plan and the new doors he is preparing to open. I do not view this as a setback, but as a divine setup for what's next. He is not finished with me yet, and I am stepping forward with expectation and joy for all he has in store. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey – I look forward to sharing the next one with you." In multiple TikToks, no less! While it doesn't seem like many current DCCs publicly interact with KayDianna on her social, Reece went ahead and commented "Crying all over again 😭" on her TikTok about leaving. Oh, and KayDianna posted this chat with Reece just a few weeks ago: Now that she's not on DCC, KayDianna has been working on her podcast, as well as teaching dance classes, and working as a competition judge. She's also happily married and just took a cute trip with her husband to France: In other words, she's booked and busy!


Cosmopolitan
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
What Happened to KayDianna from DCC? What She's Up to Now
It's that time of the year again. Specifically, the time of the year that you force all your friends to learn the entire "Thunderstruck" routine. In other words, season two of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders just dropped and it's somehow even more dramatic than last season? Mostly because of the team's trip to the Bahamas, which will go down in INFAMY (in my mind). Quick recap: Chandi broke one of the DCC's many, many rules and invited a random man into her shared hotel room—which understandably made her teammates feel unsafe. Chandi ended up taking a leave of absence, and KayDianna stepped up as First Leader. But things took a turn when KayDianna went on TikTok and referenced Chandi and the trip. To be fair, she didn't mention Chandi by name, but was still accused of "being a bully and harassing" and was suspended from the team. KayDianna ended up quitting DCC, and told Netflix producers, "I definitely didn't feel supported, I felt like I was just a body. It was as if Chandi got the perks of being a first leader and I got the responsibility part of it. When all this went down I was confused, my teammates were confused, we just didn't know what was gonna happen." So, what's KayDianna up to post DCC? First of all... "After prayerful consideration, I have made the decision to step away from my role with the Dallas Cowboys organization," she said. "While this was not the ending I had envisioned, it is one I felt led to make for myself, in full faith and peace. I'm deeply grateful for four unforgettable seasons—filled with growth, meaningful friendships, and memories that will stay with me forever. Though this door has closed, I trust fully in god's plan and the new doors he is preparing to open. I do not view this as a setback, but as a divine setup for what's next. He is not finished with me yet, and I am stepping forward with expectation and joy for all he has in store. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey—I look forward to sharing the next one with you." In multiple TikToks, no less! While it doesn't seem like many current DCCs publicly interact with KayDianna on her social, Reece went ahead and commented "Crying all over again😭" on her TikTok about leaving. Oh, and KayDianna posted this chat with Reece just a few weeks ago: Now that she's not on DCC, KayDianna has been working on her podcast, as well as teaching dance classes, and working as a competition judge. She's also happily married and just took a cute trip with her husband to France: In other words, she's booked and busy!


Cosmopolitan
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
DCC responds to Chandi's scandal on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Season two of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders had some unexpected drama thanks to a group trip to the Bahamas that ended in "scandal." Basically, Chandi invited a stranger back to her shared hotel room, which made everyone else feel unsafe and resulted in her taking a leave of absence from the team—and stepping down from her leadership position. Chandi made it clear that she was dealing with a lot of pressure (not to mention a toxic ex) and wasn't getting the emotional support she needed, but she ended up returning to DCC on a positive note before retiring at the end of the season. Fellow DCC veteran Jada McLean spoke to People about the situation, saying, "There are things that go on in any workplace. Situations come up, and I think the biggest thing is how you handle it. I think we did our best as a team to handle it professionally while still being supportive of her." "We're not going to turn our back on her," she added. "We're teammates and we're sisters at the end of the day. As a team, I think we just kind of rallied together and kept to the job and did our best to keep things moving, because at the end of the day, we still had a job to get done and that was our goal." Meanwhile Armani Latimer said that the team is there to have each other's backs no matter what. "We see each other every single day pretty much. So there's kind of not going to be a day where if someone comes in and they seem a little off, we're not going to notice," she said. "And we'll pull them aside and have a chat with them and say, 'Hey, what's going on today? Anything you need to talk about?' So I think we're pretty good at doing that." America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is available on Netflix now


Cosmopolitan
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
DCC Responds to Chandi's Scandal on 'Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders'
Season 2 of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders had some unexpected drama thanks to a group trip to the Bahamas that ended in "scandal." Basically, Chandi invited a stranger back to her shared hotel room, which made everyone else feel unsafe and resulted in her taking a leave of absence from the team—and stepping down from her leadership position. Chandi made it clear that she was dealing with a ton of pressure (not to mention a toxic ex) and wasn't getting the emotional support she needed, but she ended up returning to DCC on a positive note before retiring at the end of the season. Fellow DCC veteran Jada McLean spoke to People about the situation, saying "There are things that go on in any workplace. Situations come up, and I think the biggest thing is how you handle it. I think we did our best as a team to handle it professionally while still being supportive of her." "We're not going to turn our back on her," she added. "We're teammates and we're sisters at the end of the day. As a team, I think we just kind of rallied together and kept to the job and did our best to keep things moving, because at the end of the day, we still had a job to get done and that was our goal." Meanwhile Armani Latimer said that the team is there to have each other's backs no matter what. "We see each other every single day pretty much. So there's kind of not going to be a day where if someone comes in and they seem a little off, we're not going to notice," she said. "And we'll pull them aside and have a chat with them and say, 'Hey, what's going on today? Anything you need to talk about?' So I think we're pretty good at doing that."