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| Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts Star Savanna Dastrup Balances Dance, Fashion and DCC Ambitions. |
Not every standout story in Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders ends with a coveted uniform and a place on the squad. For Savanna Dastrup, however, the journey may be proving just as compelling as the destination. The fan-favourite candidate captured attention during season three with her bright personality, relentless work ethic and determination to earn a place among the world-famous cheerleaders. Although her first attempt ended in disappointment, she has spent the months since turning a setback into motivation rather than a full stop.
For Savanna, dance was never a casual hobby. The Orem, Utah native developed a love for performing almost as soon as she could walk. By the time many children were deciding on their favourite cartoons, she had already decided on her dream career.
Watching the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform when she was five years old sparked an ambition that has guided much of her life ever since. From competitive dance competitions to specialised training programmes and collegiate performance teams, she spent years preparing for the moment she would finally audition.
That preparation paid off when she advanced through the audition rounds and reached training camp. Judges admired her stage presence, confidence and ability to connect with an audience.
Yet the final stages of selection can be brutally competitive, and Savanna ultimately found herself among the candidates who were released before the season began.
While discussions surrounding her height and makeover surfaced during the process, leadership ultimately concluded that her development during training camp had not progressed quickly enough compared with expectations.
Many aspiring performers might have viewed that outcome as a signal to move on. Savanna seemingly took the opposite approach. During her exit conversation, she directly asked whether the leadership team believed she could eventually make the squad.
Receiving a positive answer gave her the encouragement she needed. Rather than abandoning the dream, she doubled down on preparation and returned to pursue another opportunity.
The latest chapter of her story suggests that persistence may be paying off. Savanna has once again earned a place in training camp as a rookie candidate for the 2026–2027 season. For supporters who followed her journey on Netflix, the development feels like the kind of comeback story reality television audiences love.
The difference this time is that she arrives with experience, perspective and perhaps a little less surprise about how demanding the process can be. What makes Savanna's journey particularly interesting is that she has refused to build her entire future around a single opportunity.
While continuing to chase a position with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, she has also embraced another creative passion. Following her departure from training camp, she relocated to France and enrolled at Paris Fashion School, pursuing her ambition of becoming a fashion designer.
Not everyone responds to career disappointment by moving across continents and adding another demanding discipline to their schedule, but Savanna appears to treat free time as a rumour rather than a reality.
Her résumé already reads like several careers compressed into one. Before her television appearance, she spent more than a decade competing with The Dance Club in Utah and helped the studio achieve national success.
She later performed with Odyssey Dance Theatre, worked as a backup dancer for Sofia Wylie and taught at SMASH Dance Academy. After relocating to Texas, she attended Texas Christian University, joined the TCU Showgirls and completed a Communications degree in 2025.
Even now, Savanna continues teaching with The Young Dance Company in Fort Worth while balancing her DCC ambitions and fashion studies.
Most people struggle to organise a calendar with one full-time commitment. Savanna somehow manages to juggle three major pursuits simultaneously, which may explain why so many viewers found themselves rooting for her throughout the series.
Behind every step has been strong support from her family. Savanna frequently credits her parents, Sommer Davis Dastrup and Dusty Dastrup, along with her younger brothers, for helping her pursue opportunities that required sacrifices, travel and years of dedication.
Their encouragement has remained a constant presence throughout her journey, from local dance competitions to national television exposure. Among fans and online viewers, reactions to Savanna's story have varied, though the overwhelming tone has been supportive.
Some viewers believed she was one of the most memorable candidates featured during the season and argued that her positive attitude made her easy to root for. Others felt her release highlighted just how fiercely competitive the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders selection process remains.
A number of social media users also expressed admiration for her decision to pursue fashion alongside dance, joking that while some people struggle to choose one career path, Savanna appears determined to collect several.
Today, Savanna Dastrup finds herself in an enviable position despite the earlier disappointment. She is pursuing elite-level dance opportunities, studying fashion in Paris, teaching the next generation of performers and building a growing public profile thanks to Netflix.
Whether she ultimately secures a place on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad or follows a different creative route, her story has already become one of resilience rather than rejection.
The bigger question now is whether this latest training camp will finally deliver the ending she has been working towards for nearly two decades. Do you think Savanna will make the team this time around, or has her future already grown beyond the sidelines? Share your thoughts and join the conversation.