Kriti Mehrotra
With her radiating grin and unwavering optimism, Savanna Dastrup from Netflix’s ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ season 3 definitely lived up to her namesake. The Orem, Utah, native was named after the 1982 classic family-comedy film ‘Savannah Smiles’ since it was primarily filmed in the nearby area, making her creative passions seem like destiny. Little did anyone know she would achieve wonders before she even completed her studies, only to then be unable to quickly land her dream job owing to nothing but intense competition.
Savanna Dastrup Didn’t Make the DCC Team on Her First Attempt
Savanna Dastrup was merely 8 months old when she started walking and later developed a keen interest in movement art. She shared that dance really came into her life when she was a year and a half old, making her fall head over heels in love with it and know she wanted to pursue it as a career. Then came her introduction to the world of professional cheerleading at age 5 when she witnessed a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ performance, driving her to decide she would one day join the team. She subsequently did everything in her power to prepare for what she knew would be a grueling audition.
Whether it be competing in all dance forms, joining different dance teams, enrolling in a collegiate team whose style matched DCC’s, or attending official weekly prep classes, Savanna did it all. Her efforts honestly helped her shine at every step in the initial audition process, with her incredible stage presence and facial expressions also catching the eye of Director Kelli Finglass. However, the 22-year-old faced her fair share of challenges and roadblocks when she finally made it to training camp, which sadly led to her being cut. Her petite height – 5’3″ – and her failed makeover were discussed, but the primary reason for her booting was that she wasn’t showing the improvement the higher-ups had come to expect.
Savanna Dastrup is Balancing Her Passion for Dance with Her Love for Fashion
When Savanna was cut from the 2025-2026 DCC training camp, she candidly asked the Director and Head Coach if they could see her making the team at some point in the future, and they said yes. Therefore, she has since fully immersed herself in the DCC, including performance and style expectations, in hopes of fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming an NFL Dancer for the Dallas Cowboys. So, we’re happy to report that not only did she try out for the squad once again in the current 2026-2027 season, but she has once again made it to training camp as a potential rookie candidate. Honestly, we wish her nothing but the best.
However, it’s imperative to note that Savanna has not put all her eggs in one basket. While she is determined to dance for DCC and be a part of the organization for as long as possible, she also knows it can not be a forever thing. Therefore, following the 2025 booting she didn’t expect, since she was doing everything she could to be among the best, she decided to dive headfirst into her passion for fashion too. In fact, she left everything behind in the fall of 2025 and temporarily relocated to France to attend Paris Fashion School, where she remains enrolled to this day. Thus, the acro, ballet, cheer, hip-hop, jazz, modern, and tap dancer is also an aspiring fashion designer.
As if that’s not enough, Savanna has also been a force of nature by holding a job in Texas. After 12 years competing for The Dance Club in Orem, Utah, helping the studio secure first place at the NYCDA Nationals in 2018, and thriving as a high school cheerleader, she secured many opportunities. The National Honor Society for Dance Arts recipient was a part of Odyssey Dance Theatre for two years, a backup dancer for Disney star Sofia Wylie for a short while, and an instructor at SMASH Dance Academy. Then, she relocated to Texas, enrolled at Texas Christian University to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, and joined the TCU Showgirls before graduating in 2025. It was during this period, in 2023, that she joined The Young Dance Company as an instructor, which is a position she maintains to this day. In other words, Savanna is currently balancing training camp for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, fashion school in Paris, and serving as a dance instructor in Fort Worth.
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Savanna Dastrup Has the Unwavering Support of Her Family
From the moment Savanna decided to pursue a career in the creative field, she has had the backing of her entire family – her mother, Sommer Davis Dastrup, her father, Dusty Dastrup, and her two younger brothers. They have all been her motivation, made sacrifices to ensure she can follow through on her dreams, and shown up for every major event of her life. That’s why the now 23-year-old travel enthusiast credits them for her ability to multitask as well as her successes, understanding that without their affection, care, and push, she wouldn’t be where she is today. We should also mention that with her family’s support and her recent stint on the Netflix original, she is now a rising public figure, too.
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