Kaitlyn Bradham started dancing at 5 years old — a passion that began in El Paso studios, bloomed in UTEP performances and peaked as a member of this year’s Dallas Cowboys Rhythm & Blue team.
The dance and drumline team is a key element of the Cowboys’ gameday entertainment lineup. The entertainers greet fans as they enter the plaza at AT&T Stadium and celebrate after every Cowboys score.
Bradham will make her debut with the team during the Cowboys’ home opener against the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Inspired by UTEP Gold Diggers
Bradham’s dance journey includes ballet, folklórico and modern dance.
As a 9 year old, she attended her first UTEP Dance Team summer camp. It was there that she fell in love with jazz and hip-hop.
As a natural performer, Bradham was active in the varsity choir and musical theatre at Eastwood High School while dancing and teaching at Imagine Dance Academy. She later continued her training at Urban Movement Dance Academy (UMDA).
Bradham studied kinesiology at UTEP while performing with the university’s dance team, formerly known as the UTEP Gold Diggers.
She has taught at several El Paso high schools, working closely with teams, including the El Paso High School Tigerettes, Irvin Rockettes, Montwood Aries Ballroom and Folklorico, and Jefferson Silva Silverettes.
During UTEP summer camps, Bradham and her team taught dancers from all the districts and school teams.
“(UTEP’s dance team) is very similar to a professional setting,” said Bradham. “The way that we have run our program and the expectations that we have, just correlate, from like our day-to-day practices. I was telling my mom that it felt very similar and it felt like I was back home. We do the same things. We work the same way. Because we just have such high expectations for ourselves and we just work at it.”
Between it all, Bradham taught dance to young performers at Urban Movement Dance Academy. She said prioritizing mental health has always been an important part of her teaching.
“I always try to level down with my students, so I try and get their perspective,” said Bradham. “I always ask them how they’re feeling. What are they experiencing? if they’re sore, they’re tired. What was their day like? So that I can mentally get them to where I want them in the session or in the class.
“I always like to do a little check in before just to be like, ‘hey, how are we doing?’ And I prep them mentally by being like, ‘all right, this is the goal for today. I want you guys to keep an open mind and push yourselves’ and just try and make it as positive and welcoming as possible.”
Cowboys Rhythm & Blue auditions
Bradham didn’t think about becoming a professional dancer until she was a student at UTEP. She wasn’t sure how far she could go with it or if she could make a living from dance. She auditioned for the first time in 2023, right after graduating.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” said Bradham. “I made it to finals that year, and that was the point where I knew that it was somewhat in my future, and I just knew I had to come back home and work at it.”
Bradham went back to audition this year, feeling like it was the right time. She said teaching while preparing for the second audition helped her.
“It kind of put me in the mentality of a teacher and being like, I just want to see them succeed,” said Bradham. “And going into auditions, with that mentality, being like ‘they just want to see us succeed and be ourselves and do what we love.’ And it immediately took the pressure off where I could just show up and present myself genuinely and 100% me.”
Adrian Cano, who was on the D.C. Rhythm and Blues team last year, was a significant inspiration for Bradham to audition this year and provided her with valuable advice.
“Trust in yourself as a dancer and as a person, because that’s who they’re going to fall in love with,” Bradham said he told her.
The audition process begins with dancers submitting a virtual audition in June. Those selected receive an email inviting them to the semifinals in Dallas. On the first day, initial cuts are made, with successful dancers advancing to the finals.
From there, dancers return to finals on a Sunday, and additional cuts are made to determine who makes the training camp roster. Dancers then return for a full week of training camp, during which more cuts are made before the final team is selected on a Friday.
Dancers worked on a variety of choreography and songs, often with little notice, as the judges wanted to see how they reacted under pressure.
“I tend to doubt myself, but when I’ve given myself permission to just be me and live in the moment, I am such a powerhouse when I want to be,” Bradham said. “So yeah, even though sometimes I may not think so highly of myself, like I know that I am a force to be reckoned with.”
Making 2025 Rhythm & Blue roster
It took Bradham a while to realize she had made the team roster. Dancers were surprised with gift bags containing a card that read “Congratulations.” At first, she focused on how cute the card was while others cried and screamed, before fully realizing that it meant she had officially made the team.
The moment felt like a dream, and she wasn’t sure it was real. Her captain, Anthony, then hugged her, and she celebrated with the rest of the team.
“It’s been so heartwarming to feel and see that we can be closer than just a team,” Bradham said. “Like we are a unit.”
Bradham looks forward to performing again. She hasn’t danced at games since graduating from UTEP, and she’s excited for what’s ahead, hoping it will be an experience she can reminisce about from her college days.
Bradham is the third El Pasoan to join the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue dance team, following Ariel Griego in 2018 and Adrian Cano in 2024.
She says that dance is a part of who she is and has helped shape the person she has become. She plans to continue dancing or teaching dance for as long as she can. She continues to inspire young dancers, even as she performs on stage or on the field.
“I would want them to know that all the hard work that they put in is definitely worth it,” she said. “And it’s going to help them because there may be times where they have similar doubts. But as long as they keep pushing and going forward, they can truly set their minds to do anything that they desire.
“And just because you’re from El Paso doesn’t mean that you can’t make it big in the dance industry, because it is so possible. Like I’ve done it, numerous other people have done it.”
Gaby Velasquez may be reached at gavelasquez@elpasotimes.com; @gabyavelasquez on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: From UTEP to NFL: Kaitlyn Bradham joins Dallas Cowboys Rhythm & Blue dance team
Reporting by Gaby Velasquez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
