Joanna Gaines is laughing about it now, but a memorable moment from high school once left her feeling the “sting of rejection.” The former HGTV star opened up about her unsuccessful cheerleading tryout as she recreated the dance routine that failed to earn her a spot on the squad.
Joanna Gaines Recreates Dance Routine From High School Cheerleading Tryout
On October 18, Gaines took to Instagram with a hilarious video of herself and her sister recreating a dance routine from their high school cheerleading tryouts.
“This dance goes out to all those who didn’t make the squad. Last night we tried our best to remember THAT dance…” she wrote in the caption.
Gaines continued, “It was 1994, I was going into my junior year of high school. My sister, Mikey, was a freshman. We had just rolled into a new town, new school, and we heard that the cheerleading tryouts were in a week.”
“We tried our best to learn the chants and the dance routine,” she shared. “On tryout day, we both stood in line and waited to be ushered in — we did the cheer, fumbled through the dance, and then waited two hours outside to see if our names made the list, annnnd they didn’t.”
She added, “This is for all of the kids out there who didn’t make the squad, or the team, or get the part, or the job, or the second date… I get what the sting of rejection feels like, and I promise one day, you will be able to relive that moment and laugh (or even dance) your way through it. 🤗😉”
Fans Share Their Own Cheerleading Tryout Experiences
Fans flooded the comments section with words of support for Gaines, noting that even though cheerleading didn’t work out for her, she has had plenty of other successful moments.
“This is great… Y’all should make a sweatshirt/tshirt ‘Magnolia Squad team’ and then have everyone recreate their dance move and make it viral!” one fan wrote.
Another fan commented, “Love this!!! P.S. Y’allll got the moves 😂😂.”
Some fans shared their own experiences getting rejected from the cheerleading squad.
“I tried out for cheerleading three times in high school. I wanted to be on the team so bad, never happened,” one fan wrote.
Another fan shared, “Yeah I tried out for cheerleading five times and never made it… thank you, I feel much better😁❤️.”
“I tried out too! … and never made it,” one fan commented.
Others shared how much they loved seeing Gaines having a blast with the routine.
“Your squad is so much better. 😂 They really missed out!” one fan noted.
Another fan wrote, “Ha, if you can’t laugh 😂 at yourself, who can you laugh at!! 👏🙌❤️ Love this.”
Other fans shared, “And someday, you really just don’t care what other people think! Just have fun” and “Well, they missed out! Adore you, Jo! 🩵”
“You did the tryouts, and then you built an empire,” one fan pointed out. “Nothing shabby about that! 🥰🤗”
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Joanna Gaines Opens Up About Painful ‘Sting of Rejection’ From Her Past