Bold. Dynamic. Unmatched.

Making the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleading team is no easy task.

It all starts in the beginning of April, when MVC held in-person Open Auditions for the first time since 2019. Participants over the past four years submitted their auditions in a video format. Following Opens, those who advance to the next stage attend MVC Training Camp in the middle of April, and Finals are the following week. The coaches held many workshops prior to Opens for those who would like to attend and get extra work in.

"It's a long week, physically and mentally hard. We're here to put in the work and hopefully make the team," Ella said. "To me, being a Vikings Cheerleader means that you show your passion, and for us, that first comes from dancing and presenting ourselves to all the fans."

Most of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders have full-time jobs or are full time students. Many may think requirements of MVC start and end with Sunday's football games. But along with game performances, they have practice three times a week, plus various community appearances. And there isn't much of an offseason for the team. Cheerleaders attend the Pro Bowl, NFL Draft, and visit military men and women all over the world on Pro Tours. Then they are back into training and preparing for the season.

"We come from a variety of backgrounds, and they want us to showcase that," Allison explained. "I'd say we're really unmatched, as dancers but also as humans. We're all very bold. We come out here, kill it at practice, kill it on the field and are really supportive of each other."

"It would mean the world to me to become a Vikings Cheerleader. I just want to inspire younger dancers like I was myself when I was little," Annie said. "I just would love to be a part of that, and it would be a huge honor."

Vikings photographer Alli Rusco tells the story.