A Colorado man danced off against more than 200 women in a bid to become the Denver Broncos' first male cheerleader.

The NFL team's judges welcomed the unlikely entry from Sacha Heppell in the first round of the 2012 tryouts Sunday.

"It's huge. I'm excited, totally thrilled," Heppell told KUSA before his audition. "No male has ever made it through auditions. I don't even know if a male even made it to the auditions."

"It's an open call, so anyone can show up and try out," a member of the judging panel said, adding that the decision on whether to accept a male hopeful would be based on his "dance ability" alone.

After being put through his paces, Heppell said getting the chance to perform his pro football routine was "amazing," although he admitted, "I messed up a few times."

The judges agreed, cutting him from the competition to cheer Peyton Manning and Co. at Mile High next season.

"I'm a little disappointed. I gave it all I got," Heppell said, though he remained undeterred in pursuit of his dream. "I'm going to continue to practice throughout this year, and I will be back next year."