Most Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders dream of performing on some of the world’s biggest stages. For Dallas Cowboys veteran cheerleader Kleine Powell, that dream became a reality when an unexpected skill: speaking Japanese, landed her a feature on a Japanese TV program. The Kentucky native first di scovered her love for the Japanese language while in college, where it became her minor. Powell planned to move to Japan after graduation and immersed herself in language and cultural studies to prepare for the transition. But the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her plans and cost her scholarship opportunities. Powell was forced to reconsider her future. “I had never worked harder for something,” Powell said. Her pandemic pivot, her other passion: dance. Powell decided to audition for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the rest is history! Five years later, that decision has opened doors, she says, that she never imagined. Powell recently caught the attention of Dallas Cowboys co-owner Charlotte Jones when she was asked to interview in Japanese for a Japan-based TV program. Jones said Powell’s fluency and ability to share her journey in Japanese left a lasting impression. “To hear her articulate her journey in Japanese was one of the most impressive things I’ve witnessed,” Jones said. “She truly is a star.” Since joining the team, Powell has performed alongside major artists and helped promote the FIFA World Cup, experiences she never envisioned when she first began studying Japanese. “I had no idea that I’d be performing with Post Malone and doing interviews in Japanese and promoting the FIFA World Cup and performing with Dua Lipa,” Powell said. “I literally feel like Hannah Montana sometimes.” ...read more read less