Where Is Kleine Powell Now? All About Her Plans After Retiring from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Where Is Kleine Powell Now? All About Her Plans After Retiring from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Lynsey EidellSat, June 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC
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Kleine Powell in 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' season 2; Kleine Powell in April 2026.Credit: Courtesy of Netflix; Kleine Powell/Instagram -
Kleine Powell retired from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2026 after five seasons on the team
She helped secure a 400% pay increase for the cheerleaders in 2025 alongside other veteran team members
Powell has since announced the opening of her own art and design studio, and recently appeared on Tokyo TV speaking fluent Japanese to discuss the World Cup coming to Dallas
Kleine Powell's time as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader officially came to an end following the 2025-26 season.
Powell, who rose to fame after appearing on all three seasons of the Netflix docuseries America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, was one of several veterans who opted to turn in their uniforms one last time.
Prior to the conclusion of her DCC career in 2026, Powell won over viewers and Cowboys fans alike with her spirited personality and powerful stage presence.
"I love Kleine," DCC director Kelli Finglass said about Powell on the latest season of America's Sweethearts, which debuted on June 16. "I'm kind of a sucker for a lot of personality, big smile, a lot of showmanship."
At the end of the season, Powell left the squad on a high note, telling Finglass and head choreographer Judy Trammell that it was time for her to retire after "the best five seasons ever."
So, where is Kleine Powell now? Here's everything to know about her life after retiring from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Who is Kleine Powell?
Kleine Powell in 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' season 3.Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Powell grew up in Richmond, Ky., with her parents, sister Kelsey and brother Nicholas. Her parents fostered a "modern Renaissance" upbringing and encouraged her and her siblings to be curious and pursue creative outlets, Powell shared with the Culture Lounge in November 2025.
"I grew up in a deeply creative home," Powell said about her childhood. "Between my parents and siblings, we played six instruments, ten sports, two sang in chorus, two were on the academic team, one was an artist and one a creative writer."
Powell's "first love" was dance. She went from dancing at her hometown studio and on her high school dance team to eventually landing a spot on the University of Kentucky dance team, of which she was a member for all four years of college.
In May 2021, Powell graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she studied digital media and design and minored in Japanese, per her LinkedIn.
She initially planned to move to Japan after graduation for a study abroad trip, but told the University of Kentucky's University News that it got canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With her future in flux, Powell felt "lost" and decided she wasn't done dancing.
"I had wanted to try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) since I was a little girl," Powell told the University News. "I feel like every little girl wants to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. So, I said why not? Why not try out for the best and give it a shot and see how far I can go."
After trying out for the team in the summer of 2021, Powell landed a rookie spot on the squad for the 2021-22 season.
How long was Kleine Powell a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
Kleine Powell in April 2026.Credit: Kleine Powell/Instagram
Powell was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader for five years, which is the typical tenure for most DCC members. Her rookie season with the team was the 2021-22 NFL season. Over the next five years, she rose through the ranks to become a seasoned veteran and, ultimately, a second group leader.
Powell was also one of the cheerleaders who helped to spearhead the fight for fair compensation in 2025. She, along with other vets such as Jada Mclean, Megan McElaney and Armani Latimer, helped secure a 400% pay increase for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for the 2025 season.
However, during her time with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Powell — known for her spunky personality and outspoken nature — occasionally butted heads with Finglass and Trammell.
One notable instance came in season 1 of America's Sweethearts, when Powell was reprimanded for asking where her ornament was on the locker room Christmas tree, as opposed to expressing gratitude for the decorations.
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Finglass and Trammell also questioned Powell's leadership abilities at the end of her fourth DCC season. Finglass revealed that in a team survey, Powell's teammates were not selecting her as a potential group leader. "Have you poured yourself into your teammates, or are you pouring yourself more into social media?" Finglass asked Powell.
Despite their momentary clashes, Finglass had a sweet spot for Powell, who she said was one of her favorites during her rookie year. "She'll always be kind of special to me," Finglass said about Powell. "Kleine and I have such a dynamic."
Finglass also expressed regret for how she handled the meeting with Powell about teammate surveys the prior season. "I was kind of disappointed in myself. I honestly didn't feel like my timing was good," Finglass said.
Why did Kleine Powell retire from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders?
Judy Trammell and Kleine Powell in 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' season 3.Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
"I started thinking in the offseason, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh. I'm gonna miss the dancing so much,' and I really was considering doing a sixth year," she told Finglass and Trammell via video chat while she was on a cruise.
While she said "it's been the most incredible chapter ever," Powell ultimately decided that it was "time for me to hang it up."
The cheerleader symbolically hung up her uniform on the "no" rack, leaving her career as a DCC behind her.
Finglass and Trammell were sad to see her go in the end, but encouraged her to feel good about her decision, with the DCC director telling Powell that she was glad she is getting to "be a wife" on vacation.
"You've kept it fun, kept it interesting, kept it spicy, kept it real," Finglass told her, while Trammell added that she's been a "light on this team."
"We won't forget you. That's for sure," the choreographer said.
Where is Kleine Powell now?
Kleine Powell in May 2026.Credit: Kleine Powell/Instagram
Since retiring from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Powell has been able to enjoy life as a wife to her husband of three years, Luc Powell.
The couple, who were high school sweethearts and have been married since May 2023, traveled together on several trips following Powell's final season with DCC — including hiking in Zion National Park, going on a Royal Caribbean cruise and visiting Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
Professionally, Powell has begun to explore other creative outlets since leaving her DCC dancing days behind. In May 2026, she announced By Kleine, her own custom art and design studio. The same month, Powell also walked the runway with Kulani Kinis at Miami Swim Week.
In June 2026, Powell had the opportunity to revisit her love for Japan and Japanese culture when she made an appearance on Tokyo TV to discuss the World Cup coming to Dallas. Though she had technically retired, Powell appeared on behalf of the DCC and conducted the entire interview in Japanese. "It was so full circle for me," Powell said in an Instagram post.
"To hear her articulate her journey in Japanese was one of the most impressive things I've witnessed," Cowboys co-owner Charlotte Jones told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth in June 2026 about Powell's interview. "She truly is a star."
Following the release of America's Sweethearts, she shared a video on TikTok that showed her crying while watching the final episode, which included her retirement decision.
"No words. I haven't fully processed everything. Grateful is an understatement," she captioned the post, clarifying in the comments, "These are happy tears btw guys 💯."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
