MOBILE, Ala. — Young cheerleaders and dancers from across the Gulf Coast can now sign up to train with professionals and perform on one of college football’s biggest all-star stages. Registration is open for the 2027 Senior Bowl cheer clinic, a three-day program run with the New Orleans Saints Cheer Krewe that ends with participants performing during the Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile.
The Panini Senior Bowl Cheer & Dance Clinic will be held Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 28-30, 2027, on the University of South Alabama campus. It is open to middle school, high school and college performers in seventh grade and up. Registration opened Oct. 28 and closes Monday, Dec. 14, through the Senior Bowl’s online registration portal.
Spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Third year for the Saints partnership
This will be the third consecutive year the Senior Bowl and the Saints Cheer Krewe have teamed up for the clinic. Organizers describe it as a professional-level training experience for ambitious performers who want to learn directly from members of an NFL cheer and dance team.
Senior Bowl Executive Director Drew Fabianich said the partnership has given local performers a rare opportunity.
“We are excited to partner with the Saints Cheer Krewe for the third consecutive year. The Senior Bowl Cheer & Dance Clinic has created a wonderful opportunity to connect cheerleaders and dancers in our community with professional athletes,” Fabianich said. “Being able to provide opportunities like these is what makes the Senior Bowl so unique and we look forward to an amazing game day performance.”
What participants will learn
Over the three days, participants will work alongside members of the Saints Cheer Krewe on cheer and dance technique, choreography and game-day performance. The training builds toward the clinic’s centerpiece: a chance to perform during the Senior Bowl itself, in front of the fans, scouts and coaches who come to Mobile for the game.
Organizers say the goal is for participants to experience the energy of Senior Bowl week while learning from professionals in a fun, high-energy setting.
What registration includes
Each registered participant receives:
- One game-day ticket to the Panini Senior Bowl
- An official Senior Bowl and Saints Cheer Krewe clinic T-shirt
- Performance poms
- A full training and performance session with Saints Cheer Krewe members
- Direct recruiting training with Saints Cheer Krewe professionals for participants 18 and older
Additional game tickets and a parking pass can be purchased online for family members and others who want to attend.
Recruiting training for older performers
The clinic includes a component aimed at adult performers. Participants 18 and older will receive direct recruiting training from Saints Cheer Krewe professionals, a chance for college-age dancers and cheerleaders to learn about the professional side of the activity directly from members of an NFL team.
For younger participants, the clinic offers a different kind of value: time with professional performers, a look at how game-day routines are built and polished, and the experience of performing in a stadium setting.
About the Saints Cheer Krewe
The New Orleans Saints Cheer Krewe is a diverse group of athletes skilled in dance, tumbling and co-ed stunting. On Saints game days, members perform in Champions Square, on the field and in the stands, helping energize fans and contributing to what the team calls its “Dome Field Advantage.”
Throughout the year, the Krewe also represents the Saints in the greater New Orleans area through community events, corporate appearances, live performances and in-game promotions, serving as ambassadors for the franchise.
About the Senior Bowl
The Panini Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the premier college football all-star game and the first stage of the NFL Draft process. Each year it brings many of the nation’s top draft prospects to Mobile, where personnel from all 32 NFL teams watch them practice and play in a competitive setting.
The game has been played in Mobile since 1951 and is one of the city’s signature annual events. Since 2021, it has been held at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the University of South Alabama campus, the same campus that will host the cheer and dance clinic.
Senior Bowl week draws NFL coaches, general managers and scouts to the city, along with media and fans, and the clinic gives local young people a way to be part of that atmosphere rather than only watching from the stands.
Key dates and details
- What: 2027 Panini Senior Bowl Cheer & Dance Clinic with the New Orleans Saints Cheer Krewe
- When: Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 28-30, 2027
- Where: University of South Alabama campus, Mobile
- Who: Cheerleaders and dancers in seventh grade and up, including middle school, high school and college performers
- Registration: Open now through Monday, Dec. 14, online
- Capacity: Limited; first-come, first-served
Families considering the clinic should register early, since spots are limited, and plan for the cost of any additional game tickets or parking passes beyond the one participant ticket included with registration.
