Foxborough, Mass. - As the New England Patriots prepare to select players in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Patriots Cheerleaders are preparing to select their 2011 squad. The Patriots Cheerleaders will hold an open audition on Saturday, March 19 in the Dana-Farber Field House at Gillette Stadium. Registration begins at 10 a.m.

Women who are at least 18-years-old and currently have a high school diploma or GED are invited to attend. Candidates will perform two designated routines and a freestyle combination. They will be judged on dance ability, showmanship, overall appearance and level of physical fitness. Judges will narrow the field to up to 65 participants to be invited back for final auditions on Saturday, April 2.

The registration fee is $20. Participants should wear fitted workout attire and sneakers or dance shoes, and should bring water, a bagged lunch, a resume and a photograph. A more detailed description of the audition process is available at www.patriots.com/cheerleaders.

The 2011 Patriots Cheerleading Squad will be comprised of approximately 24-30 women. The squad rehearses twice a week and performs at all Patriots home games.

In addition to performing in front of nearly 70,000 fans at Gillette Stadium, a spot on the squad can provide some exciting perks. In May, the squad will travel to Aruba for the Patriots Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar shoot, and Patriots Cheerleaders have visited deployed military troops in more than 25 countries. Cheerleaders have also traveled to China, Japan and Mexico as Patriots ambassadors. Patriots Cheerleaders have appeared on local and national television, including Entertainment Tonight, E!, Inside Edition, Fox News, the Late Show with David Letterman, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, Good Morning America, and the CBS Early Show. Patriots Cheerleaders have also been featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, Maxim.com, Chinese FHM and Men's Style.

To better prepare candidates for the audition process, the Patriots will hold an optional audition workout on Feb. 26 in the Dana-Farber Field House. Registration for the optional event begins at 9:30 a.m. and the workshop ends at 2:00 p.m. The registration fee is $100. Though attendance at the workshop is not required, it is highly recommended.

The Patriots Cheerleaders are also seeking non-performing promotional models. For details on how to apply to become a Patriots Cheerleader promotional model, please visit www.patriots.com/cheerleaders.