Cheer & Dance Express - Home Page

Karen has over 30 years of teaching experience and is the owner and director of Cheer & Dance Express. She has owned studios in both Florida and Nebraska, and has trained many cheerleaders and dancers throughout the years. While teaching in Florida, Karen’s competition teams performed at Universal Studios, Disney World, and on “Kids Corner” Television show. Her students also performed in the half time show for the Orange Bowl and Citrus Bowl numerous times. Karen also had the opportunity to choreograph the Miss Florida Pageant, and traveled as the choreographer for a USO tour. Since being back in Lincoln, besides being the director of Cheer & Dance Express, Karen has choreographed the past 9 Pius X High School Musical productions. She has also coached high school cheer and dance teams, judged many high school and college tryouts and competitions. Karen won the Excellence Award and Teacher Award at I Love Dance Competition, and was a Featured Spotlight Teacher of the month. Back in high school, Karen was awarded the Top All-American Cheerleader at an NCA camp and 22 years later she was thrilled to see one of her students, now an instructor at Cheer & Dance Express, receive the same award! Many of Karen’s students have benefited from their dance and cheer training to make their high school cheer and dance teams. Some of Karen’s students have even gone further in their careers as professional dancers at Walt Disney World Theme Parks, a background dancer for the Backstreet Boys, college and professional cheerleaders and dancers, a Nickelodeon TV show actress, a Disney Channel actor, numerous commercials, and many have become teachers and studio owners themselves.

Courtney is the assistant director of Cheer & Dance Express and has danced for 19 years and has been teaching for 9 years. As a dancer, Courtney won numerous National Titles at dance competitions. At the age of 7, Courtney was performing at Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, and on a kids TV show. Courtney began cheerleading at the age of 8. Throughout high school, Courtney was an instructor at the studio as well as a member of her own high school cheer and dance team. She was the captain of her freshmen cheer team, and of the dance team as a senior, that won 2^nd place at Nationals in Orlando. While in high school, Courtney had the opportunity to perform at Disney World three times and in a half time show for the Kansas City Chiefs. Courtney was a member of the University of Nebraska Spirit Squad, Scarlets Dance Team. Courtney now dedicates her time to help her own students grow as dancers and cheerleaders. Her choreography has won many high score and cash awards at competitions in the Midwest including winning first place at Nationals in Kansas City in 2008, 2009 & 2010. Courtney and her local celebrity partner, Adam Ickes, won the first annual Lincoln Dancing with the stars competition in August 2009! Courtney graduated from the University of Nebraska in the spring of 2008 with a degree in Inclusive Early Childhood Education.

Anne Marie trained at Cheer & Dance Express for 11 years and has been a member of the staff for 6 years. She was a member of the Lincoln East Cheer Team for 4 years, where she won All-American at camp all 4 years and was named Top All American twice. She was also a competitive gymnast and dancer for many years. Anne Marie is a 5 year member of the University of Nebraska Cheer Team and currently serves as captain for the 3rd year. She also travels around the country as a head instructor for NCA cheer camps. Anne Marie was selected to be a Special Events Instructor for NCA and Disney World's Christmas Parade.

Shaun was a 4 year member of Texas Lone Star Cheer Company in Houston, Texas where he competed on the Co-Ed team winning 2 NCA National Titles and 3 ACP National Titles. He was a five year member of the University of Nebraska Co-Ed cheer team serving for captain as 1 ½ years. He also judges many tryouts and competitions throughout the area. Shaun has been an instructor at Cheer & Dance Express for 4 years.

Morgan Badders started cheerleading 10 years ago at Elite Cheer in  Omaha, Nebraska. She also did Varsity Competion Cheer at Millard West High School in Omaha, NE. Her biggest accomplishment during cheerleading was attending the Cheerleading Worlds for 3 years in a row and making finals the last 2 years. Morgan started coaching summer camps 3 years ago and first coached the Senior Open Level 3 team last year at Elite Cheer and loved it! Morgan is now a freshman at UNL and this is her first year coaching at Cheer & Dance Express.

 

Kyle grew up in St. Joseph, MO and went to school at Northwest Missouri State, where he was a drum major-turned-cheerleader. The Bearcats were consistently in the Top 5 in Division II at UCA College Nationals, placing as high as 3rd while Kyle was there. After college, he spent a summer on UCA Missouri staff before moving to Kansas City where he competed at Level 6 Co-Ed for KGDC. You can hear Kyle on the Night Show on Lincoln's Hit Music 106.3 KFRX!

Will is from Tyler, Texas. He was a 3 year member of the University of Central Missouri cheer team. While cheering, he was the coach for Warrensburg High School Varsity Cheer Squad. Will also has years of experience working for Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and worked camps across the Midwest. While obtaining a Masters degree in Exercise Science he cheered at the University of South Dakota. He has worked with cheerleading for numerous years in the capacity of personal training, tumbling, Co-Ed and Group stunting. When Will is not coaching at Cheer & Dance Express, he is working for the University of Nebraska in the athletic department for recruiting.

Erin is from Omaha, Nebraska and has been dancing since the age of 3 and competing since she was 9 years old at Kitty Lee Dance Studio. She attended Millard North High School and was on the dance team for all 4 years and went to UDA nationals in Orlando, Florida her freshman and senior years. Erin am now a student at the University of Nebraska and is part of the Scarlets dance team.

Mike was a cheerleader at Andale High School where his squad competed at NCA Nations in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, taking first; and America’s Best Nationals in Arlington Texas, taking third. Mike began coaching gymnastics at Wichita Gymnastics Club. Mike cheered at the University of Nebraska and coached gymnastics at Solid Rock Gymnastics. Then Mike transferred to Kansas State University, where he was the captain of the cheer squad. In Manhattan Mike coached gymnastics at Gymnastics Plus and later became the assistant cheer and dance coach at Allen County Community College in Iola Kansas. There he became involved with the American Championships cheer and dance competition company. He staffed and judged competitions around the country, as well as working for Cheerleading Technique Camps teaching camps throughout the Midwest. Returning to Nebraska Mike earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering and took a job in northern Iowa. While there Mike coached gymnastics at Siouxland Gymnastics and cheer at Champion Cheer. Returning again to Lincoln, Mike coaches gymnastics at Solid Rock Gymnastics, and cheer and tumbling at Cheer and Dance Express.

Brooke Nicholson started gymnastics when she was 3 years old at Acrobatic Academy in Wichita, Kansas. She furthered her tumbling skills at Folgers Gymnastics and Wichita Gymnastics. At 16, Brooke began her own business teaching gymnastics in Hanover, Kansas. She has worked with ages 3 and up for 5 years. After cheering 3 years for the Hanover High School wildcats, Brooke continued to cheer for the wildcats at Kansas State University. She cheered at K-State for 2 years before transferring to Lincoln for school. Brooke will be continuing her education in Nursing.

Anna is from Omaha, Nebraska where she went to Skutt Catholic high school. She was on the Skutt competition squad her freshman year and then switched to Nebraska All-Star Tigers where she cheered for three years. Two out of those three years she was one of the captains for her team. Her first year she was on Senior White, and then her junior and senior year she was on Senior Silver. Her team traveled all over the country, including California, Hawaii, and Florida. Anna is currently attending the University of Nebraska and this is her first year coaching for Cheer & Dance Express.

Bob coaches our Co-Ed Stunting classes as well as tumbling classes. Bob has three daughters who our on our competitive cheerleading teams.

Kelsey is a freshman at the University of Nebraska. She was a competitive cheerleader at Cheer & Dance Express for four years and was also on the competition Hip Hop team. Kelsey has been an instructor at Cheer & Dance Express for the last two years. Kelsey was a three year member of the cheer team at Southeast High School.

Emily has been a competitive cheerleader at Cheer & Dance Express for the last five years. She was also a competitive gymnast while growing up. Emily was a freshman cheerleader has been a member of the Varsity cheer team at Pius X High School for two years. Emily has been selected as an All-America Cheerleader at NCA cheer camp for three years. Emily has served as the captain of cheer teams for Cheer & Dance Express for two years. She was also a member of the Cyclones team that won 1st place at Nationals in 2008. Emily has been a coach at Cheer & Dance Express for two years. Emily is currently a member of the Cheer & Dance Express Fire team.

Kelly has been a student at Cheer & Dance Express for the last 10 years. Kelly is trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, Pom, Cheer and Tumbling. Kelly has won numerous individual and group awards at dance and cheer competitions, including back-to-back National Champion Titles with our Cyclones team in 2008 & 2009 as well as a National Title with her Hip Hop team in 2009.  Kelly served as captain of our Twisters team in 2006 as well as won the “Shining Star” award & scholarship at the Cheer & Dance Express recital. Kelly is a current member of the Sr. Hip Hop team at Cheer & Dance Express as well as the Level 4 cheer team "Ice".

Karlye has been a student at Cheer & Dance Express for the last 7 years. Karlye is trained in Jazz, Hip Hop, Pom, Cheer and Tumbling. Karlye has won numerous awards at cheer and dance competitions, including back-to-back National Titles with our Cyclones team in 2008 & 2009. Karlye also competed in the Stunt Group division at competitions. Karlye is a current member of the Cheer & Dance Express Level 4 team Ice and serves as the Captain.

 

Cami is an assistant coach at Cheer & Dance Express and is a sophomore at Southeast High School. She is a member of the Cheer Express Level 4 Ice Team. Cami is currently the captain of Ice and is on the Sr. Hip Hop team. Cami has been a competitive cheerleader at CDE for 3 years.

Madison is a freshman at Southeast High School and is a member of the Cheer & Dance Express Sr. Level 3 team, Fire. Madison has been an assistant coach at Cheer & Dance Express for 2 years. She has been a member of the CDE cheer teams for 6 years and is currently also on the Southeast HS freshman cheer team. Madison was a member of the 2009 National Champions Cheer & Dance Express Cyclones team.