Karen Heimke - Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach
Karen Heimke was named Head Coach of the Michigan Dance Team in June 2023 after serving as interim head coach in the fall of 2022. Heimke has proudly been part of the University of Michigan Dance Team family for more than 20 years, serving as a national consultant, technical advisor, recruiting assistant, and coach. During her time with the program, she has helped lead the team to two national championships and numerous top 10 finishes at the UDA College Dance Team Championships. As Head Coach, Heimke is committed to building on Michigan’s tradition of excellence while continuing to grow the program and its student-athletes.
Karen previously served as a corner coach and judge for the Detroit Lions Cheerleaders, working closely with the DLC coaching staff and gaining experience in the professional sports environment. She also worked as an associate choreographer for numerous NFL halftime shows, collaborating with nationally recognized recording artists and production teams to choreograph and stage live performances.
Karen was selected to join the instructional staff of Universal Dance Association (UDA), one of the nation’s most recognized and influential organizations in collegiate and high school dance. As a UDA Instructor, she traveled nationally, working in a hands-on, instructional capacity with teams from across the country. Her role with UDA continued to expand as she later served as a Territory Manager and UDA Judge. Karen’s years with UDA provided her with a national platform and placed her alongside some of the most accomplished dancers and educators in the dance team industry, further establishing her as a respected leader in collegiate dance.
In 2018, Karen was a member of the coaching staff for Team USA Dance, working with elite athletes as they represented the United States at the ICU World Cheerleading Championships. Competing on an international stage alongside teams from around the world, Team USA earned both silver and bronze medals.
As a national consultant and technical advisor, Karen has worked with high school programs across the country, helping teams prepare for competition and achieve success at the highest levels. Her expertise has contributed to multiple national titles at the UDA National Dance Team Championship (NDTC), working alongside championship winning teams throughout their competitive journey.
Karen is a graduate of Dearborn High School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Eastern Michigan University, where she was a Captain of the Dance Team and later returned to coach the program. She lives in Highland with her husband and two children.
