Stepper-ettes Baton & Dance

Sue's Stepper-ettes was formed in 1973 when Sue Foehlinger, then 14 years old, gathered her first group of students. Over five decades, it has grown into the largest baton twirling and dance organization in the Midwest. The studio serves youth aged 4 through college and has performed at over 600 area events including parades, community celebrations, halftime shows, Special Olympics, assisted living facilities, the Henry Doorly Zoo and the Governor's Mansion.

The Stepper-ettes are serious competitors. The Senior Team won the World Championships in Belgium (2009) and Switzerland (2012). The Senior Pom Team won the pom division at the World Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy (2015). Every July, the national team competes at Notre Dame University, where members have won titles in Junior, Senior and College Pom Pon, Halftime Show, Dance Twirl and Twirling Corp divisions. In 2010, the group was chosen to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on national television. The studio has also sent teams on six overseas trips to perform and compete in Russia, Italy, England, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland.

The studio is home to Miss Nebraska 2001 (Tina Foehlinger) and Miss Nebraska 2016 (Aleah Peters), as well as multiple collegiate marching band feature twirlers and high school feature twirlers, cheerleaders and dance team members.

Classes range from 30-minute preschool sessions for ages 3–4 to the full National Team programme, which meets 2½ hours per week to prepare for national competition. The Combination Class (the studio's most popular offering) runs for 45 minutes and covers stretching, baton twirling tricks and routines, and dance/pom for ages 4 through Junior High. Students get 6–8 local performance opportunities throughout the year and perform at the Spring Recital in May. The studio also offers Pre-Competition Team, Competition Team, Tumbling, Ballet, Hip Hop, Cheerleading and Dance Technique classes.

Director Sue Foehlinger began baton and dance lessons at age seven and completed seven additional years of dance training as an adult. She is an accredited baton twirling judge and has judged state, regional and national competitions. Co-Director Tami Foehlinger-Koel began twirling at age 3 and has training in dance and gymnastics. She was a feature twirler for the Cornhusker Marching Band and served as coach of the Stepper-ettes' Senior Team during their 2012 World Championship win. She was also a member of Team USA at baton twirling world championships in Italy (1996), England (2000), Holland (2006) and Belgium (2009).

At your first visit you will observe stretching and warm-ups, baton twirling tricks and routines, and dance or pom pon depending on your class. Most classes run 30–45 minutes. Students are given performance opportunities at local parades and recitals throughout the year.

Director Sue Foehlinger founded the studio in 1973 and is an accredited baton twirling judge. Co-Director Tami Foehlinger-Koel (also known as Tami Foehinger-Koel) began twirling at age 3 and has trained in dance and gymnastics; she coached the Senior Team to World Championship victory in Switzerland (2012) and competed for Team USA at multiple world championships.

The studio accepts students from age 3 onwards, with preschool classes for ages 3–4 and combination classes for ages 4 and up that include stretching, twirling, dance and pom.