Bethel University freshman Charlotte Thompson fell in love with dancing after her first dance class in fifth grade.
“There’s just not a lot of things similar to it,” Thompson said. “It’s movement, but there’s so much expression and storytelling and a way to connect with people.”
During high school, Thompson filled her time with the school dance team, studio opportunities and coaching others in dance. When it came time for college, she was looking for a chance to keep her dancing career alive. But at Bethel, that wasn’t an option.
Rather than giving up, Thompson reached out to her admissions counselor and asked if there was any way she could still dance at Bethel. The solution: forming a new club.
Thompson didn’t wait to get started. While she was still a senior in high school, she put together a spring dance clinic to get an idea of whether or not people would be interested.
During one study hall period, Thompson found a dance studio that could be rented out on a Saturday. With her venue chosen, she sent out a message to see if current and future Bethel students would be willing to come to the clinic. Fourteen people came to that first clinic April 12, 2025, even before the team was official with Bethel. The success of the first clinic prompted Thompson to host another that summer.
When she finally got on campus in fall 2025, Thompson and her co-captains Madi Hermanson and Kaitlyn Niemeyer proposed the dance team to the Bethel Student Government. Once it was approved, the club became official.
While Thompson was the founder, she couldn’t do it all by herself. Thompson asked freshmen Hermanson and Niemeyer to be her co-captains to help carry the load. Thompson’s Shift leader also introduced her to Jada Rodeberg, a junior who took up the mantle of a co-assistant coach. Together, the girls coordinate, choreograph and coach Bethel’s official dance team.
“We’re still learning how to lead,” Hermanson said. “It’s really fun trying to pour into [the team] and help them grow as dancers.”
They said the hardest part of starting a club from scratch is coordinating schedules. With different class schedules and other commitments, it can be hard to find a good time for rehearsals.
The girls recognize that their members have other things in their lives that need to come first, and the team does its best to work around these conflicts. The key to keeping up is teamwork.
“It’s important to be very intentional about how to delegate things,” Thompson said.
Thompson handles most of the main communication for the team, and the co-captains manage the planning for practices and workouts. Rodeberg handles some of the social media and planning, as well. They occasionally have team meetings where everyone gets the chance to pitch in.
“It’s been challenging,” Rodeberg said. “Definitely bumps in the road, but it’s been such a joy.”
A typical practice opens with weekly announcements, then a warm-up or workout to improve skills such as jumps, turns and leaps. Next, the team works on their main dance, cleaning up little things or watching to give each other feedback. Practices end with some improv for a little bonding. Then the girls pray together and do a team cheer: 5-6-7-8 BDT Royals!
“What I really hope with Bethel’s dance team is that it offers a true Christian culture,” Thompson said. “I wanted to actually integrate faith into the team.”
The team is comprised of ten girls dedicated to making Bethel’s dance team the best it can be.
“It’s such a supportive and inclusive group,” Niemeyer said. “We all get along really well.”
The team’s current focus is on jazz and pom. Jazz dancing focuses on turns and technique. Pom is dancing with pom poms, involving speed and coordinated movements. The team performed its pom routine at halftime for two Bethel basketball games Feb. 7, 2026. The performance elicited a compliment from Bethel President Ross Allen.
Some of the girls said performing at halftime was the best part of the season.
The team also showcased its skills at its spring clinic April 18, where incoming freshmen could learn about the club.
The team is currently working on getting choreography videos out for its virtual tryouts for next year. Thompson said she’s looking for girls passionate enough about dance to help the young team flourish.
The team wants to perform at halftime for some football games next year, and Thompson hopes that the new club will earn enough attention to be made an official Bethel sport in the future. The dancers’ goal is to compete against teams from other schools in a professional setting.
“It’s so rewarding, but it’s also the most challenging thing I’ve ever done,” Thompson said.
Dennis D Thompson • May 15, 2026 at 12:14 pm
Congratulations Charlotte on your leadership, hard work, and focus on faith. Proud of you.