By Genamarie McCant
Anna Van Ormer ’25 | Photo by Genamarie McCant
Anna Van Ormer ’25 of Macungie, Pa., knew what she wanted in a college—a close-knit community where she could thrive and join a collegiate dance team. She toured Lafayette three times to determine if the College was the perfect fit for her. The third time proved to be the charm, as she finally found her place on College Hill.
Now, as a senior psychology major and captain of the Lafayette College Dance Team (LCDT), Van Ormer fills her days with courses on human behavior, and her evenings are spent practicing dance team routines—a passion she has pursued since she was two years old.
Last January, the LCDT represented Lafayette for the second time at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) National Championship in Orlando, Fla. Watching the team evolve has been incredibly rewarding for Van Ormer, who aspires to leave a lasting legacy at Lafayette.
Brianna Braswell ’16, associate director of Admissions, previously led the Lafayette College dance team as captain for three semesters. She played a key role in coordinating logistics and choreographing the performance for the historic 150th Rivalry game at Yankee Stadium.
“What the dance team has accomplished over the last few years is incredible and is the realized dream of past members,” Braswell says. “For years, we hoped to travel and compete nationally. I am so grateful to have had the experience of dancing at Yankee Stadium for the Laf-Lehigh 150th game, and I can only imagine what it feels like to perform under the lights of the stage at Walt Disney World. Anna and her team have put so much energy and effort into establishing a national presence for Lafayette Dance, and they are certainly making the LCDT alumni proud.”
Although the College’s dance team is officially recognized by Lafayette Athletics under Recreation Services, it operates as a student-run club and receives funding from Student Government. Van Ormer credits Dance Coach Melissa Diehl-Scheffler, Recreation Services, and Lafayette’s Student Government for the dance team’s success. “Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It just goes back to how everyone supports each other on campus.”
Anna Van Ormer ’25 | Photo by Genamarie McCant
Combining two of her passions—psychology and dance—has become a focal point of her college experience. Her path to leadership on the dance team has been influenced by her psychology courses at Lafayette. As a team captain, Van Ormer not only leads practices and game day performances but also serves as a mentor, using her psychological insights to foster a supportive team environment where every member feels valued and motivated to perform at their best.
“If you have an interest, everything is going to correlate in your mind—I relate all my psychology courses, such as sports, cognitive, and social psychology, back to dance, using what I learn in my role as both a captain and a dancer,” Van Ormer says. “Learning about how we think, process emotions, and interact with others helps me check in with myself and my teammates during practice, so we can all strive to be the best versions of ourselves, which makes us the best dancers and team we can be.”
Van Ormer will graduate in May with a degree in psychology and aims to explore graduate school options that align with her passions for psychology or dance. Alongside her new role as the College’s social media assistant and LCDT captain, she plans to audition for a professional dance or cheerleading team.
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