JDHS Dance team brings ‘light’ to routines, and poms and some funk
- Klas Stolpe
- Feb 26
- 7 min read
Crimson Bears have become the ‘go-to’ halftime spectacle of game day
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
With roughly two minutes remaining in the first half of most Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé varsity basketball games there begins a slight exodus of fans.
Not from the gym because of an uninteresting contest, but from one side of the bleacher seating to the other in anticipation of the JDHS dance team performance for that night.
“Dance means everything to me,” JDHS senior dance captain Yetke Mertl said. “It is more than just something I do it; is how I express myself and share joy with others. Through dance, I have found a second family. My teammates are people I trust and can always count on, both in and out of practice. Being surrounded by others who share the same passion has made my high school experience so much more meaningful. Even during tough practices and challenging moments, we push each other to keep going and grow stronger together.”
The dance team will honor senior Crimson Bears team members Mertl and Claire Snyder on Friday following the JDHS varsity girls basketball game at 5 p.m. against Tri-Valley and before the JDHS varsity boys game at 7 p.m. Senior cheerleaders will also be honored at this time.
“Dance means everything to me also,” Snyder said. “It is my comfort, my passion and the core of who I am. I love it so deeply that I cannot imagine ever stepping away from it. Over time, I have grown tremendously — not just in my technique, turn ability and performance quality, but as a person…I have learned to adapt to different teaching styles and expectations, becoming a more flexible and thoughtful student. Dance has also helped me open up socially. I have made new friends, become less shy, and built strong connections with teammates and classmates…Through this journey, I have grown into a diligent, hardworking and bubbly individual — someone who is easy to talk to, embraces change, and continues to evolve both in and out of the studio.”
The dance team will perform their pom routine at halftime of Friday’s varsity girls game and their hip-hop routine at halftime of the varsity boys game. On Saturday, they will perform their light march at both varsity halftimes. The JDHS basketball teams and pep band will honor their seniors between Saturday’s games.
Mertl fell in love with dance at age six, following older sister Hallie (2021 JD grad) through local companies Fusion and Taffy. Younger sister Elke is a freshman on the team.
“A lot of people think dance is just really easy, but you have to put a lot of work into it,” Mertl said. “And you have to really take time out of your day, not just in practice, but you really create a strong bond with your team.”
Snyder fell in love with dance at age four, did a year at Taffy, moved on to Janice Hurley for ballet and attended Juneau Dance Theatre and a bit of Fusion. She began dance for two years at the now-defunct Thunder Mountain High School before dancing for JDHS.
“I think people do not understand the effort and the amount of time that goes into each routine,” she said. “Or the amount of struggle it can take to get it to be show-ready. And I think that it is not only just art, but it is also a sport.”
There is truly no off-season for members of the dance team. Dancers find open gyms or personal trainers for weightlifting sessions or cardio work. They take technique classes with Juneau Dance Theatre or attend summer dance camps.
The first official high school practice was Oct. 4.
In season, the team practices four to six days per week and average roughly 12-17 hours of various physical and mental work during that time.
Mertl noted that students, teachers and even passerby on the street have asked what they will perform in an upcoming game.
“It always feels great because it just shows that the school really enjoys watching us and really enjoys having us there at the basketball games,” Mertl said. “Because sometimes it just feels like we are left in the corner, but when people ask it just really is heartwarming.”
Snyder added, “I enjoy hearing that they actually, like, they want to come and watch us. I enjoy seeing the interest that they have in the dance team when usually we are kind of like not fully looked at, not fully acknowledged as like a sport or an activity. And so I really enjoy it.”
The JDHS dance routines are similar to the explosive output of track athletes or the quick start-and-stop action in basketball and football. They average close to 800 calories burned per performance.
Dance team is more than rhythm. The Crimson Bears take rhythm and add strength, flexibility, balance and control, coordination, endurance, focus and concentration, memory, discipline and work ethic, confidence, resilience, adaptability and teamwork.
For choreography there is a process.
Learning a routine typically starts with understanding the music, style and intent of the piece, then learning the choreography in sections using counts, music and repetition.
As dancers become more comfortable with the choreography, rehearsals focus on cleaning technique, spacing, formation and timing, followed by adding musicality and style, expression and performance quality.
The final step includes full run-throughs to build stamina, practicing entrances, exits and refining details.
To further strengthen their bonding and skill, the team meets an hour before a performance to make sure hair and makeup is done.
“We gather in a circle to say our team poem and chant before heading to the floor for the performance,” JDHS coach Kayla Price said. “After, we gather in a circle to talk about how they did and what they liked.”
According to coaches, Snyder has been a vibrant part of the dance teams at both the former Thunder Mountain High School and JDHS. Also in the art program for many years, Snyder has brought creativity, passion, and a spark that lights up every studio and stage. Known for her dedication and good work ethic, she has left a mark on the program that will be remembered long after senior night. Outside the dance studio, Snyder enjoys making earrings and finding new art techniques and after graduation, plans to go to the University of Alaska Anchorage, minoring in dance and art and being on their college dance team.
“I have been in the Nutcracker,” she said. “The last character I played was the Mouse King. But I have been a tea, hot cocoa, a party boy, and angel and a soldier.”
According to coaches, Mertl has been a dedicated member of the JDHS dance team for the past four years, and has proudly served as a team captain this season. Throughout her time on the team, she has left a lasting impact on both the program and every dancer lucky enough to work alongside her. Known for her bright smile and unwavering positive attitude, Yetke brings light into every practice, performance, and competition. As a captain, her inclusiveness and natural leadership helped create a team culture where everyone feels valued, supported, and confident. She leads with kindness, strength, and heart — setting an example both on and off the floor. Yetke will be greatly missed, but the standard she set as a leader will continue to inspire our team for years to come.
“I have never really had a highlight,” Mertl said. “But I was in the Dancers Against Drugs and lots of studio dance. I wasn’t a big fan of ballet; I liked more of the hip-hop, tap and the jazz. I was in one hip-hop dance when I was young with all my friends and it was just very nice to remember that.”
The JDHS dance team is completed by juniors Nevaeh Algebre (captain), Kate Bovitz (manager), Aubrey Boyden, Linnea Bush (officer), Dalnoi Keaton (officer), Jillian Levy, Ava Meier (officer) and Genevieve Selvig-Baker, sophomores Radar Araujo, Romy Barrett, Azaleigha Castaneda, Nevah Lupro (officer), Baila Ouellette (officer), Calli Peterson (officer), Kallie Puustinen and Riley Severance, and freshmen Abby Boghosian, Aneeyah Bohulano, Analees Corcoran, Molly Duval, Sofia Fernandez, Kinley Johns, Sienna Lee, Elke Mertl and Hannah Mesdag.
Following is the numerical order and chant the team does before they take to the court:
1- Together as a team (Riley), 2- We work and we grow (Sienna), 3- With passion and drive (Ava), 4- Our confidence will glow (Kallie)
5- We move as one (Sofia), 6- Bold and proud (Dalnoi), 7- Each count sharp (Elke), 8- Each beat loud (Kinley)
9- We’re not just dancers (Linnea), 10- We’re something more (Aubrey), 11- A legacy built from the core (Yetke)
12- So red and black, we wear with pride (Romy), 13- With Juneau-Douglas by our side (Radar)
14- We bring the power (Claire), 15- The joy (Jillian), 16- And the flame (Abby), 17- Every performance earns us our name (Aneeyah)
18- We are superior (Molly), We’re number one (Baila), 20- The JD dance team (Hannah), 21- Second to none (Nevah)
22- So we put on our lipstick (Analees), 23- And slick back our hair (Calli), 24- On the floor (Genevieve), 25- We bring the flare (Azzy)
26- The crowd roars loud (Nevaeh), 27- So we can hear it (Chantil), 28- Brightening our smiles (Krista), 29- And fueling our spirit (Kayla)
30- We’re the Crimson Bears (Kate/Zoey/Ray), 31- NOW HEAR US SHOUT (All), 32- ALL IN FULL OUT!! (All)
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
