About Us

About the Team

HBDT was founded in 1990 by Chris Brengel, Jennifer Gonzalez, Beth Mitchell, and Quan Vu as an undergraduate organization at Harvard College to promote Ballroom and Latin Dancing in the Harvard community and to represent Harvard and collegiate Ballroom to the larger Ballroom community. HBDT aims to further these goals by supporting a competitive dance team comprised of rookies and veteran dancers.

HBDT also aims to promote the love of dancing to the Harvard community by regularly providing practices, lessons, social dances, and other special events. Harvard Ballroom Dance Team annually travels to Montreal and New York to compete, and we host our very own competition in the fall: Harvard Beginners.

Meet the Executive Board!

  • Ida Fladhammer

    President, Co-Captain, & Beginners Coordinator
    hbdt.president@gmail.com &
    hbdt.captain@gmail.com & compcommchair@gmail.com

    Hello Lovelies, I'm Ida, a Senior studying Economics and living in Adams. I have been dancing since I could walk and formally for ten fabulous years. Going into college, I knew I wanted to be a competitive ballroom dancer, but I had no idea how much I'd come to love and obsess over this sport. Outside of ballroom, you'll find me knitting, talking to my plants, outside, or a combination of them all, usually mentally imagining ballroom dance sequences. Happy dancing!

  • Estela Millan

    Vice President , Co-Captain, & Showcase Director
    hbdt.vp@gmail.com &
    hbdt.showcase@gmail.com & hbdt.captain@gmail.com

    Hello! I’m Estela, and I’m a senior in Lowell studying Chemistry. I am super excited to be Vice President for this wonderful team! I have been dancing flamenco since I was seven, and joined Harvard Ballroom in 2022. When I’m not dancing, you can probably find me synthesizing a chemical, reading a book, or listening to angry music.

  • Cooper Skenyon

    Co-Rookie Captain
    hbdt.rookiecaptain@gmail.com

    Hey everyone! My name is Cooper, I’m a sophomore living in Dunster,and I study Hist. and Lit. After having some dance experience in high school, I jumped into the rabbit hole of Ballroom in my freshman year and fell in love! I found a great community in the rookie program, and I aim to give back to the team as this year’s Rookie Captain. Outside of Ballroom, I typically spend my time playing D&D, writing, or enjoying a good cup of coffee.

  • Alicia Madden

    COO & Acting Secretary
    hbdt.secretary@gmail.com &
    hbdt.operations@gmail.com

    Hi! My name is Alicia, and I am a recent grad of the Chan School of Public Health where I studied Infectious Disease Epidemiology. I had such a great time in the rookie program last year, and I’m excited to continue with the team as the Operations Officer. Outside of practice, you’ll find me playing board games, baking, or on a long walk :)

  • Kamil Kon

    Chief Financial Officer hbdt.treasurer@gmail.com

    Hey! I’m Kamil, a proud Matherite studying computational neuroscience and philosophy starting his sophomore year. Going into college, I was the worst dancer ever barely able to count music in four but after giving a ballroom bootcamp a shot in the beginning of my freshman year, I was hooked and still find dancing with the amazing community at the club one of the only moments I can really detach during the week. Outside of practicing and crying over grant funding, you’ll find me listening to Steely Dan, hanging out with other internationals, diving or around the gyms on campus!

  • Ellen Pan

    Ellen Pan

    Chief Media Officer hbdt.operations@gmail.com

    Hey! I'm Ellen and a sophomore in Quincy House studying Applied Math and AFVS. I did ballet and traditional Chinese dances before college, and I was immediately hooked on ballroom after joining the team my freshman year. Outside of ballroom, you'll find me making 3D animations, going for a run near the Charles, or (more often than not) holed up in the Carpenter Center.