Our Story:

In July of 2021, Bancroft Dance Academy began as a small basement dance and tumbling studio in the home of owner, Beth Pedersen, in Bancroft, Iowa. As interest grew, the studio moved to a rental space at the North Kossuth Golf Club for one season before finding its permanent home.

With the support of the Bancroft Community Foundation and extensive renovations, Bancroft Dance Academy is now proudly located at 103 W. Ramsey Street on Main Street in Bancroft; a space designed for growth, creativity, and community.

What started as a vision to provide an affordable dance program for children as young as two years old has grown into something much more meaningful. While affordability and accessibility remain at the heart of our mission, we are equally committed to creating a welcoming environment where every dancer feels valued, supported, and at home.

At Bancroft Dance Academy, we strive to build more than dancers; we build confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging. Our studio is a place where relationships grow, families connect, and students feel safe to be themselves.

We offer classes in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and tumbling, along with competitive team opportunities. As we continue to grow, we look forward to expanding our programs while staying true to the values that started it all.

Teachers:

Beth Pedersen — Owner & Instructor

Hello! I’m Beth, the owner of Bancroft Dance Academy. My passion for dance and movement began at a young age, participating in both dance and cheer throughout high school. I continued cheering in college as part of the UNI Cheerleading Team.

Before opening the studio, I spent 11 years as a teacher and four years coaching a high school dance team. In 2024, I made the decision to step away from teaching to run the studio full-time while homeschooling my children.

My husband, Blake, and I have been together since 2006 and married in 2014. We have three wonderful children--Cooper, Owen, and Elliott, who you’ll often see around the studio.

I am incredibly grateful for the support from our community. I truly believe this studio was part of a bigger plan for our family and this community, and I’m excited to see where this journey continues to lead. Thank you for being part of it!

Brandi — Dance Instructor

Brandi works with our older classes in the studio as well as the competition team. She has been part of Bancroft Dance Academy since day one and is an invaluable member of our team. Dancing since the age of two, she has continued to grow her passion over the years, including earning two ballet scholarships to New York City.

Her training includes attending dance camps and conventions across the Midwest, where she learned from industry professionals—including choreographers connected to major artists and films.

Outside the studio, Brandi is a busy mom of four and runs a successful in-home daycare near Swea City. She enjoys spending time with her family, supporting her kids’ activities, and, of course, all things dance.

Her dedication, experience, and love for her students make her truly irreplaceable.

Karissa — Dance Instructor

Karissa brings both talent and heart to our teaching team. She began dancing at the age of four and continued through high school and college, performing on both the Northwestern College and Buena Vista University dance teams.

A Bancroft native and North Union graduate (Class of 2017), Karissa went on to earn her degree in elementary education in 2021. She currently works as a special education teacher in Buffalo Center.

Karissa is teaches our tap and hip hop classes as well as helping the competition team. We are so grateful to have her energy and passion in our studio.

Morgan Lahndorf — Tumbling Instructor

Morgan is the tumbling instructor at Bancroft Dance Academy and has been involved in dance since the age of three. Now, she enjoys sharing that passion while watching her own daughter dance and tumble at the studio.

With a heart fully invested in her students, Morgan is dedicated to helping each child reach their fullest potential. Her encouragement, energy, and commitment have made her a wonderful addition to the BDA team.

Outside of the studio, she works full-time in Algona and also serves as an EMT for the Bancroft Ambulance. She is currently pursuing a degree in accounting as well.

In her free time, Morgan enjoys spending time with her family, golfing, reading, and staying active. Her passion for helping students grow, both in skill and confidence, shines through in everything she does, and we are so grateful to have her on our team.

Paige Bunkofske — Dance Instructor

Paige joined the BDA team initially to help with competiton cleaning, but quickly became a part of the family coming on full time with us. She currently works full-time with Early Head Start in Estherville. We have placed her with our youngest dancers in the studio as well as our competition team. 

Paige has been dancing since the age of three and brings a wealth of experience to our studio. Her background includes studio dance, high school dance team, the Minnesota Vikettes, and seven years as director of the Emmetsburg Just For Kix program. Paige is a certified dance judge through the Judges Association of Minnesota Dance Teams (JAM). We are lucky to have someone on our team with this expertise. 

Paige lives in Armstrong with her husband, Joe, and their two daughters, Madisen and Adalyn. We are excited to have her leadership and experience as part of our team.