Photo Credit: Renee Gooch
Where are you from and how long have you lived in town? What brought you to the area?
I grew up in a very small farming town in Northwest Iowa and like a lot of little girls began dancing when I was 3 years old. After graduating college with a BFA in Dance, I relocated to Chicago to begin my professional dance and teaching career. My husband and I met as personal trainers in the city and lived there for 11 years. We relocated to Grayslake after our first son was born. We have been here for 5 years and really enjoy the small town feel of Grayslake that reminds me so much of home. We have found a wonderful community of friends and teachers to help our boys thrive and hope to stay in this area for years to come!
Do you have child(ren)? Age(s)
We have 2 boys: Aiden (5) and Max (3)
What are your favorite things to do in the area with and without your kids? Family friendly restaurant? Date night?
My boys love to be outside whenever possible and we try to hit up a lot of different parks in the spring and summer. One of our go-to’s is the Betty Russell Park in Gurnee or Independence Grove in Libertyville. The boys also take a Ninja Zone class at Libertyville Gymnastics Academy and t-ball through our local park district. My husband and I have had opposite schedules as long as we’ve known each other and finding time for ourselves can be challenging. For date night, we enjoy going to The Vine here in Grayslake or The Green Room in Libertyville.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor or in the corporate world?
I am the Company Managing director at Jenny’s Dance Centre. This is my 11th year at the studio and 3rd year as the Company Managing Director. We believe in training a well rounded dancer and offer classes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, and Hip Hop for ages 4 through adult. We foster a family atmosphere and provide our students with solid tools for discipline, time management, team work, and goal setting. We also have a group of pre-professional students that comprise our JDC Competition Company as well as a Hip Hop Team. These students travel throughout the year attending workshops and competitions to enhance their dance training and stage experience. We have an extremely talented group of teachers that inspire me daily! I am very fortunate to have a job that allows me to share my own experiences and work with dancers to help nurture their passion and love for dance. Whether they choose to have a career in dance or not, I consider myself extremely lucky to be a part of their journey!
Photo taken at Onstage New York talent competition
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from another Mom?
I think the best advice that I have gotten is to not be afraid to ask for help when you need it and the importance of self care. It’s easy to get caught up in the demands of daily schedules, household management, and work responsibilities and loose site of your own well being. I am not very good at asking for help but I have learned that I am a much better mom when I reach out to others for guidance and help. Something I have always loved aside from dance is yoga. It helps me to mentally and physically reset and spend time on me. I really enjoy classes at Forever Om Yoga (Vernon Hills, Lake Forest) or the newly opened Just Bee Yoga (Long Grove).
What is next for you?
Personally, I hope to become more organized in my home and work life. I have a new planner and some new ideas to keep me more focused and more balanced. And also I hope to plan a family trip this summer. Professionally, it’s an exciting time at the Dance Centre as our Company dancers begin their competition season next month! We will be traveling to 4 regional competitions this year as well as a weekend workshop of master classes. We also have our annual recital coming up in June here at CLC! Please feel free to visit our website to find out more about our program and our talented staff!
