In 2013, Jess founded Prestige Dance Studio to share her passion of dance in a safe, technically sound and creative environment with the Corridor. Jess has been honored with choreography and most entertaining awards at competitions throughout the nation. Backed by Jess’s love of the performing arts and her 12 years of professional instruction experience, Prestige Dance Studio offers fresh and innovative styles that are unparalleled in the Cedar Rapids area.
Although many of the students at Prestige have gotten to know Miss Jess in class and in the hallways, we thought it was a good time to dive a little deeper! Her passion for dance education is unparalleled in the Cedar Rapids area and she is beyond proud of all that her dancers have accomplished in the last few years.
Find out much more about Miss Jess below and the next time you see her at the studio feel free to stop and say hello!
Ready or not, the holidays are quickly approaching! Our families here at Prestige are busy shopping, attending special performances, baking cookies, and doing all the other great activities this time of year brings. Have you completed your holiday shopping yet? Do you have anyone on your list that you are completely clueless as to what to get them?? You can take a good sigh of relief because we have put together our best of the web: gift guide edition! We are sure that you will get re-inspired and find some great ideas, no matter who you are shopping for!
For The Dancer:
Last year, we put together the ULTIMATE gift guide for dancers. There are some amazing ideas that your dancer is SURE to love! We also found another great list from Dance Advantage. We would LOVE to get our hands on the Ballerina Cookbook listed in their post! Also, don’t forget that you don’t have to go very far for your dancer. We have so many great stocking stuffer and dancewear options right here at Prestige!
For The Creative:
If your loved one likes to explore art, DIY projects, and crafts, they will love anything from One Handcrafted Life’s creative gift list. For younger crafters, Martha Stewart has some GREAT ideas! Just reading these makes us want to start a new project!
For The Athlete Or Sports Fanatic:
Staying active is a very popular goal for the upcoming New Years Eve. Give your loved one a leg up by giving them something on this list from Very Well. They have some great message and stretching gifts that your dancer might enjoy as well! If sports are more their thing, try checking out this list from CNN. We mean, who wouldn’t want an NFL ugly sweater? hehe!
For The Professional:
If your gift recipient is hoping to push themselves and grow in their professional life this year, choose any of the books listed here on Inc! We are feeling inspired already, have you read any on their list??
For The Stressed
We mean stressed in the BEST way possible of course! For anyone who needs a little rest, relaxation, and calmness, there is nothing better than using a gift to help bring them there! This list from Out Of Stress made us feel more relaxed by just READING it hehe!
Has inspiration struck yet?? We hope so! What gift are you the MOST excited to give this year?? Tell us below, we would love to include it in our web round-up next year! At Prestige, we hope you enjoy this holiday season to the fullest and savor every moment of picking out the PERFECT gifts for your loved ones.
By now, most of us have mastered the in’s and out’s of how to be a star student in school. Students should do their homework, study for tests, follow directions, etc. Even if school isn’t your child’s “thing,” if they follow those simple rules they will do just fine. Luckily, dance class is very similar. It doesn’t take much to be a star student in dance class. The best part is that it has nothing to do with your dancer’s abilities, it’s all about the attitude! We encourage you to talk with your dancer about this list, either now or at the start of a new session. Although some things may seem obvious to you, it may not be to your dancer.
Practice at home. This could mean stretching while watching TV, going over new choreography before bed or having an all out dance class in the basement. At Prestige, we don’t expect our dancers to practice all day and night but if they are really wanting to nail a new step or learn new choreography, they may have to do a little “homework” from time to time.
Practice corrections. When a teacher gives a correction the most typical response is to say “OK” and that is great! To take things one step further, we love when dancers start practicing that correction right away. Dance takes practice and to just visualize the correction doesn’t always work. To physically apply the correction will help make sure that the correction sticks.
Work hard. This may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes working hard takes an extra little push. The kids that aren’t afraid to sweat, shake, and be tired are the ones to get the most out of class.
Have a good attitude. What does that mean? To stay positive, to be nice to classmates, and to be excited to be there.
That wasn’t so bad, was it? As you can see, it doesn’t take much to be a star student in dance class. In fact, all of our students at Prestige are star students in our book! We are so lucky to have such a great group of dancers!
We can’t wait to see them all in classes this fall. Still need to register?? Check out the schedule here!
Prestige Dance Studio strives to find the best teachers out there! We think we have done it yet again and are excited to welcome Miss Jen to our family this year! Jen is taking on Thursday evenings by teaching Adult Ballet and Adult Tap . It has been a joy to see her passion for dance through her teaching so far and we can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeves. She would love for you to pop in to say hello or try a class!
A few fun facts:
Favorite color: Hot Pink Pancheros or Chipotle: Chipotle Do you eat the stems of broccoli: No stems for this girl! Zodiac sign: Gemini If you could change places with anyone for a day who would it be: My teenager so I could know what I’m up against!
We sat down with Jen and asked her a few more questions about her background, dance memories, and teaching highlights. Interested in learning more? Be sure to catch Jen on Thursday’s, she is loving every moment at Prestige!
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Watertown, South Dakota
Where did you go to school and what did you study? I went to The University of Iowa where I studied Dance and Physical Therapy.
What has been your most rewarding dance experience? 2016 is my 25th year teaching and choreographing dances for all ages. This year I created a dance for 18 young and mature women and dedicated it to the studio owner. It was a great success and joy to see women of all ages come together.
What was your most embarrassing dance moment? A few years ago during the opener teacher dance for the recital, I ran out on stage late. Once I got out there, I forgot the order of steps I was supposed to be doing and started doing something totally different! I made the best of it but it sure didn’t look like it was supposed to 🙂
Why do you like teaching dance? When I teach my adult dancers, I love to give them a great workout and have them leave feeling like they’ve accomplished something. I want them to feel beautiful just the way they are. For my younger dancers, I want to inspire them to be better and feel they are smart and strong.
