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JEN'S BIO

Jennifer is a certified Ballroom Dance instructor and a professional competitor since 1996. Jennifer's early dance experience comes from ballet and ice-skating. She discovered ballroom dancing while attending Regents College in London, England. She later received her BA in Theatre Arts and Dance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, then her MA and MFA from Chapman University in Orange County, California.

After only a few amateur competitions Jennifer became a professional instructor for Arthur Murray’s in Beverly Hills. She continued with Arthur Murray’s Dance Studios for two years then became an independent instructor in 1998.

From 1996-2002 Jennifer competed with Jeffrey Garza in the Professional American Smooth Ballroom division. They attended all major Dance Sport competitions including Ohio Star Ball and USDSC. They achieved a 1996 AMI National Rising Star Finalist award as well as numerous regional and local Open Professional and Rising Star Finalist awards and a 2002 Seattle Star Ball Rising Star Champion award.

From 2002-2003 Jennifer performed throughout Southern California with US American Rhythm Finalist, Sonny Perry – right.

From 2004 through 2005 Jennifer has competed and is competing with Tadas Jonyla in the Professional Standard Ballroom division. They are 2005 International Grand Ball Rising Star Finalists and look forward to future Bay Area competitions.

Jennifer was on staff with Chapman University's English and Theatre/Dance departments from 1992-2002. In 1999 she started Chapman’s first Ballroom Dance Club and acted as faculty advisor. That year she began Chapman’s first Collegiate Competition Team, and then in 2000 she advised Chapman’s first Collegiate Latin Formation Team.

Jennifer relocated to San Francisco in October 2003 and now teaches both pro/am and amateur adult level students from Pick’s School of Ballroom Dance in San Francisco and Allegro Ballroom in the East Bay.