Dance Instructor
A life-long learner, Jen Ray is always working creatively through purposeful action. Teaching your children is done with care and appreciation for the people and dancers they are and are becoming. She is dedicated to cultivating well-rounded, critically-minded, and multi-talented individuals.
She specializes in jazz and ballet, with an emphasis on Vaganova technique, vernacular jazz, and developmentally-appropriate content in all of her classes. She has trained in a wide range of styles (Lyrical, Contemporary, Irish, Ukrainian, Musical Theater, Pointe, Samba, Tap to name a few) and has a good understanding of universal dance and training principles that can connect with her students no matter what their experience level is in the styles they are learning. Ms. Jen is always continuing her education so she can bring the best to her students.
For over a decade, she has been engaging with young people as an instructor, choreographer, mentor and director. Since immigrating to the US in 2015, she has been teaching and making an impact with initiatives such as The JaM Youth Project (JYP), the guiDANCE Experience, Y.P.A.D. Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, Dancinema, and Culture Compass Foundation.
Ms.Jen "wears many hats" and welcomes you to check out each of these projects listed above to learn more. One of her proudest accomplishments is being a leader in the movement to create positive change in dance culture that will keep our youth happy, healthy and safe. This has included traveling to teach workshops and speak on educational and safety standards, leading the first ever dance competition/convention designed with these standards, working with costume companies to promote sensory-friendly and age-appropriate designs, collaborating on feedback rubrics and internal company guidelines used by a number of large dance competitions. Her Culture Compass Music Rating guide has been used at 24/7 for two years now.
With JYP, she collaborates with her husband Mark Orsborn to create an educational environment that is holistic and unique, offering opportunities to train and perform in non-competitive situations and creating dancefilms.
Back in Canada while completing her B.A. in Film Studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, she launched Dancinema, producing dancefilms, workshops and events. Dancinema has screened at festivals, presented as keynote, been selected for articles in Dance Teacher Magazine, and collaborated on showcases and performances. Highlights include: Standard Vision LA, Dancerpalooza's 25Live! & The Kennedy Center, Screendance Symposium, Dance Camera West. Ms. Jen also co-produced and co-hosted Frameform Podcast for five years.
Ms. Jen loves being a teacher so she can be a consistent, supportive presence for her students. Dance is a wonderful opportunity to learn about music, culture, the body, personal expression & much more. She loves working with dancers to nurture their spark of interest into an individual radiance. Ms. Jen is thrilled to be returning 24/7 this season and can't wait to dance with you. Ms. Jen will be teaching on Monday evenings at the studio - come dance with her!
