Spotlight on: Dancer Jenna Ings

Being in the spotlight is every little girl’s dream, but actually succeeding in that dream is a bit harder to accomplish. Jenna Ings, a junior art education major, did just that.

Ings started her dancing career at the age of five while experiencing a new, life-changing experience: kindergarten.

“My mom made me choose between gymnastics and ballet when I was in kindergarten,” Ings said. “I decided to choose ballet because I loved wearing the cute leotard and having my hair dolled up in bows.”

After Ings’ decision to start ballet, her mother signed her up at a dance studio, Denville Dance Arts Center, to practice her skill and perfect her dance abilities. The studio opened up a great path for Ings to pursue, which allowed her to follow her childhood dream and reach new heights in her career.

“I started practicing ballet, which lead into lyric, then Jazz,” Ings said. “I started with the basics, but worked my way up and expanded.”

Entering elementary school increased Ings’ passion for dance with a math teacher who opened up a whole new look at Ings’ career choice.

“I remember that I had a math teacher in elementary school who taught math during the day, but then left to go teach ballet as well,” Ings said. “That’s when I knew that what I really wanted to do was teach dance.”

With the sudden change in perspective, Ings came to Rowan University with the hope of becoming a teacher, as well as a dancer to appease both growing passions.

“I have many goals,” Ings said. “I am majoring in art and education so that I can receive my certificate in education and I am minoring in dance and Psychology for they are both my interest.”

Upon coming to college, Ings decided to include her passion for dance in her extra curricular activities in order to keep that goal alive.

“I am involved in two dance groups, ‘Dance Extensions’ and ‘The Dance Team.’ I love participating in both of them and I love the competitions as well,” Ings said.

Ings will be participating in two competitions for Rowan University in the next couple of months. A dance competition, “Fetish,” will be performed on April 29 and May 3 and the 3-D Dance Competition will also be performed on May 3.

For more information, check out rowan.edu/fpa.