FOUNDER, FACULTY ARTIST + CHOREOGRAPHER: Jessica Jaye Mackinson received her training as a scholarship student at the Milwaukee Ballet School. She attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet School, the Vail International Dance Festival, as well as with the Chautauqua Institution in New York where she was invited to dance with Charlotte Ballet (then NCDT) for their summer season. Mackinson won first place in the Carey Rose Dance Competition, and received scholarships to the Rock School for Dance Education, Blue Lake Fine Arts, and Orlando Ballet.

She has performed professionally with Milwaukee Ballet, BalletMet, Rockford Dance Company, Madison Ballet, and Elements Contemporary Ballet. She guested for Indiana Ballet Theater and Innervation Dance Chicago, and worked as a back up dancer for Weird Al Yankovic and Hannibal Buress. Mackinson earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Rockford University, where she also served as an adjunct professor of dance. Over the past 12 years, Mackinson has excelled in managerial and directorship roles for numerous arts-based organizations in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Oregon.

With a passion for teaching, Mackinson has taught extensively for over 20 years, developing dance curricula for all ages and abilities.

Mackinson lives in Oregon with her partner and two children.