Archive: Around Town

Since The Next Jennaration Dance & Cheer Zone opened in Lansing in September of 2007 it has doubled in just about every way possible.  This September the studio on the corner of Triphammer and Peruville Roads doubled in physical size.  The number of classes has doubled.  And the number of students has doubled.

"I needed a bigger waiting area," says owner/instructor Jenna Stevenson.  With double the student size we needed a bigger area for the parents to wait in.  We got two bathrooms.  The kids have their own waiting room."

She also got another full-size studio.  Now that cheerleading season is running, it is being used exclusively for cheerleading classes.  It has been fitted with a unique spring floor that adds bounce to student jumps and duplicates the floors they will compete on in five competitions this January.  Once cheerleading season is over a dance floor will be put down to accommodate additional dance classes in the space.


Stevenson will be taking her cheerleaders to competitions in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Utica, and to the national competition in Philadelphia.  Her competitive dancers recently came home from the world championship with seven tropies, including one that Stevenson won for choreography. 

While most of her students are girls, boys also do well under her tutelage.  "I had only worked with them for a year," she says.  "My oldest boy, who is 15 placed second in the 15-17 year old boys category, silver in Worlds.  That was amazing coming out of Ithaca.  I have a nine year old boy who got second place in the nine to eleven year old category."

Stevenson credits the friendly, fun atmosphere and word of mouth for the rapid growth of her studio.  But she also says the dance craze on television has an impact.  "I think so.  I think shows like 'So You Think You Can Dance' and 'Dancing With The Stars' have helped dancing, because people see how much fun it can be on television," she says.  "It probably attracts students to for the competitive part.  I have a lot of recreational students, too, who do it to have fun and to perform at the end of the year."


Of approximately 60 classes, Stevenson teaches all but seven.  With two spaces she can offer two classes at a time, so Lauren Bruzzo now teaches dance, Heather Frost the cheerleading  mini team, Jessica Woodhull  the cheerleading  youth team, and Jodi Dake is teaching tumbling.  Dance students can choose from a smorgasbord of dance classes including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary Lyrical, Partnering, Hip Hop and Tumbling.  At this point there is only one adult level class in tap dancing, but Stevenson sees adult dance as an area for expansion.


Stevenson says the most important aspect of the studio is just plain fun.  She credits that for motivating her students to learn more and perform.  Dozens of trophies that litter both studios are a testament to the success of this approach.

"I think it's the friendly environment that attracts students to us," she says.  "We have a blast, and I think the word of mouth is we have so much fun here it's obvious.  And the kids learn a lot.  They work very, very hard.  They are very dedicated.  When you're having fun somewhere you want to be there, so they're always here, even when they don't have classes they tend to show up and just hang out.  We have a great time."

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