Jen Burns
About Jen
A lover of coffee, costumes, spreadsheets, and celebrating, Jen has been a part of the ROOTS Dance admin team since 2017. As a mom of 6 performers, she understands the joy that comes from watching your children grow in their craft, gaining skill and confidence as they practice and discover their gifts. She finds it so rewarding to help other parents find the right fit for their dancer’s needs and to provide excellent customer service to the ROOTS families. She also loves getting to know and work along with so many talented dance mentors and admin staff.
Collaboration, connection and creativity are three very important values to Jen. Having taught in a classroom for years, she appreciates the hard work of classroom management, lesson prep and investing in each student. She loves being a support for the ROOTS Dance mentors in any way she can.
Jen loves any opportunity to dress up in costume with the Christmas parade and Halloween week being a couple highlights each year! Being a part of creating camp curriculum, interactive chalk walls, and finding fun ways to help instill valuable life truths satisfies that creative teacher/author part of her. Triple Threat Camp weeks are her favorite work weeks of the year as all her favorite things come together in a performance- dance, singing, acting, costumes, props, and a dream team of camp staff.
Having moved around a lot in her life, she understands being new to an area and trying to find connection. Jen strives to help dancers and their families find community at ROOTS, to make all students feel welcome and seen, and make being a part of ROOTS easy for parents.
If she isn’t at ROOTS, you will probably find Jen on her couch with her hubby, Mike, watching a British tv show, karaoking with her family, or on her porch swing watching the birds and chipmunks. Or you might run into her at a thrift store hunting for the latest costume supplies.
meet our
other dance mentors
other dance mentors
Teaching isn't just about learning techniques. Our students are led by passionate and well-trained professionals who recognize their greater role in students' lives. To refine your search for a music mentor, select your desired instrument from the options below.
THE ROOTS MENTOR PHILOSOPHY
Our mentors play a crucial role in shaping not just artists but well-rounded individuals equipped with a growth mindset, character, determination, confidence, and grit — skills that will serve them for a lifetime.
Join us today to embark on an artistic and personal journey that will shape you into the best version of yourself. Experience the difference of mentorship at ROOTS Academy — where performing arts education becomes a transformative life experience.
THE ROOTS WAY
Our mission is to develop extraordinary artists and exceptional humans through transformative performing arts education. Through music, dance, and theatre, we inspire creativity, nurture character, and empower our students to positively impact their community and the world.
mindset
matters
(How we Think)
We believe mindset shapes not just who we are in the studio, but who we become in the world.
excellence
matters
(What we Do)
We believe excellence flourishes when preparation and vision align with discipline and passion.
people
matter
(How we Act)
We believe in creating spaces where everyone feels safe to create, supported to grow, and inspired to excel.
questions?
If you have any questions about our dance program, please don’t hesitate to call, text or email us. Our hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm – 6pm.
SASKIA HARMON – Dance Director
JESSICA STILLMAN – Competition Manager
MELISSA BULLINGTON – Preschool Manager
JEN BURNS – Dance Operations Manager
KATHLEEN MCPHERSON – Dance Operations Coordinator
SASKIA HARMON
Dance Director
JESSICA STILLMAN
Competition Manager
MELISSA BULLINGTON
Preschool Manager
JEN BURNS
Dance Operations Manager
KATHLEEN MCPHERSON
Dance Operations Coordinator