JAM Dance Instructors

With over 45 years of dance experience, former Ohio Dance Theatre Principle and Soloist, Jennifer Muselin, studied under the direction of Denise Gula for 15 years, thus perfecting her training in Russian ballet, contemporary to include the styles of Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp and Martha Graham as well as jazz styles of Fosse, musical theatre and swing jazz.  Her love of dance was solidified, when as a child, she performed in BalletMet’s The Nutcracker ballet. In her teens, Jennifer trained with and danced works choreographed by former Cleveland Ballet affiliates, Cynthia Graham, Anne Owen and Joseph Glowick, with whom she credits her love for partnering and petit allegro.  Ms. Muselin attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she danced under the direction of James Martin and Cherylyn Lavagnino, where she was granted a scholarship for her Sophomore year.  At only 19 years old, Jennifer was awarded an apprenticeship at Chicago's famed Hubbard Street Dance Company and selected to instruct summer intensives with the National Cheerleading Association.  Ms. Muselin became a founding member of Phenix Dance Theatre, which then became Ohio Dance Theatre in the early 90’s. While with ODT, Ms. Muselin's credits include Clara and Sugarplum, Dew Drop, Chinese and Arabian in The Nutcracker, as well as various principal roles that were choreographed for her exclusively.  Jennifer has had the pleasure of being partnered by members of the former Ohio Ballet such as Blas Cerda and Luc Vanier and Joffrey Ballet’s Sam Meredith, as well as performed works choreographed by Mr. Vanier and Amy Miller, co-founders of Cleveland's GroundWorks Dance Theatre.  Jennifer has also had the pleasure of dancing various roles choreographed for her in the Ohio Light Opera. Ms. Muselin is trained in the Pilates technique, which is instrumental in her teachings of both children and adults.  She has choreographed shows to include Flower Drum Song, The King and I, as well as high school productions of Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, Cinderella and instructed summer youth programs at Oberlin College for at risk youths.  After she retired as a professional performer, Jennifer became an event coordinator for the Rock and Rolle Hall of Fame, planning such events as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, “Riot Girls and Rebels”, a celebration event for Joan Jett, and Food Network’s Dinner Impossible, to name few. She then went on to Director of Event and Catering for various Cleveland organizations. In 2013 Jennifer began a new chapter in her life and opened JAM Dance Academy in her home-town of North Ridgeville, a dance school focusing on the disciplined fundamentals of ballet technique.  While with JAM, Ms. Muselin produced community-wide fundraisers as “Biking for Ballerinas” and produced productions of The Nutcracker ballet. In 2019, Jennifer embarked on her new venture as Executive and Artistic Director of her newly formed professional contemporary ballet company, Ballet Legato and also collaborates with the DEA and YMCA, providing after-school dance programs to children while instilling a drug-free life-style through her company.  Some of Jennifer's professional teaching experience includes master classes and professional performances for OhioDance Festival, Michigan's Terpsichore Dance Collective, Cleveland Dance Fest, Choro Lab for DEA Educational Foundation, New Hazlett Theatre in Pittsburg, PA and the New Albany Dance Festival.  Jennifer has produced and choreographed such ballets as The Nutcracker at Elyria's Stocker Arts Center every December, Red Riding Hood and the White Withches, Giselle, Alice in Wonderland and ROOTS, a choreographic event that showcases choreographers from in and around Ohio. Ms. Muselin has choreographed on some of Cleveland's most notible professional dancers and worked with members of Columbus' BalletMet.  Ms. Muselin is also certified as a level 1 instructor of Progressing Ballet Technique, which she implements into her teaching focusing on core strength to trigger muscle memory and injury prevention.  Jennifer has also choreographed for the Spark Children's Theatre at LCCC teaching summer dance to children, ages 10-18.  She has been a 40-year resident of North Ridgeville and enjoys life with her husband, four children and granddaughter.