Meet Jennifer Kropke | Owner/Dance Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Kropke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began the world was forever changed; especially the world of dance. All local dance studios were closed for the foreseeable future leaving a lot of dancers confused about the future of their training. I began brainstorming. How could I offer comprehensive dance lessons when we weren’t allowed to even leave our homes? It was during this difficult time that the idea of Twinkle Toes Today was born! Since we opened in 2020, we have offered virtual dance & music classes to those who cannot access in-person lessons or feel more comfortable in a one-on-one class setting. With COVID restrictions beginning to lift we have decided to extend our offerings in-person to childcare/early learning facilities and retirement communities. Learning the art of dance and music helps young children develop knowledge, skill, and understanding about the world and that was why I started T3!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Kropke, Owner of Twinkle Toes Today

(224) 585 – 7734

Twinkletoes2day.com

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I began taking dance lessons at 3 years old and continued to until college. where I studied both physical education and dance. I was on dance teams, took professional company classes, and competed frequently. When I was completing the program at Northeastern Illinois University I began teaching at a local dance studio. It was there that I found my true passion, teaching children about the love of music and dance! I spent 3 years choreographing performance pieces and teaching weekly technique classes before the owner asked me if I would like to learn the administrative side of the dance world. As an admin assistant I was responsible for charging monthly tuition, communicating with parents and students, overseeing instructors, ordering costumes, organizing ticket sales for events & so much more. After transitioning to another local studio, the COVID-19 pandemic began and all local studios were closed. This is when my company, Twinkle Toes Today, was created!

One of the biggest lessons I have learned, both as a performer and a business owner, is that nothing worth getting comes easy. It takes hard work and dedication. I trained for 25 years before I was ready to open Twinkle Toes Today and I am still taking weekly classes. Dance and music is always changing. To stay relevant you have to continue to educate yourself. There were so many challenges I have faced as a dancer. From auditions I didn’t make, to heartbreaking competition losses, to a literal pandemic. None of these things broke me. They just made me fight harder for what I wanted.

I want the world to know that dance and music are the things that bring us all together. We don’t have to speak the same language, follow the same religious practices, or even vote for the same party. We can come together and bring out the best in one another. All we have to do is try.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am actually originally from Chicago, but my time in San Diego has really changed my view on what a big city should look like! If my best friend was coming to visit me in San Diego I would defintely have to tsake them to Balboa Park. Not only is it beautiful, but the history there is incredible. We would have to hit up the Air and Space Museum and make sure to stop for churros! I would also say we would need to take a cruise over the bridge to Coronado. The views are breathtaking and a dinner at The Hotel Del would be the icing on the cake!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to the dance program at Northeastern Illinois University! My instructors including Jamie Cage, Rachel Burton & Venetia Stifler really pushed me to not only further my dance education, but take that education and put it to good use. I would not be where I am today without their encouragement and guidance.

Website: www.twinkletoes2day.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs._dancing_queen/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkropke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwinkleToesToday/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/twinkle-toes-today-des-plaines

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo8nLwAPQmxuDtMqoxyR5-w

Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrsdancingqueen