Jennifer Chin-Gorner is the Owner and Director of Dance It Up with Music in Township, New Jersey. According to Jennifer, the mission at Dance It Up with Music is to instill life skills such as determination, motivation, self-confidence, discipline, time management, and respect for themselves and others. Students are taught to be gracious in winning and generous in defeat. Dance It Up teaches them life lessons, tools to succeed in life and family first, everything else is icing on the cake. They educate them to use dance as their platform to make change and give back, but to really fulfill them as people.
In Jennifer’s opinion, what makes their studio different from other studios is their culture. They are all about positivity and giving back. Jennifer says she can teach anyone to straighten their legs, turn out and pointe their toes but that is what they do. Our WHY is to create strong leaders that will contribute to 
not only to the dance world but the world in general and make a positive impact on everyone they meet in their own journey. Dance It Up With Music hopes that every child, and parent for that matter, knows how valued, appreciated and loved they are.
When asked about her proudest moment as a dance teacher, Jennifer responded, “WOW! I have to pick 1?” She they stated that she would have to say that it be when one of her students was bullied at school and at first did not have the courage to stick up for herself. However, through her lessons learned and strength grown at Dance It Up with Music, she defended herself. That was not even the proudest moment. They then had her share her story at their year end show in front of 1,200 people. She had them all crying in tears. Jennifer asked the student, “If you had one thing to tell everyone, what would it be?” The dancer’s reply to the audience was, “Don’t be afraid to live your dreams. If you work hard enough you can do anything.” It was from her mouth to Jenifer’s heart. It was that moment Jennifer knew she was doing exactly what God put her here to do.
Jennifer believes that dancers know the truth about the biggest mistakes that dancers make. She thinks one of the biggest mistakes is when parents push to have their child “moved up” or “challenged” when their dancer is right where they need to be. So many factors go into play when placing a dancer and setting them up for success. Sometimes the average eye can only see a pretty smile and “keeping up” but they miss all the technical things that really make the difference.
Her goal for this year is to impa
ct as many lives as she can in a positive manner and inspire as many as she can to want better, be better and do better. She also strives to be the kind of leader that she would like to follow. She believes that kids learn by example, so she just wants to be the best that she can for them.
Jennifer’s parents said, “If man can land on the moon anything is possible.” Jennifer originally thought that reason she founded her studio was to create amazing dancers but she now knows it has always been to create amazing individuals. She wanted to build that place that may save a life, inspire a dream and give back.
Jennifer says that Dance It Up with Music is loads of fun! They are for sure not perfect but they try really, really hard! They support all dancers and studios on their own versions of great. “Who are we to judge?” They do not want people doing that to them. They just like to bring smiles and pretty dancing.
Dance It Up is not just dancing. They have private music, Music Funtime, Leaping Learners (a Traveling preschool community outreach program), a non- profit Believe in the Dream, an Intern Program and a Tumbling program.
Dance It Up opened July 17, 2005 when Jennifer had a vision that she could make a place where children not only learned to dance, but also learned life lessons. She wanted to instill skills in them such as determination, motivation, self confidence, discipline, time management, and respect for themselves and their peer s among many other lessons. She also wanted to take the morals and values instilled her when she was a young child and share them. She wanted her students to learn to be gracious in winning and generous in defeat. Fear of working 
too hard was not a lesson that they would ever experience, but fear of not working hard enough is something that they have come to live by. Pushing themselves to the limit, seeing progress, and expecting more of them than they would ever expect from themselves is what they have come to know. Jennifer has obviously reached, and continues to reach, her goals. Dance It Up with Music has built a reputation in their community not only as a place for excellence in dance and music education; but a place where life lessons are taught first and dance and music second. Their students go beyond technique and poise to develop important life skills–learning to be respectful, confident, motivated and positive young people.
Dance It Up with Music teaches students starting at 2 years old. With eight programs consisting of 25 classes, they start by introducing the students to the world of dance and individual dance such as Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, and Lyrical. These classes help improve the student’s gross motor development, musicality, listening skills and confidence. The Exceeding Expectations Program is for more advanced students who must be approved before they can enroll.
The All Boyz program is for 5 year olds and up. In the classes in this program, they learn Hip Hop and Break Dancing. In addition to dancing, these classes focus on endurance and conditioning and include choreography.
Lastly, is the Tumbling Program with five classes where they learn to perform cartwheels, rolls, handstands, acrobatics, and more.
The Music Fun Time Program is for 3 to 6 years old. They provide the basic beginnings of music teaching reading, understanding and playing music for musicians and a great firm foundation with proper theory and fundaments.
Dance It Up with Music also
provides private and group music lessons for the piano, guitar, drums, horns, and, of course, voice.
Dance It Up with Music is very committed to supporting charities. Each year they support their charity of choice. This last year they raised $5,363 for the First Day of School Foundation. They are presently in the process of determining their 2016-2017 Charity of Choice. Past Charities of Choice include Joey’s Little Angels, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Chad’s Heroes, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Ryan’s Quest, The Sunshine Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House and programs to support our veterans such as Support Our Troops.
If you would like more information about Dance It Up with Music, visit their website at danceitupstudios.com, email them at danceitup1062@hotmail.com, or call them at (609) 581-0808. You can also “Like” them on Facebook.
Anyone who has danced at Dance It Up with Music, with Jennifer Chin-Gorner or with any of the other instructors at Dance It Up, is invited to comment on our blog.
Quote: “one of the biggest mistakes is when parents push to have their child “moved up” or “challenged” when their dancer is right where they need to be.”
Tags: dance, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, tumbling, voice
