Jade Jenkins was born and raised in Franklin, TN. She grew up with performing arts being a huge part of her life and had an early affinity for dancing. In addition to dance, she enjoyed playing various instruments, singing, acting, designing fashion, and modeling. Jade’s dance training began at the age of ten at the Histown Dance Studio. She later joined the local competition dance studio The Hargest Academy of Performing Arts where she studied various dance styles, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, acro, musical theater, and more.
Going into her fourth year to complete her BFA in contemporary dance, Jade now lives in Burlington, NC. She has studied under the renowned faculty of Brenda Daniels, Sean Sullivan, Ashley Lindsay, Abigail Yager, Ming Lung Yang, Kira Blazek Ziaii, Emily Nicolauo, Angelina Sansone, and Dayna Fox. She has been in the original cast for new works by Brenda Daniels, Pearlann Porter, Ashley Lindsay, Juel D Lane, Kira Blazek Ziaii and Catherine Meredith. Additionally, Jade’s performance experience has included repertory works including Lotto in Spring, by Ming Lung Yang, José Limón’s There is a Time, and Yvonne Rainer’s Trio A. In 2024, she worked with Gavin Stewart and Vanessa Owen in Stewart Owen Dance Company’s Delve Intensive where she worked with a number of choreographers and experimented with composition.
Jade has also received her Pilates mat teaching certification and has begun to choreograph dances. Most recently, she created a piece for a wedding ceremony in the summer of 2023 and choreographed a contemporary trio for a UNCSA’s Student Showcase in 2024. Upon graduation, she plans to continue choreographing and performing. Jade also plans to teach dance, and Pilates as she works towards her yoga certification.