Meet Jennifer Salter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Salter.

Jennifer, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Pasadena and began my dance training at around age three. Even though I was very young, I think I knew from an early age that dance would be a lifelong love for me. I spent about ten years training at Dance Center of Deer Park under the direction of Peggy Hinojosa and Dana Bates Welch, and we competed locally and nationally for several years. I remember long Saturdays and late evenings at the studio rehearsing for any number of competitions or performances, but I loved it! I dabbled in acting and singing throughout middle school, performing in several plays and musicals (I even donned a red wig for the role of “Annie”) knowing in my heart that I longed for the artistry of anything creative. In high school I joined the drill team, found a mentor in my director Sondra Schaaf, made lasting friendships (still going strong, 20 years later!), competed and won several awards, served as the second officer in command my senior year, and cemented my career goal- dance was anything and everything I would ever need. I honestly cannot remember having a conversation with my parents or anybody else about what I would study in college.

For me, this was an easy answer- dance of course! Why would I even consider anything else? I aspired to complete a dance and teaching degree to become a dance team director, and so I took a few classes at San Jacinto College before transferring to Sam Houston State University. Academic and concert dance is very different from the studio and drill team dance that I grew up with, and while my early training prepared me, my college courses and professors taught me life lessons that I still carry with me today. I graduated from Sam Houston State University with a B.F.A. in Dance in 2005 and spent a brief amount of time in New York City before moving back to Houston to complete my teaching certification. As I began interviewing for jobs, I realized that my heart just wasn’t in the same place as it used to be. I had found such a profound love for academia and dance in higher education, so I decided to return to Sam Houston for graduate school. When I look back on my journey, I believe that those three years of my life gave me the most amazing gifts. It was HARD- there were late nights, long weekends, and so many tears, but the rewards came in abundance. For me, the biggest reward for my three years of perseverance is not only the knowledge I gained, but the friendships I made with some amazing mentors- Jennifer Pontius, Dana Nikolay, Dr. Cindy Gratz, Andy and Dionne Noble, and the late Jonathan Charles. I graduated from Sam Houston State University with my Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance in 2010. Since then, I have been teaching dance in higher education at both Houston Community College and San Jacinto College, and I spent a brief time as a guest teacher at Rice University.

My passion for teaching dance is not only sparked in the studio, where I get to explore movement and watch my students discover their purpose, but it’s also in the classroom. I teach Dance Appreciation, which is a lecture course, where I get to share my love and knowledge of dance with students of all interests. I get such joy out of sharing the history and artistry of dance with my students, most of which come to me with little to no knowledge of it. I am truly inspired by those students who speak with me at the end of the course and say “I have found a love for the arts again”- because that’s what this is all about. In my heart, I believe that at the root of our beings we all long for a creative outlet- music, film, art, dance… as humans we need to feel connected to something deeper. I also think that dance teaches us life lessons that are unparalleled to any other practice. Dance taught me to appreciate structure and organization, to push myself beyond my limits even when I was ready to give up and to be humble and open to receiving critical information. In the more recent years my career has allowed me opportunities for creating and choreographing movement, and each time I create a new work I am honing in on the craft of storytelling, the art of organizing and reorganizing until the puzzle fits together, and my ability to think beyond what’s in front of me to create some incredible imaginary worlds for my audience to enjoy.

While choreography has been in the forefront for most of my career, creative outlets of all kinds have managed to sneak into my life, one at a time, and blossom into beautiful opportunities. A hobby that start out in college turned into a business in 2013 when I launched a photography company, and now I have expanded to photographing dance concerts and Fine Arts promotional materials of all kinds for San Jacinto College. I also photograph homes for a local blog and have captured numerous weddings over the years. My skills in photography, as well as knowledge gained in graduate school, have allowed me to take dance into the digital world of videography. I have filmed and edited numerous marketing videos, individual artist promotional videos, and several dance films that have been recognized and presented at film festivals in the Houston area. I also design posters and other marketing materials and thoroughly enjoy the art of digital creativity. At 36, I’m learning to appreciate what my body can still do and I intentionally seek out joy each time I walk in to take a dance class.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think I had struggles- I think I had challenges and obstacles to overcome, some of which I created myself. In my early college years, I was a terrible student and I couldn’t see the clear path in front of me. I was fortunate to have some incredible teachers who kept pushing me back in line, but it took me a few years to understand how to follow through with my actions and complete important tasks. I had disagreements with professors because I was young and didn’t understand that there were consequences to actions. I ruined my reputation with some important people who wanted to see the best in me, and it took me years to mend those relationships. As a professor, I am so grateful for these shortcomings because I constantly share my challenges with my students, in the hopes that I can relate to them and vice versa. I want them to understand that life should be purpose-driven, but even the best of us get off course every now and then. There’s not always a straight line from point A to point B but if you can find your way there, however long it takes, you’ll have gratitude for your journey.

What role has luck played in your life and business?
First, let me just say that I often feel like I won the lottery when it comes to luck in my life. I have the most wonderful and supportive parents who encouraged me to follow my dreams and never questioned my desire to work in the arts. They drove me to an endless amount of rehearsals, classes, and competitions, and never missed a performance. My family and friends have also always been supportive of my endeavors and are still my biggest cheerleaders in life. My husband understands that dance and all of my creative passions is part of the package he married, and he continues to encourage my crazy ideas and somewhat unconventional ways of helping to support our family. My son, who is eight, thinks it’s cool that I teach dance- I hope that lasts! Every single person in my life has let me be who I am- never questioning, never doubting my ability, never pushing me to do anything else- and that is the good luck that life handed me. I also feel like I fell into good luck with the teachers and mentors I have had over the years.

Almost every single one of these people sort of “fell” into my life, and before I knew it I was changed: the late Steven Boyd, Sondra Schaaf, Dr. Suzanne Oliver, Jennifer Pontius, Kista Tucker, and Andy Noble gave me stepping stones for success that I carry with me today. I also have to credit some amazing and incredibly talented friends and colleagues who continue to push my creative boundaries- Christa Ramirez, Amy Elizabeth, Jamie Williams, Laura Harrell, Julie Bata, Jeffrey McGee, and the entire Fine Arts departments at both San Jacinto College and Houston Community College. I feel so lucky to have found my passion for dance and creativity early in life, but even luckier that I had people who nurtured my journey. I can only hope to be as inspiring and supportive for my students as they were for me. Thank you to Jason Dang, a former student, for nominating me for this article. I am in your gratitude.