Meet Jessie, Your First Dance Guide
Let’s be honest: planning your first dance can be more stressful than creating the seating chart. I’m here to help you turn that stress into confidence.
As a movement specialist, my goal is to help you make what’s nerve-wracking now become second nature on your big day. Together, we’ll design routines that fit your natural rhythm, ensuring you look polished without feeling like you’re in a recital.
Our lessons together will help you replace stress with confidence. My goal is always the same: to make your weekly practice the most fun part of your wedding preparation.
Fun Fact: There is music in these walls! Our studio lies in what was once the beloved Conley’s Dinner Theatre, a place built to bring joy and performance to the Irwin, PA community. I’m deeply honored to keep that spark alive.
By founding First Dance Pittsburgh in this historic space, we’re bringing dance, song, and laughter back to the very halls where our family’s legacy began.
Ready to Find Your Footing?
I’m a firm believer that any song can be a wedding song if you love it enough.
From that moody indie track that played on your first date, to the upbeat synth-pop anthem you blast on every road trip, I want to help you own it.
Let’s chat about your song, your style, and finding the perfect package for your big day!
A Little About Jessie
My journey in dance began at age five in Warren, PA, under the mentorship of Linda and Molly Dies. What started as lessons in ballet, tap, and jazz quickly blossomed into a competitive career, where I competed across the East Coast.
By 12, I had the chance to grace the Broadway stage in The Nutcracker, and by 16 I trained at the prestigious Rockette Summer Intensive. This lifelong passion led me to Point Park University, where I studied Sport, Arts, and Entertainment Management while continuing to refine my dance career.
With five years as a professional certified ballroom instructor, I’ve guided hundreds of students from their very first steps to the competitive stage. I also earned "Top Instructor" honors for three consecutive years at an international ballroom competition—that passion for instruction is something I bring to First Dance today.
While I enjoyed those high-pressure performances, my favorite work now is helping couples discover those "aha!" moments, when a routine clicks and students feel at ease in each other's arms. I want to help you move beyond the "basic sway," tailoring every dance to reflect your unique personality and story.
My goal is to ensure your first dance is as creative, supportive, and memorable as the love it celebrates.
Outside the Studio
When I’m not in the studio, my world revolves around my family. I love spending time and going to concerts with my partner, James, and I’m a proud mom to a lively four-year-old son and a dedicated "dog mom" to two Great Pyrenees, Sylvie and Walter. Whether exploring the great outdoors with the family, catching a live show or balancing my full-time career, I stay rooted in the things that inspire me most.
This deep appreciation for connection and passion is what fuels my work—helping every couple share their journey in a way that feels natural, memorable and unique.