Jessica Turner

recreational and accelerated assistant dance director

Jessica was born in Colorado, spent her early years in New York and moved to the PNW when she was five. She began classes at Westside and joined the staff in high school.

Jessica started dance and gymnastics classes at age three and went on to become a member of Westside’s Performing Company. Training at local dance studios, it was her love of ballet that earned her the opportunity to perform in Oregon Ballet Theater’s annual production of the Nutcracker. During her time performing and competing with Westside’s Performing Company, Jessica earned the title of Senior Miss Spotlight which gave her the opportunity to travel to San Diego to compete at the national competition. As a teenager, she briefly stepped away from her studio training to get a taste of competitive dance/drill team and cheerleading, serving as a captain for both varsity teams. After high school, Jessica studied Contemporary Dance and Dance Education at Brigham Young University.

She enjoys creating a safe environment where every child has the right to develop their capacity to express themselves through movement and also to understand dance as an art form and a means of cultural expression.

When she’s not at Westside, Jessica loves spending time with her dogs and paddling on the PDX Water Dragons Dragon Boat Team.