Evolution Elites take 2nd in competition
Evolution Dance Experience’s Elite Jazz Company is all smiles after taking 2nd place in a recent competition.
Evolution Dance welcomes interested students
By Marisa Mancini
For The Elmhurst Independent
Erica Jaunich, founder of Evolution Dance Experience in Elmhurst, has been dancing her whole life. As an only child in Minooka, she grew up making up dances and performing for her family and friends. Though Jaunich was a member of Minooka High School dance team, she did not take dance lessons until her senior year of high school.
“I had a natural talent, and a huge amount of passion and dedication,” she stated. “After high school and during college, I was hired by Universal Dance Association, where I traveled across the United States teaching camps and workshops as well as judging dance competitions. I was even given the opportunity to travel to Paris, France to take part in the Mayor’s Day parade.”
During college, Jaunich was a member of the nationally ranked University of Illinois Chicago Dancing Flames, winning the national title two years in a row, and was also hired by Midwest Dance Company, a studio owned by Tracie Marciniak, who at that time was the director of the Chicago Luvabulls. Jaunich was the Hip Hop Department Head at Midwest for nearly 15 years.
“I also had the wonderful opportunity working for a dance convention company founded by Tracie Marciniak and Paula Abdul, called Co. Dance, where I worked with some amazing choreographers and judges seen on So You Think You Can Dance like Tyce Diorio, Brian Friedman, Wade Robinson, Mia Michaels and Barry Youngblood,” said Jaunich.
In 2002, Jaunich moved to Elmhurst.
“When I got married and had children, Elmhurst became my home — and I couldn’t get the passion of dance out of me,” she said.
The Elmhurst Park District hired her to grow its competitive dance program eight years ago, and she served as its director for seven of those years. There is where her dream to own her own studio began.
The dream comes true…
In September 2016, Jaunich realized her dream and opened Evolution Dance Experience. She chose to open her studio in Elmhurst first and foremost because Elmhurst is her home.
“I’m very proud to call [Elmhurst] my home,” she said. “I feel honored to represent the Elmhurst community and we are so lucky to have such a large and talented dance community.”
She stated that her mission with Evolution Dance Experience is to provide a caring, positive, motivating dance studio environment, teaching all elements of dance technique and performance, while instilling a long-lasting influence in each student’s life.
“I am a member of an organization called YPAD, that stands for and stresses the implementation of safe boundaries and healthy artistry within ALL dance settings for children and teens. We follow these standards that were created with the best interest of young dancers in mind. At our studio, you will see dancers in age-appropriate costuming, dancing to age-appropriate music and doing age-appropriate moves.”
Jaunich is passionate about teaching the art and love of dance as well as inspiring each dancer to be the best they can be in reaching their full potential.
Evolution Dance Experience, located at 576 North Michigan Street, offers a wide variety of non-recital and recital classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Boys-Only Hip Hop and Musical Theater. The studio also offers early childhood classes beginning at 18 months of age, as well as Mommy and Me, Creative Movement, Adult Hip Hop, and Adult Dance-Based Exercise morning classes. It is also home to the award-winning Competitive Evolution Dance Company.
For more information or to register for classes, visit evolutiondanceexperience.com, call the studio at (630) 818-6239 or email Jaunich directly at [email protected]. Jaunich also welcomes any interested participants to stop by the studio to take a tour of its beautiful facilities.
