get to know | jill fitzgerald

Ms Jill and me at the Tiptoz dance studio

Recently I had the privilege of talking with the one and only, Ms Jill Fitzgerald.

Ms. Jill is held in high admiration among all dancers in the community. Get to know her and learn about her dancing career in this interview!

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WHEN & WHERE DID JILL START DANCING?

Jill started dance at three years old in Council Grove, Kansas. She began with tap. Her mom who she affectionately calls "mother", took her to a dance studio in Emporia. There she started jazz, as well as tap. She refers with amusement to the time when her class performed "The Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens" and she really did lose her mittens on stage. After dancing in Emporia she went to the Wichita School of Fine Arts, where she started ballet and danced for ten years. From there, Jill went to Topeka and danced at the Dorthy Thomas School of Dance. In high school she danced in Kansas City with the Miller Marley Dance Studio. In college she continued dancing tap, ballet, jazz, as well as modern. She was a featured twirler at Kansas State University. 

WHEN DID JILL START TEACHING DANCE?

Jill started teaching dance at 13 1/2 years old. She remembers the names of her first students, who she taught in her parent's basement. As a junior in high school she had seventy-five students. She did all her own teaching. Eventually she rented a building in Council Grove, and the Jill Fitzgerald Dance Studio was opened. Jill has been teaching for 56 years.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING ABOUT BEING A DANCE TEACHER?

"The most rewarding thing," Jill says, "is seeing my students go on and succeed." By teaching them discipline, good principles, poise in dancing, she believes they can go on to achieve anything. Jill loves seeing pictures of her students and their families.

WHAT MUST A STUDENT DO TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL DANCER? 

Jill says, "Listen to and be respectful of the teacher. Practice at home. Always help others who are having trouble."

FUN FACTS ABOUT JILL!

• Jill was born in Council Grove and she has lived here her whole life, except a year after retirement when she moved to St. Joseph, Missouri. She then came back to CG as the hostess (+ more!) for the Tiptoz studio.

• Jill has seen more movie stars and performers than she can count, among them are Frank Sinatra, Betty Hutton, and Sandra Dee.

• Jill was in a movie! She was in scenes taking place by the Cottage House in Council Grove for the movie Murder Ordained starring JoBeth Williams and Keith Carradine.

• After college, Jill married Elden. They were married for nearly fifty-one years, until Elden's passing.

• After being married for eleven years, Jill and Elden had a son, Dallas. He played the drums for all Jill's dance reviews. Dallas went K-State University, then went on to medical school. He's now an optometrist.

• Jill judged the Kansas Miss Teen pageant for sixteen years, and went on to judge nationals for a year. She once judged with the former Miss America.

• Throughout college Jill wanted to be a lyrical/modern dance instructor.

• Jill has been to Las Vegas many, many times, starting when she was fifteen and the shows were $3. "I would go and get ideas, then come home and tame them down," she says.

• For awhile, Jill had two dance studios. One in Council Grove, as well as Herington.

• Jill has judged for the K-State cheerleaders three times.

• Many of her students have performed in the Wichita Metropolitan Ballet and Topeka Performing Arts performances of the Nutcracker ballet.  

IN CONCLUSION...

Jill says, "I wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the pushing and encouragement of my mother and my husband backing me to the limit."

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Thank you Ms. Jill for all  you do!