The Core Group serves as the Board of Directors for JAM Dance Teams. It has several offices and directorships responsible for all activities necessary for the running of the association. All members are eligible to apply.
Kelly Swanson
President
Kelly currently resides in Maple Grove and works in Marketing for Len Busch Roses. She is a 2019 graduate of the University of St. Thomas where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communication. She grew up in Fridley, where she attended Fridley Senior High School and was a member of the Fridley Tiger Dance Team for 6 years. During her 6 years on the team, she was a varsity member for 5 years, was voted captain her junior and senior years, and also received the All-Conference award her senior year. After graduating high school, Kelly knew she wanted to stay involved within the Minnesota dance team community. She has now been a member of JAM since 2015, and is excited to continue her involvement as President of the Core Group!
Annie Cribb
Vice President
Tara Dolder
Secretary/Treasurer
Tara lives in Mound with her husband, 1 son, and 1 fur baby. She currently works as a Trust Administrator for a local regional bank. Tara has been a member of JAM since 2009. Growing up, she spent her years dancing at Kay Marie and Carols studio before joining the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Dance tTeam in high school. Tara went on to dance for Marquette University as well as for an NBA team for 3 years in college. Tara is excited to be on the Core group and give back to the sport she loves so much.
Emily Yung
Marketing
Emily currently lives in Edina and is a Social Media Marketing Manager and YouTube Editor in the beauty industry. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019, where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. Emily grew up in Apple Valley, MN where she trained at Studio 4 Dance before joining the Eastview Lightning Dance Team. She was a 4-year Varsity member, earned 4 State Championships, served as senior captain, and received the All-Conference, All-Tournament, and All-State awards. After graduating college and moving back to MN, Emily decided she wanted to re-join the dance community and give back to the sport. She joined JAM in 2019 and is excited to be part of the JAM Core Group!
Bridget Tully
Scheduling Team – Member Assignments
Bridget has been a part of JAM since 2004, with the 2023-2024 season marking her 20th year judging! This is her second time as the JAM scheduler. She is also a new Regional Rules Coordinator, where she helps serve as the liaison between JAM Dance Teams and the Minnesota State High School League. She is married and loves CrossFit, gardening, and traveling. She is a Parole Officer in Hennepin County.
Melissa Penner
Scheduling Team – Host School Liaison
Melissa currently lives in Eagan with her boyfriend Matt and works at Actalent Services as a Practice Lead for their Architecture, Engineering and Construction division. Melissa has been a member of JAM since 2014 and decided to join to stay involved with the dance community. Growing up in West St Paul she started dancing at Julianne’s Dance Center at the age of 3 and joined the Henry Sibley (now Two Rivers) Dance Team while in high school. Melissa went to college at Bemidji State and dance all 4 years on their club dance team. Melissa is very excited to be part of the Core Group and looking forward to the upcoming season!