Growing up in Murfreesboro, Jen Hutzel was always on the move, busy creating and performing.
She still remembers singing and dancing around the house, writing plays and putting on impromptu talent shows with her friends. She took tons of dance classes, traveled for competitions and even minored in dance at Middle Tennessee State University.
“There was no dance major at the time,” says Hutzel, founder and director of Ignite Dance Company in Nolensville. “But I took every class that I could, and was part of a student-based dance organization called MPAC. We would do shows at Tucker Theatre every semester, and I just fell in love with it. I loved performing, but we also got the opportunity to choreograph, and everyone was so passionate and encouraging. It really felt like a family. I met some of my best friends through that program — folks that I’m still in contact with now, more than 20 years later.”
After graduating from MTSU in 2005, Hutzel stayed busy, working and eventually marrying and starting a family. But she missed her dancing days — the creative energy, the shared sense of purpose, passion and community.
“I kept searching for something, but I started to realize that there wasn’t much out there for adults wanting to dance and perform,” she says. “I mean, fitness classes are great, but that’s not really the same thing. And I wanted more than just a one-off class here and there. I wanted to connect with people. I wanted technique and artistry, and putting together a showcase with other dancers and choreographers.”
Unable to find exactly what she wanted, Hutzel decided to build it herself. And in March 2018, Ignite Dance Company was born, offering a much-needed creative home for dancers ages 18 and up. Founding members committed to weekly rehearsals, and were soon creating brand new choreography. A year later, the company staged its first showcase at the Mockingbird Theater at the Factory at Franklin.
“We had 10 dancers on that little stage, performing five original works,” she says. “We invited all our friends and family, but honestly, we really didn’t know what kind of feedback we might get. Looking back, it all felt pretty vulnerable – to be grown women with kids and full-time jobs, and all these other things going on in our lives — to step up on that stage was a little scary. But it was amazing. People were cheering us on, some folks were in tears — it was incredible. And Ignite just took off from there.”
As demand grew, Hutzel launched a second dance group in Nolensville, along with a Nashville-based group — each with its own annual showcase. She went on to establish the Nolensville Performance Collective, LLC in 2021, a vibrant creative community for dancers, actors, writers, musicians and vocalists. (That includes a busy cover band known as Beacon, with which Hutzel regularly performs.) Meanwhile, Ignite Spring Hill just recently started and is currently welcoming new dancers. And Ignite Franklin is expected to kick off in May.
“It’s hard to believe this all just started as a passion project – a way for adults to reconnect with dance and movement — and now we have five different dance groups. But it’s been so exciting, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
For now, Hutzel is focused on Ignite’s latest showcase, That’s So’90s, which arrives at Williamson County Performing Arts Center this Saturday. Featuring 12 original dance works set to familiar music of the era, the performance will highlight a wide range of styles.
“We’re having such a great time,” she says. “Every piece feels like its own little nostalgic trip. We’re opening with “Vogue,” so you can imagine the iconic costumes with that. And there’s a nice little nod to the video – not in terms of choreography, but just the look and style of it. We’ve got ballet, hip-hop, tap, jazz, contemporary — there’s even a duet en pointe, set to a Pearl Jam song. I’ve choreographed a hip-hop mashup, along with a piece set to 'Colorblind' by Counting Crows, which folks might remember from the movie Cruel Intentions. There’s a song by Jewel, and the finale is set to Mariah Carey. So it’s a good nostalgic mix.
“Some are really just for fun, while others have more of an emotional arc or story to them,” she adds. “We have dancers of different levels and backgrounds, and strengths and talents. We have people who can do fouettés, and others that are still trying to perfect that single pirouette. But we all love what we’re doing, and I think that comes through to audiences. I think we’re all just thrilled to be able to do what we love again. That’s really part of our mission – no matter what your age or stage of life, you should be able to pursue your passion. Because art is for everyone.”
Ignite Dance Company presents That’s So ’90s, April 25 at Williamson County Performing Arts Center, 112 Everbright Ave., in Franklin. To learn more, visit www.wcpactn.com or follow Ignite’s Instagram at https://tinyurl.com/5n65cv9a