our story


"My hope is to leave the world a little better that when I got here." - Jim Hensen

OUR STORY

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Established in 1962, Tillamook School of Dance was founded by by Jan Lommen Colleknon, or “Little Miss Dynamite” as some liked to call her.  With over five decades of experience entertaining Tillamook County and beyond, Tillamook School of Dance prides itself in helping the kids of our community find their passion through dance, creativity, friendships and fun...we truly believe their possibilities are endless!

While in school, Jan traveled all over the Pacific Northwest taking lessons and performing as both an amateur and a professional, oftentimes making TV appearances for her stunning tap performances.  After graduating from Neahkanie High School, Jan brought dance to the kids of Tillamook when she opened up her studio.  In her 35 years of teaching,  Jan's studio grew and so did her Legacy.  Not only did Jan teach tap and jazz, she directed and choreographed plays and musicals at Tillamook High school for 25 years and was the head coach of the Tillamook High School Dance team for 15 years.  Kids were Jan's passion.  Jan took kids to New York multiple times to attend and study Broadway Musicals.  She also led groups of dancers to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Miami, Florida to perform in the halftime show of the Hall of Fame Bowl and the Orange Bowl.   

Dance runs strong in Jan's family.  Her daughters, Tracy and Pink followed in her footsteps as both dancers and coaches.  Her nieces and cousins all danced and her granddaughter, Mackensi, her pride and joy, is carrying on the family tradition as an eager student and leader in both the studio and on the high school dance team.  Sadly, Jan passed away in January 2011, but her sparkle and legacy will live on through the hundreds of students that she mentored over the years.

After Jan's retirement in 1998, the family business was passed from mother to daughter.  Although the times changed, the legacy of the studio will always remain the same.  Today, Tillamook School of Dance offers  a variety of classes for all ages;  Performing Arts Preschool, Toddler Creative Movement & Rhythm, Tap & Jazz Combo. Classes, Hip Hop,  Ballet, Stretching, Turns & Technique, Contemporary, Teen Latin and Tumbling.   We feel that each child's passion about dance, either competitive or recreational, is just as important as the other. We like to instill hometown pride in our dancers by showcasing their hard work for our community as well as offering performance opportunities on a national level. Students from the Tillamook School of Dance can be seen performing at the Tillamook June Dairy Parade, Moonlight Madness, Farmers Market, the Tillamook County Fair, Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies, local talent shows, high school basketball and wrestling events and our first annual “Jan Colleknon, a dancing angel” benefit show at Tillamook High School.  All proceeds from the show will be donated to Tillamook County Hospice.

Our students have also been seen performing at halftime of the Portland Trailblazer games, the Holiday Bowl Halftime show and the Big Bay Balloon Parade in  Diego California where they were honored to work with world famous choreographer Mandy Moore from “So You Think You Can Dance”, the San Diego Charger Cheerleaders and the Rockettes.  Students recently traveled to Disneyland in November with “Dance The Magic” to perform with the cast of Teen Beach Movie and the crew from Monsters University  in the pre-taping of the ABC Disneyland Christmas Day Parade which aired ABC Christmas morning! 
Let us help you find your passion!  

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Established in 1962, Tillamook School of Dance was founded by by Jan Lommen Colleknon, or “Little Miss Dynamite” as some liked to call her.  With over five decades of experience entertaining Tillamook County and beyond, Tillamook School of Dance prides itself in helping the kids of our community find their passion through dance, creativity, friendships and fun...we truly believe their possibilities are endless!