Our History

A Dance Legend in Webster, TX

Jill started teaching at the Clear Lake Rec Center in 1969 with 50 students. By the next year her enrollment had doubled & she opened Jill Rauscher School of Dance in Clear Lake City. It was "just Jill" for several years with a little help from her sister,Jan & her mother,Miss Billie. In 1976,with enrollment growing , she moved to a larger location in Nassau Bay., where she finally added a 2nd teaching room. Her own home was a few blocks away, so her two daughters, Julie & Leslie , came to dance with her. When they started to school,, Don built her studio at the present location in Webster, across from Mc Whirter Elementary , where they attended. This was 1984, & many past students will remember the office/dressing area in a small house in front of the 2 large teaching rooms. Don built her sprung floors( to ease pressure on dancers feet & knees) with Marley surfaces for top of the line dancing. In 2008, we demolished the old house & built a beautiful new office,waiting, & dressing room plus a small teaching room.

Besides the dance program, she had a baton twirling group of over 150 girls . The "NASA Lassies" marched in all the local parades & won many awards. Jill's dancers were performaning all over Texas & taking her students to Dance Conventions such as Dance Olympus & Tremain were a summer treat. She also brought in outstanding choreographers to her studio for workshops.

The studio was thriving, & enrollment topped at 600 students. Her dancers found the studio to be a 2nd home to them & many danced from the age of 3 until they graduated from high school. Miss Jane, one of her first teachers, continued teaching for her as Jill's dream was coming true. She began hiring her own graduates to teach with her. Today, most of her faculty are "her girls" as they know her loving philosophy & instill that into their happy memories of growing up there. Her daughter, Leslie , is her partner, & outstanding choreographer. She teaches & inspires all ages. Her only grandaughter, Bralie, is a beautiful dancer & was Captain of the Clear Creek Cavaliers 2020-2021. More than 1/3 of her students are 2nd generation and we even have some 3rd generations starting!

If you come by any afternoon,, you'll find the waiting room 'buzzin" with action. Parents visiting & doing their work on laptops as the younger siblings play in the playroom. Many life long friendships have been made here & the bulletin board is crowded with her students pictures & honors. When I started teaching 52 years ago" I never dreamed I could be so blessed with so many lives to be entrusted with & loving what I do.