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; having 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. She was finally able to add a second teaching room to her business. Her own home was a few blocks away, so her two daughters, Julie & Leslie, came to dance with her. When they started attending school at McWhirter Elementary, Don built her a new studio right across the street! This was in 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, the old house was demolished & and a beautiful new office and waiting room was built. This new addition also included a dressing room plus a small teaching room.  JRSOD is still located in this spot today.

Besides the dance program, Jill 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 performing all over Texas. She was taking her students to Dance Conventions such as Dance Olympus, Tremain, Danza, & many more; it was a summer treat! She also brought in outstanding choreographers to her studio for custom workshops. For the past 4 years, Jill has hosted her own JRSOD Day Convention. It has been held at venues right here in Galveston, Texas; bringing in some of the best choreographers in the Houston and surrounding areas.

With the new move to Webster, the studio was thriving! Enrollment topped at 600 students. Her dancers found the studio to be a second 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 at the studio. Jill's dream was coming true; she began hiring her own graduates to teach with her. Today, most of her faculty are "her girls". They know her loving philosophy & instill their training and happy memories of growing up there, into their teaching styles. More than 1/3 of her students are 2nd generation and there are even some 3rd generations starting! Her daughter, Leslie , is her partner. She teaches, choreographs, & inspires all ages. Her only grandaughter, Bralie, is a beautiful dancer & was Captain of the Clear Creek Cavaliers in 2020-2021.  Bralie can be found up at the studio teaching private lessons; either training future Drill Team students or choreographing competition solos for local high school drill members.

If you come by any afternoon,, you'll find the waiting room 'buzzing" 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 55 years ago, I never dreamed I could be so blessed with so many lives to be entrusted with.... & loving what I do."