RECognition: Jess Ragsac, Instructional Classes
Recreation's monthly series to celebrate our staff
By Shawn Cyr
Assistant Marketing Director
Jess Ragsac practically has a degree in dancing. From competing to teaching and everything in between, they have been dancing for as long as they can remember.
You could call them Recreation’s own Dr. Dance.
And now, before they swap their steps for stethoscopes, they’re leading classes for REC to teach and inspire the next generation of dancers.
“I love teaching my students brand new skills,” says Jess, a fourth-year in Revelle College. “A lot of my students have little-to-no dance experience, and getting to watch their progress every week is incredibly rewarding.”
One of Recreation’s incredible Specialty Dance Instructors, Jess teaches the Jazz Heels and Musical Theater dance classes for adults and Ballet and Jazz classes for kids ages 6 to 12. A lifelong dancer, she has taken classes in ballet, jazz, and contemporary/modern dance styles since she was 5 years old. They began competing in middle school and started teaching in their hometown studio as a substitute teacher between high school and college, “which helped me discover how much I enjoyed teaching dance,” they say. At UC San Diego, she’s performed and choreographed with Muir Musical and the UCSD Theatre and Dance department.
In the fall of 2024, Jess joined REC because she was inspired by our mission to encourage the campus community to lead an active life.
“The opportunity to share my love for dance with the kids and fellow students in the community is super exciting to me,” Jess says.
Jess was an instant hit, and the attendance to their classes continues to grow every quarter, says Katie Shaw-Bullock, Director of Recreation Classes and Youth Programs.
“Her energy and enthusiasm for dance — and the popularity of her classes — have made her a stand-out instructor in our area,” Shaw-Bullock says. “Jess's friendly and welcoming personality and passion for dance inspire everyone to be bold and confident in who they are."
It’s also an opportunity for Jess to pay it forward. They say their most memorable experience with REC was teaching their first Youth Ballet class.
“As someone who took ballet classes since I was very young, it felt full circle to get to teach foundational ballet to young dancers, and watching them grow every week has been really healing,” Jess says.
Set to graduate this June with a degree in biology, Jess will attend medical school to pursue her MD in pediatric medicine in the fall. She won’t be going far; she says she’s considering several California-based medical schools.
“My work as a dance instructor for REC, especially in teaching kids' classes, has been formative in showing me how much I truly love working with children,” Jess says.
But they’re not turning in their dancing shoes just yet.
“I definitely have a strong passion for teaching and choreographing, and I plan on continuing that throughout med school and beyond as a side hustle and a way to stay active.”
