Former Miss Tooele County takes center stage as a Jazz Dancer

As a member of the Nu Skin Jazz Dancers -- the official dance team for the Utah Jazz -- Tooele resident Ashli Dew continues to entertain audiences at games and inspire others in the community who wish to follow her same dreams.

Dew, 23, is a lifelong resident of Tooele who has been performing with the Jazz Dancers since July of last year. Dew was a cheerleader and Sha-ronn at Tooele High School and was on the Salt Lake Community College Cheer Squad. She said her love of dancing began at age 4 when she began taking regular dance classes and that she has continued to pursue dancing in one form or another throughout the rest of her life.

"I used to be a shy little kid who didn't like people watching me, but everything changed after my grandma came up with the idea that I take dance lessons," she said. "Once I started, I ended up loving it, and after that I started doing tumbling classes, dance camps, ballet classes and whatever else was available. I have been dancing pretty much all my life and love being a member of the Nu Skin Jazz Dancers."

Dew is one of 18 women total in the group of Jazz Dancers, who are between the ages of 18 and 27 and come from all over Utah, Idaho and Texas. They perform at all home games for the Utah Jazz when the season is up and running, as well as participate in a variety of photo sessions used for the Nu Skin Jazz Dancers Web site, press photos, posters and autograph cards.

"I've danced at about 16 Jazz games so far, but we also do a lot of community events and go visit different places with the 'Jazz Bear,'" Dew said. "We also sign autographs after games and at events when people ask us for them."

Aside from dancing, Dew also has a love of teaching and working with children. She received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Utah State University in 2006 and now teaches reading to first- and second-graders at Harris Elementary School in Tooele, while also managing to teach dance to aspiring performers in the community. She works at a local dance studio in Tooele called "Jazz In It" and serves as the drill team coach for Grantsville High's drill team, the Larietts.

"Because being a Jazz dancer is a part-time thing, most of us on the team have other jobs," she said.

Dew said dancer tryouts take place every summer, and that even the existing dancers must try out again to join before the season starts up. She said her favorite part of being a Jazz dancer is working with director Jan Whittaker and the new ideas she brings to the table.

"Jan provides us with good workouts and keeps us in shape, and I like someone who's always there to push me and show me new things," Dew said.

The dancers regularly practice Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 10 p.m., and if need dictates, also on weekends.

When she has spare time, Dew likes to spend time with her close family, including her husband Cody Sullivan. She also enjoys a wide range of hobbies, like taking photographs, scrapbooking and cooking.

"I also love traveling and going to different places, but because I've been so busy this year, that's all been kind of put on hold for now," she said.

Dew, who still resides in Tooele, is also a local celebrity in the community for other achievements. She was crowned Miss Tooele County in 2003 and also won a $100 first-place prize for a "fastest bagger" competition presented by the Tooele Macey's Food and Drug, where she previously worked as a cashier.

With a long future still ahead of her, Dew said she is excited to continue working with the Jazz dancers and eventually pursue other interests as well.

"I have enjoyed this year with the dancers and may try out again this summer, but I'd maybe also like to go back to school and get my degree in exercise, physics, physiology or nutrition, which is a subject I've always been intrigued by," she said. "I'd also like to travel a lot and see a lot of different places. With all my interests there are so many different directions I can go, so it's hard to tell what I'll do next."

dougrad@tooeletranscript.com