Partnership 06

Jess
+ Christie

Rhythm Meets Connection

Partnership photo of Jess Ponikvar and Christie Schmidt

This may be one of the few Dance With Spokane! partnerships where both sides already understand the power of a good beat.

Jess Ponikvar has spent more than 20 years behind the decks as a DJ with a deep appreciation for hip hop. Christie Schmidt found her greatest passion in hip hop after beginning dance at just three years old.

Now the DJ steps onto the other side of the music—and Christie gets to see what happens when the person who usually controls the beat has to dance to it.

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Meet Jess

Jess Ponikvar

Community Leader

Confident – Thoughtful – Driven

@wax808

By day, Jess Ponikvar is a technology consultant whose career has crossed technology, trades, and the arts, giving him a unique approach to leadership, strategy, and problem-solving.

Outside of work, Jess serves on the Spokane Public Radio board and has spent more than two decades as a hip hop and club DJ, with a longstanding commitment to supporting local hip hop artists.

For Dance With Spokane!, he's taking that connection to music somewhere new. This time, he's leaving it all on the dance floor.

Meet Christie

Christie Schmidt

Professional Dancer

@sch_christie

Christie began dancing at three years old, training in ballet, tap, jazz, and eventually discovering her greatest passion: hip hop.

Her performance career has included two seasons with the Seattle Storm Dance Troupe, Seattle Seahawks halftime performances, an appearance in an Alvin Ailey production at the Paramount Theatre, and performing choreography by Nappytabs.

After stepping away from dance for several years, Christie rediscovered her passion through Alegría Dance & Entertainment. Today, she performs, teaches, mentors, and choreographs with a focus on helping others discover the same confidence and connection dance brought back into her own life.

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