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My name is Jen, but you can call me Skooch. I’m a DJ and I live in a beautiful, cozy midcentury modern ranch in Portsmouth, NH with my wife and our two elderly pugs.
I was born in Queens, NY and grew up on Long Island. I bounced my way up the Northeast seaboard, studying physical therapy at Quinnipiac College in Hamden, CT, and achieving my M.Ed. in higher education research and administration from UMass Amherst. I took my first professional job as a residence hall director at the University of New Hampshire in Durham in 2002.
One could say my path to becoming a DJ was a bit non-traditional…but then again, so am I. I’ve never really been able to sit still. I get bored easily and have a constantly present unquenched urge for learning and trying new things. This is not to say I can’t commit; in fact, there are a lot of things I’ve done for long periods of time without losing interest. But over the years I’ve learned to embrace being a Jen of All Trades, which is ultimately what led me to DJing. (By the way…did you know the full phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” originated as a complimentary description of William Shakespeare? Go ahead and fact check it - it’s true!)
In 2014 I was working as a corporate marketing strategist and finishing my MBA at UNH when I became pals with DJ Jodi, known for her wildly popular women’s tea dances in Ogunquit, ME. She asked me if I had any interest in learning how to DJ so I could work some gigs for her. And that was that. (This is also how I met my wife, by the way…more about that in a future blog!)
On the Monday before Christmas 2017, my corporate position was eliminated and I was unemployed for the first time in my life. It really sucked, but looking back I’m glad it happened. Six months earlier, my dad had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and not having a full-time job allowed me to spend invaluable time with him before he passed in June 2018.
For the next couple years, I would stay busy doing freelance work at Fast Girl Productions by day, building and implementing creative custom marketing solutions for a handful of small businesses alongside my incredibly talented wife (she started FGP in January 2006). By night, I built my DJ side-hustle into a strong part-time business with a focus on community and fundraising events, and I had an almost-fully-booked 2020 calendar.
Well. We all know what happened next: A global pandemic. In the blink of an eye, every 2020 gig was canceled; all of the income I was depending on for the next year was gone. So I went and got myself another full-time job, but that didn’t quite work out as I hoped it would.
I’ve spent the better part of the last three months reflecting on my experiences and the current state of humanity. Where do I fit? What am I meant to do with my time here? How do I help leave this place better than I found it?
I’m ready to build something new – a crusade of inclusion, connection, and empowerment through music and movement. An experience where you can show up and be exactly who you are, exactly as you are, in community with others showing up as their authentic selves. A place where you can shake off the bullshit of oppressive structures created to keep most of us down. A space where you can let loose, have some fun, and envision a world where you love yourself and others enough to work for true justice and equity.
Friends, I am proud to reintroduce myself as DJ Skooch, a badass feminist DJ whose playground is smack-dab in the middle of a radical self-love and community-focused revolution. And I invite you to join me for the re-launch of my signature program, WAKE + RAVE.
WAKE + RAVE is a high-intensity, mood-boosting, stress-busting, soul-filling, boogie-like-nobody’s-watching morning dance party to kickstart your day so you can slay. Orchestrated every Wednesday AM via livestream, WAKE + RAVE is a virtual space where participants experience the combined benefits of music, movement, and connection:
MUSIC // Research has shown that listening to music reduces anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improves mood, mental alertness, and memory. Each week, I curate a playlist guaranteed to get you pumped to slay your day!
MOVEMENT // Dancing floods your brain with "happy hormones" that are great for your mind + body: dopamine (pleasure), oxytocin (connection), serotonin (contentment), and endorphins (pain-relief). When you tap into your body’s ability to produce its own “medicine,” you become your own superhero!
CONNECTION // Enjoying song + dance in community with other like-minded individuals takes the health benefits of music + movement to another level. Come back each week to "dance with" other WAKE + RAVERS from the comfort of your own home!
WAKE + RAVE kicks off online Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 7AM Eastern. Participating is easy: Get your ticket, wake up day-of, change your clothes or stay in your PJs, grab a glass of water, join via the provided Zoom link, and DANCE YOUR FACE OFF!
To celebrate the re-launch of WAKE + RAVE, I am offering all four Wednesdays in January 2022 FREE - just use promo code GETSKOOCHED at checkout.
WAKE + RAVE is more than just a morning dance party. It’s a justice crusade. Join us – the revolution needs you!
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