Jesse Hernandez - Head Coach - Ragin' Jazz - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Jesse Hernandez

Title:
Head Coach - Ragin' Jazz
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Jesse, a native from Maurice Louisiana, has been dancing since the age of two with 28 years of performance experience and 15 years of teaching experience. Hernandez began his dance education at Jill Listi Dance Studio, River Dance Centre, and The Lafayette Ballet Theatre. While studying with these studios, Jesse competed on local, regional, and national levels where he won many dance titles and scholarships. Jesse was a member of his high school dance team, the NV Dreams, for two years and was elected co-captain his senior year. Jesse was selected to be a UDA staff member and currently travels around the nation to teach, choreograph, and judge for numerous high school and college dance teams. Jesse has also traveled to London and Rome with UDA for the New Year’s Day parades where he taught a routine to the varsity performers.

Hernandez is currently in his 9th year with Universal Dance Association where he is a head instructor for summer camps, choreography staff, core staff, competition judge, and a member of the curriculum committee. Jesse furthered his dance career in the professional realm, where he became the first male cheerleader in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and cheered for three seasons. Jesse began his coaching career with the Gator Girls, which was the pro cheer/dance team for the professional hockey league team in Lafayette. He was also head coach of the Lafayette High Lionettes dance team for three years and won a national championship with the team in 2021. He currently choreographs for Lafayette High, recent winners of the Hip Hop Battle Cup at Dance Team Union Nationals. Jesse choreographs and consults with numerous teams in the south during nationals season where all of the teams he worked with have placed in the top 5 and have made finals at UDA and DTU Nationals in the 2023 season.

During the fall of 2021, Jesse brought his talents and expertise to the Big Ten Conference, where he served as the head coach of the Penn State Lionettes dance team for two years. During his time as coach, the Lionettes received national recognition at the Universal Dance Association College Dance Team National Championship and made program history by advancing to finals in both jazz and pom divisions in in 2023.