Barnes enthused about Civic Center job

Jen Barnes received a little help from Michael Thrower to fill about 4000 eggs that were used during the Easter egg hunts Saturday at McMinnville Civic Center. A high-five is a way to say thanks.

?It?s been wonderful to be here,? said Jen Barnes, who has been on the job about two weeks. ?These two weeks have just flown by.?

Barnes is not new to the area as she grew up here. Paula?s Dance Academy is owned by her mother.

?I grew up with dance,? said Barnes. ?I started dancing when I was 8. Dancing has been a part of my life in one way or another.?

While attending Warren County High School, Barnes joined the Pioneerette dance team. She graduated in 1998 with a dance scholarship. She attended college at the University of Memphis.

?In the year 2000,? said Barnes, ?our team won nationals. That was very exciting.?

She attended college for four years and graduated in 2002 with a business degree.

Among the list of exciting things that have happened throughout her dancing career, Barnes has cheered for the Memphis Redbirds for four years. She has danced professionally for the NBA and NFL and danced two years for the Memphis Grizzlies and one year for the Tennessee Titans team.

She later became a licensed realtor and ended up in Nashville. While working as a realtor, she missed the excitement of dance.

?I would drive here every week to teach a hip hop class,? said Barnes, ?I really wanted a job that would let me do everything I wanted.?

She found what she wanted in McMinnville.

?This job was exactly what I was looking for,? said Barnes, ?because I want to do different things. I love to dance, athletics, decorating and planning things. This job is perfect for me.?

Although the last two weeks have been a little hectic, Barnes still looks forward to every day.

?My heart told me to come here and do this,? said Barnes, ?so I?m following my heart on this one. Sometimes I can?t believe I?m getting paid to do this. I?ve never felt that way. I?m getting paid to have fun and do things I like to do.?

Barnes does look forward to the day when she has everything under control. Given a couple of months, Barnes is confident this will happen.

?I always tell myself that I?m going to get a few things done today,? said Barnes. ?Within a couple months, I?m going to look back and can?t believe I was so stressed. That?s how it is with any job I?ve ever had. That?s how it will be this time, hopefully.?

As for dance, Barnes still teaches her hip hop class at Paula?s Dance Academy.