| About
the Founder and Current Owner
Jennifer M. Smith,
founder of Tartan Toes
Dunstaffnage Bay, Oban, Argyll, Scotland
|
Tartan Toes'
founder, Jennifer M. Smith, has a varied background in
Celtic dance. She first joined the Houston branch of
the Royal
Scottish Country Dance Society while in
college, and soon after started taking Scottish Highland
lessons from Ms. Catherine Caldwell in Clear Lake,
Texas. Irish stepdance lessons were next to follow at
the O'Maoileidigh
School in Houston, Texas, and later briefly with Ms. Karen
Devaraux in Aberdeen, Scotland.
In July 2008, Jennifer began a new chapter of her life,
marrying her Scottish fiancee, Kevin, and preparing for a
move to Mumbai, India. Tartan Toes needed a new home and
owner, and so Tartan Toes was sold to Jennifer "New
Jennifer" Chase in February of 2008. |
Jennifer Chase, current owner of Tartan
Toes,
Tim, Madeline and Michael Chase
The Ring of Brogar
Orkney Islands
Scotland |
Jennifer Chase, an
Irish dance mother, was very excited to carry on Tartan Toes
excellent reputation. Jennifer has lived all over - born in
Michigan, she lived in Chicago and eventually her parents
settled in Houston, Texas. She enjoyed traveling to Europe
several times in high school with her German Club
classmates. She left Houston to attend St. Louis University
where she met her husband, Tim a St. Louis native. After
living and working in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, high in the
Bavarian Alps, Jennifer returned to St. Louis where they
were married in November of 1999. Following the birth of
their daughter in Houston, they relocated to South Bend,
Indiana where Tim received his MBA from Notre Dame. After a
few great years watching Fighting Irish football games, and
enjoying LOTS of snow, Tim took a position that eventually
led to a secondement in London, England just 3 months after
their son Michael was born.
|
Jennifer, Madeline, and Michael
Muiredach High Cross
Monasterboice,
County Louth
Ireland
|
While living in
London (Wimbledon to be exact), the Chase family took
advantage of their time across the pond to travel
extensively, both in England, Scotland and Ireland, but also
The Netherlands, France, Germany, and Austria. The family
especially enjoyed a fantastic trip to Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. Jennifer is particularly interested in history,
especially the prehistoric British Isles and Celtic
societies of the Alpine regions, and many excursions were
made to look at tombs, settlements, stone circles, salt
mines, and castles.
(Madeline often asks, "Why do you like ROCKS so much,
Mommy?") Early Christian Ireland is also of particular
interest to Jennifer, as the great - grandaughter of
immigrants from County Clare.
|
Jennifer and Madeline
Skara Brae (the most complete Neolithic
settlement in Europe)
Bay of Skaill
Orkney Islands
Scotland
|
Jennifer currently
fills her time outside of Tartan Toes playing with 3 yr
Michael, organizing 8 yr old Madeline's feis bag, vacuuming
her Great Pyrenees Rockne's fur, keeping Artemis the grouchy
tabby cat happy, reading and baking. A catechist for the
summer CCE program at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church,
she is also highly involved with her daughter's Irish dance
school, heading up their annual St. Patrick's day float. In
her very precious extra time, she enjoys making her
trademark Connemara Marble and Celtic themed jewelry. |
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