Jessica “Jaye” Mackinson received her training as a scholarship student at the Milwaukee Ballet School. She attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet School, Vail Dance Festival, Chautauqua Dance Circle, and the Rock School for Dance. She has performed professionally with Milwaukee Ballet, BalletMet, Madison Ballet, Rockford Dance Company, Elements Contemporary Ballet, and Indiana Ballet Theater. Mackinson earned her bachelor’s degree from Rockford University, where she also served as a professor of dance. She has worked as the national program manager for Design Dance, interim director of Rockford Dance Company, and company manager/ballet mistress for Ballet Fantastique. Mackinson has taught for many organizations, including Ballet Chicago, Central Midwest Ballet, the School of Madison Ballet, and Eugene Ballet Academy. Mackinson co-founded the nonprofit organization Fermata Ballet Collective in 2020, and currently serves as the board president. She is a professor of dance at Penn State Altoona and lives in Pennsylvania with her partner and children.