Travis and Jaimee’s story begins with the start of the new millennium. BYU-Idaho, then Ricks College, was holding annual ballroom dance summer camps. Travis, an immature 16, and Jaimee, a wise 14, were both attending camp. They would meet for the first time during the course of the week. Their first meeting would not be as the saying goes, “love at first sight”, nor would be the second or the third meeting, as they were both fairly oblivious of each other. They would say that they were just acquaintances, remembering very little of one another.
After three years of attending these camps, Travis and Jaimee still barely knew each other and if anything, the future wasn’t looking bright for them. Jaimee recalls talking with her girlfriends at the time about the boys they met at camp saying, “that Travis kid is kind of weird. I can’t imagine ever being with him.” Little did she know, it would be just the opposite.
There was a two year break in their relationship, if you can call it that. Travis served a two year mission for their church in Mexico and Jaimee graduated from high school and attended BYU-Idaho. As Travis was returning home from his mission and preparing to leave for BYU in Provo, Utah, Jaimee was also making preparations to transfer to the same university.
Their reunion at school was an uneventful one, which left them saying to themselves, “it’s that kid from dance camp.” Their first year, they had little contact with each other. They were in different majors; Jaimee, Mathematics and Travis really didn’t know what he was doing. Also, they were on two different teams out of the five that exist in the ballroom program.
The following year they were both placed on the top Touring Team in the company. As the year went on, they had a lot more contact with each other during rehearsals and tours. Travis also needed help with his calculus homework, so he was able to coax Jaimee into tutoring him. The extra time spent together between team and tutoring sessions allowed them to start building a great friendship.
The formation team experience at BYU gave Travis and Jaimee many opportunities that they would not have had otherwise. With the team they were able to tour much of the U.S., England, Scotland, Hong Kong, and China.
After a few months on the team together, their friendship quickly developed into a relationship and then into a courtship. By the following summer Travis and Jaimee were engaged and then married in September of 2008.
At this point in their relationship, they decided it was time to try dancing together competitively. With prior partners they had both competed in all styles of ballroom, but they both had a passion for American Smooth. Their passion showed, bringing with it immediate success. Travis and Jaimee earned themselves two consecutive NDCA Amateur American Smooth titles.
Their success certainly didn’t come easy. Juggling full time class load with homework, team rehearsals and shows, work, and individual competitive practice and competitions was a hard task.
Despite the obstacles, Travis and Jaimee were able to finish their schooling at BYU quickly. With Jaimee’s diligence, she was able to help Travis settle on a major that worked well for him. In April of 2010, Jaimee graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in actuarial science and a minor in ballroom dance and Travis graduated with a Bachelor’ s degree in Spanish with a minor in ballroom dance as well.
While preparing for graduation, Travis and Jaimee pondered on what career path they would choose. Because of their success as amateurs and the encouragement they received, Travis and Jaimee decided to make dance their profession.
They were excited about the prospects of being professional ballroom dancers, but knew if they wanted to make it, they would need to move to be closer to the industries leading coaches.
A mutual friend helped Travis and Jaimee secure a position working for the famous Gary and Diana McDonald. With their coaching and support, Travis and Jaimee burst into the professional field with immediate success.
In their first year of competing professionally they were able win many Rising Star including the Ohio Star Ball and Manhattan, as well as making many Open Professional finals. Theatre Arts also became a strength for this bright couple. Combining a high quality of dancing and technical, skillful lift work, Travis and Jaimee won over the judges and secured a first place victory their first year competing Theatre Arts at the Ohio Star Ball, as well as receive an invitation to perform their solo at the Blackpool dance festival.
The future is bright for this hard working couple. Only time will tell what is in store for them.