Off-Leash Area cofounder Jennifer Ilse studied dance in Duluth, Minnesota at the Duluth Dance Theater before moving to Oregon and studied at the Eugene Ballet, Musical Feet tap school, and at the University of Oregon. She performed four seasons with the Dance Theatre of Oregon, a modern dance company creating original works under the direction of Marc Siegel and Pamela Lehan-Siegel, whose choreography is inspired by their history with David Parsons, Ballet West, and Ballet Trockadero. After moving to Minneapolis in 1997, she met Paul Herwig and found a new home with this weird artistic hybrid they decided to call Off-Leash Area. She also worked on a number of dance projects over 6 years with choreographer Gerry Girouar.