.png)
I met the twins, Jerni and Jaidyn McKenzie, at my friend's family reunion in 2022. Everyone was praising their incredible dancing skills. It wasn't until a year later that I watched a video of them, and since then, I've been trying to arrange an interview with their mother. They are extraordinary. Garden Spices is pleased to welcome Tiffinie J. Wilkinson and her twins, Jerni and Jaidyn McKenzie. Gate open - Victorine
Provide us with some background details about the girls.
Identical twins, Jerni Dori’Camille McKenzie and Jaidyn Dori’Camille McKenzie, were born on April 30, 2014, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Tiffinie J. Wilkinson and Jerome McKenzie Jr. They were premature, weighing 4.8 lbs. and 5.3 lbs. They were delivered by cesarean due to having twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a rare condition that occurs in pregnancies where identical twins share a placenta and blood vessels. They were delivered 2 minutes apart. They spent 3 weeks in the NICU before they came home.
Fun Fact: I did not find out I had twins until I was six and a half months. I had two ultrasounds completed, and each showed only one baby.
The twins have an older sister, Rae’Ven, age 21, from their mother and four older siblings from their father, two girls and two boys. They are in 5th grade at Rutledge Pearson Elementary School. They are members of the Pearls of Perfection (a mentoring group for young ladies) and the National Junior Honor Society.
It's rare to see twin pairs in dance; when did they begin dancing?
The twins have been dancing since they began walking. Any music they heard would inspire them to start moving. They started formal dance instruction at age 3. While attending Kidsville Daycare, they participated in a dance program through the Jacksonville Center of the Arts dance school under the direction of Ms. Kezia Rolle. Ms. Rolle would visit the daycare weekly and instruct the students in dance. When the program concluded at the daycare, Ms. Rolle asked them to continue their instruction by enrolling in her dance program. Ms. Rolle stated that the twins had “dancer’s legs” and that she could see them being successful in dance.
I hereby declare that I do not own the rights to this music/song. All rights belong to the owner. No Copyright Infringement Intended
How did you motivate them?
The twins need very little if any, encouragement. They were natural-born dancers. They love dancing, especially when they can dance together. They are constantly watching dance videos and learning new tricks that they can incorporate into their dancing. Through dancing, they have gained new friends, traveled to different places, and have opportunities to show their talent and skills, all of which motivate them to continue.
In which dance genre do they receive training and perform?
The twins train in ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, hip hop, tap, and most recently pointe.
List some events and locations where they have showcased their performances. Do they participate in competitions?
The twins have danced in the Golden Nutcracker at WJCT, the Florida Theater and the Lazarra Theater at Univ. of North Florida, the yearly Martin Luther King Parade through downtown Jacksonville, various performances for Black History Month at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, nursing homes and the Ritz theater and annual recitals at the Florida Theater.
The twins are part of the Jacksonville Center of the Arts competition team. They are currently in their 3rd year on the team. During the first 2 years, they competed in 8 Florida and North Carolina competitions. They participated in group dances and duos. Their duos have consistently won 1st place in all but one of the competitions. Their group performances have placed in the top 5 of all the competitions, three of which were 1st place. They have a shadow box to hold all their award pins/medals in our home's entertainment center for all to see.
Girls, what do you love about dancing?
Jerni-“I love dance because I get to embrace my feelings. I was not good when I was younger, so I told myself I would improve. When I became older, I improved because I got my splits and learned how to do many tricks.”
Jaidyn- “I love dance because it helps me share my feelings, and I like hanging out with my friends.”
Do you love dancing together?
Jerni- “I love dancing with Jaidyn because she is my sister, and when we dance together, we connect. We make the dance special.”
Jaidyn- “I love dancing with Jerni because we connect. I like to compete with her.”
Fun fact: I had the girls go to separate areas and write the answers to the questions. They did not have a chance to read each other's answers.
I do not own the rights to this music/song. All rights belong to the owner. No Copyright Infringement Intended
What do you look forward to in 2025? How will your dancing goals shift?
Because they need to learn to dance separately, the twins have decided to try dancing solo in addition to duos and groups for the 2025 competition season. They will also begin en pointe training as well. The goal is to eventually dance in the part of the Kuba dolls in the Golden Nutcracker. They plan to continue competing and traveling to different cities to meet and dance with new instructors. Once they reach the age requirements, they want to attend intensive dance programs for companies such as the American Ballet Theater (ABT), the Rock School of Dance Education, Joffrey Ballet, and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA). Both girls plan to continue dancing through college and beyond.
Jerni and Jaidyn
That’s my girls slay