Jillian Michaels
Owner, Artistic Director, Ballet, Progressing Ballet Technique, Pointe, Preparatory, Adaptive Dance
Jillian is inspired by being a forever student, making passing that knowledge onto the next generation her mission. She believes dance education is a forever cycle where the student and instructor inspire each other and together they grow.
Jillian Michaels has been teaching dance for over 20 years. She worked in Jacksonville at 3 studios while earning her BA in Dance Education. During this time she interned with some of the top performing arts schools in the nation. She founded, established, and ran a dance program at NAF Atsugi outside of Tokyo, Japan for 5 years. The foundation she built for the program gave it the means to still exist today, 8 years after leaving. Since being back in the United States, Jillian has worked for 3 studios serving as Ballet Director, Artistic Director, and Instructor. She was an adjunct professor of Ballet at University of Tampa for 3 years and still returns as a guest speaker and choreographer. Jillian also was a dance teacher at Philip Shore Elementary Arts Magnet School. She has worked at Longleaf Elementary School during the week as choreographer for their nationally acclaimed show choir and assisted with the establishment of a dance program that helped them earn the credit as a Florida Arts Model School. Jillian was cofounder and artistic director of Pasco Performing Arts Council. Also, founder and creator of Power-Barre dance based fitness focused on injury prevention and rehabilitation for her students. Ms. Michaels is a certified American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum® instructor, Preprimary- Level 8/Partnering and has also completed Physically Integrated Dance training with Axis Dance Company. She was proud to host Progressing Ballet Technique at Jacksonville University, obtaining certification of all 3 levels. Jillian is also a National Dance Education Organization member and National Honor Dance Society chapter advisor. Ms Michaels most recently stepped down as Executive Director of our beautiful downtown historic Richey Suncoast Theatre and is proud to host and direct the annual community Nutcracker and Scholarship Gala there!
Favorite Inspiration: Students
Favorite Way to Learn: Colleagues who have knowledge that I do not YET have.
Favorite Style of Dance: Ballet
Favorite Music: Jazz Standards
GOALS:
To bring more dance, art, and culture into our immediate community. To expose our local community of dancers to the world of dance that exists in the professional and educational world of dance, not just commercial.
To continue learning with future trainings coming up in the immediate year: Dance for Everyone, Brain Dance cognitive integration; 200 hour Yoga Alliance Certification (in process), Arial Yoga Certification
