MEET YOUR
empowered faculty
EMPOWERED DIRECTORS & choreographers
JILLIAN LEWIS (INTERNAL ADMIN "THE WIZ", REHEARSAL DIRECTOR & TAP CHOREOGRAPHER)
Jill is our ANGEL! And she’s a total nerd :) haha. j/k but for real! She’s our internal administrator, rehearsal director and choreographer extraordinaire!
Jillian is a tap dancer originally from upstate New York. She began dancing at the age of three and grew up training in many styles of dance, but her biggest passion was always tap. After moving to Charleston in 2010, Jillian trained and performed with The Charleston Dance Project for four years before she shifted her focus to teaching. Since then, she has worked to grow the tap programs at several studios in the Charleston area. Her students are consistently recognized at conventions, competitions, and tap festivals, and have been accepted into pre-professional programs and apprenticeships with tap masters such as Savion Glover and Dianne Walker. Most recently, Jillian has also been honored to guest teach and choreograph at various studios throughout the Carolinas. She loves sharing her passion for tap dance with students of all levels and challenging them to reach their fullest potential as both dancers and musicians. Founder of BLENDED RHYTHMS TAP INTENSIVE, she is excited for this opportunity to bring tap dancers together from across the lowcountry, and is forever thankful to Jenny and DanceLab for making it possible!!
MIGUEL ROBINSON (REHEARSAL DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER)
We’re so STOKED! Miguel will be one of our rehearsal directors for this Empowered Season setting competition and concert work on our COMP & ADV TRACK EMPOWERED CO, as well as training all upper level Hip Hop and Contemporary Jazz dancers. This man’s resume is unbelievable. His choreography is truly something to behold. Dancing on tour with artists like Mariah Carey has left him with SO much wisdom to share with EMPOWERED CO. His movement is challenging, fierce, fast-paced and eye quenching! His choreography has been described among the dancers as the most satisfying to execute because of how hard they have to work to make it streamlined and rockin'. You will probably never work harder than you do in a Miguel class or piece!
CAMILLE CABRERA (REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, INSTRUCTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER)
Camille is the NEWEST mad scientist to our team! Hailing from Dale Lam in Columbia, she is a beautiful addition to the Empowered moment. She will be training dancers in tricks, leaps, turns, contemporary and improv along with weekly rehearsals and movement!
TAYLOR SOLOMON (REHEARSAL DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER)
Taylor will be training and setting competition and concert work for our Empowered Company! Hailing from Peace, Love, Hip Hop…Taylor is the ultimate lover of hip hop and she is the ultimate hype-man. Known for her energetic and fun classes, you can expect dope music, strong and powerful movement, and a sprinkle of grooves.
AMANDA EVANS (BALLET GURU)
Amanda will be training so many of our EMPOWERED MOVERS in Ballet this season. She will also be setting some awesome repertoire for RAT KING (Waltz of the Solo Cups!) :)
LAURA BLAND (MASTERMIND MOVEMAKER)
Laura Bland is the amazing Director of RAT KING and will be setting some killer choreo on our Empowered movers this season! She’s beyond stoked to work with everyone!!!
NATASHA NAST (BALLERINA EXTRAORDINAIRE)
Natasha will be training our Foundations and Level 3/4 Empowered Ballerinas! We love her vibe and her gusto!
JESS BYRNE (TAP CHOREOGRAPHER)
Jess will be taking a step back as an instructor this season, but she will still be CREATING on her own, AND with Jill! WOO HOO! Jess has been teaching tap classes for us for a 3 seasons now, and we adore her! Her choreography and entertainment value knock it out of the park. Her movement NEEDS to be on the competition & concert stage!
ERICA CAPDEVILA (INSTRUCTOR)
Erica Cap is our technician to get our Level 1 contemporary movers lookin’ right and feeling GREAT!
COURTNEY WACHTEL (TAP INSTRUCTOR)
One of our newest additions to the Empowered Team! Courtney is a WHATS ON TAP company member and will be training our Foundations and L1 dancers this season! Her warm energy will be sure to ignite the TAPASSION in each dancer!