Jillian was born in Pasadena, CA and grew up in Upland before moving to Orange County as a teenager to attend San Clemente and Capistrano Valley High Schools. She has 
watched the area grow from a sleepy suburb of LA to The OC. A Pi Beta Phi at UCI, she received both her BA and her Masters in a five year program that awarded both degrees. Jillian has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the South Pacific and parts of Canada sampling the local cuisine and dancing with the locals!
In her teens and twenties, Jillian was a professional ballet dancer with the world-renown Ballet Pacifica and in her thirties she was artistic director of the Camino Real Playhouse for seven years and at that time founded the West Coast Ten Minute Play Festival and Contest which ran for over ten years first in San Juan Capistrano and later at the Vanguard Theatre in Fullerton.
Jillian discovered the world of ballroom dancing in her thirties and applied her extensive training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap and acting to learning the graceful American Smooth and zesty American Rhythm partner dancing. She initially studied under Latin professional Peta Siddall and after she turned professional, went on to coach with numerous champions including: Michael Mead and Toni Redpath; American Smooth, Igor and Irina Suvorov; Standard, Nadia Eftedal; Latin & Rhythm and Brian & Kristi McDonald; Standard.
Currently, Jillian is an independent ballroom dance instructor and theatrical director who teaches American Smooth and Rhythm dancing to social dancers, competition bound couples, brides and grooms and wedding party members. She also coaches professional ballroom and Latin couples in acting techniques who want to add extra pizzazz to their showcase and competition routines.
Jillian teaches: Waltz,
Foxtrot, Tango & Argentine Tango, Viennese Waltz, Rumba,
Mambo & Salsa, Cha-Cha, East & West Coast Swing, Night
Club Two Step, Country Western Line Dancing & Country Western Couples Dancing, Social
& Competition Dancing, Renaissance & American Civil War Dancing, Wedding Dance, Father Daughter Dance, Mother Son Dance and Debutante Father Daughter Dance. |
She has competed at the following competitions:
