MEET THE STAFF
LORNA EDWARDS
STUDIO OWNER, DANCE INSTRUCTOR, STUDIO MANAGER
Originally from Savannah, GA, Lorna has been dancing since the age of 4, and began studying to become a dance teacher at the age of 12. She has trained in multiple disciplines including, but not limited to ballet, pointe, tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and modern. Lorna has been in several productions with Columbia City Ballet, was part of an advertisement flash mob for Lindt Chocolate, and was formerly a member of the tap dance company Noise Complaint. She graduated with an Associates in the Arts. Lorna loves working with kids and sharing her passion for dance!
ALEXIS "LXS" NAJARRO
STUDIO OWNER, DANCE & MUSIC INSTRUCTOR, MARKETING MANAGER
Alexis Najarro p.k.a LXS was a recording artist for Melting Pop Records, a record label based in Los Angeles, CA. She debuted as a solo R&B artist in July 2019 with an original composition called “Halfway”, which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and most major distribution companies. She was also the lead vocalist of the pop group, StaticeQuo, which debuted in August 2019. She received her AA degree in Musical Theatre from Florida School of the Arts, is currently pursuing her BFA in Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking at the University of North Florida, and is certified in Music Production from Point Blank Music School based in the UK. As a singer, her background includes various performances such as being featured with the Charlotte County Symphony, being a featured performer at the Filipino Pride Day Showcase in Jacksonville, as well as a finalist at the International Modeling and Talent Assoc. Showcase in Los Angeles. She has also been in many online projects, which included being a part of Cube Entertainment and Soompi’s Rising Legends: Season 2, which was a talent contest based in South Korea as well as having featured in tracks for ACUK, an anime cover band based in the UK. She was also featured on the track “You & Me” by Spiked Grin, which was released by the Swedish record label, Elixir Records. Currently, she is a verified artist on her very active YouTube channel and was also the lead singer for the British metal band, DAM.G. Her dance background includes training in Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Ballet, and has shared her teaching with various institutions. She was also a dance captain and had choreography featured in a professional tap company, where she performed on a national level. She has also choreographed and performed in many musicals, which include Anything Goes, Suessical, The Wiz, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Godspell and many more, for various theatre companies and schools.
PAM LITZ
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Pamela Litz was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. At the age of two, Pamela began training under Debra Peters Rankin at Baggs Studio of Ballet. Through Rankin, she performed with Jacksonville’s Community Nutcracker, where she danced most roles from Mouse to Dew Drop and Christmas Spirit. In these years, she worked with many choreographers such as Mark Spivak and Dulce Anaya. She attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts for high school, and graduated from Jacksonville University with a BFA in dance and a minor in Business Administration. Through the years she has performed as a guest artist in Cinderella as Cinderella under the artistic direction of Debra Rankin and Suzanne Saltmarsh, and the Community Nutcracker as Christmas Spirit. Pamela has a strong background in ballet, contemporary, and modern, and hopes to teach students to trust their technical abilities and use dance as a tool for expression.
ERI MCWILLIAMS
DANCE, ZUMBA, & RIBBON INSTRUCTOR
Born in Yokohama, Japan, Eri started performing at the age of 8 years old with a county wide dance program . She majored in dance at the Japanese Women’s Junior College of Physical Education followed by several years of teaching Jazz, Ballet, and Rhythm Gymnastics.
After moving to New York City to train with Dance New Amsterdam, she joined various dance companies and performed for several years.
Eri is a skilled dancer and choreographer with over ten years of experience in various techniques such as Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Rhythm Gymnastics, and Zumba.
She is a certified in Simonson Modern Jazz Dance instruction, Zumba, Zumba kids, Zumba kids Jr, and Zumba gold.
ERIN WILSON
DANCE & ACRO INSTRUCTOR
Erin Wilson was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and has trained at Asbury Arts Center since the age of 3. She is technically trained in multiple styles such as ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz, and acro. Erin has been involved in many community performances, and has had the opportunity to dance in the St. Augustine Ballet nutcracker from roles ranging from Party girl to Arabian lead. After graduating from Asbury Arts Center in 2023, she is now working towards her Bachelor’s of Arts at the University of North Florida with a major in Early Childhood Development and is a member of the college’s dance team. Erin hopes to audition for the Jag’s cheerleaders within the next year, and continue to teach and spread her passion for dance with her students.
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KAITLIN POTTER
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Kaitlin is a nursing major at the University of North Florida. She started dancing at the age of 3 through her pre k and fell in love with the art. She has danced and competed at North Florida Dance Center for the past 13 years while also assisting and teaching classes. She cheered on Clay High School’s cheer team for multiple seasons and enjoys tumbling. Through dance, she has discovered a passion for helping children and is pursuing a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Kaitlin strongly believes that with hard work and dedication anything is possible.
BREANNA CANNELL
IRISH, DANCE, & TUMBLING INSTRUCTOR
Breanna (Bre) Cannell is originally from a small town in Exeter, PA. She has been dancing from the age of 7 and has been teaching since the age of 16 with Connemara School of Irish Dance. She fell in love with Irish dancing after watching Lord of The Dance on Good Morning America (GMA). She has competed and placed top 3 at several Rince Tuatha Nua (RTN) National Championships, and took 14th in the Cumann Rince Dea Mheasa (CRDM) World Irish Dancing Championship. She also has several students who have placed at other championships under her teaching belt. She has a strong passion for Irish dance and loves teaching boys and girls the unique style of dancing. Aside from Irish step dancing, she works as a Veterinary Technician. She attended college at The Vet Tech Institute (VTI) and graduated with a Specialized Technology degree in Veterinary Technology. Bre has also assisted several dance and tumbling classes here at Asbury Arts.
DEBRA LEVASSEUR-LOTTMAN
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
The many multi-sensory, creative, journeys, as a dancer, choreographer, and dance educator, have brought Debra Levasseur-Lottman to consider her beginnings. Orientation towards the arts started at 8 years old, where she studied International Dance Forms, Social Dance Forms, Ballet and Jazz. While an undergraduate, dance major, at Columbia College Chicago, she studied Performance, Choreography and Dance Ed., which included courses in Ballet, Modern Dance and Post- Modern Dance, as well as Kinesiology for Dancers, which opened her eyes as a dance educator. After graduation, she performed at numerous venues in both Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, which include, “10 Marilyns”, solo-group, performed at Link's Hall; “Ju Sung Kim”, solo-group, performed at MB Financial Bank; “Essence of Being Concert”, and more. During graduate school, at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she worked with national and international student artists creating Interdisciplinary-Multi-Arts Collaborations, with Dance. In 1994, she started her own Dance Company & Collective. ” Dance has always been the centerpiece of my life. Along with my dancing were moments of deep disappointment and loss; loss was always there. I started to dance because it came naturally. Later, I realized that it helped to fill my empty heart; to breathe deeply with life and hope.”
MARTIN FARMER
MUSIC INSTRUCTOR
Originally from Richmond, VA, Martin used to listen to his father play the family baby grand piano every night. Learning the building blocks of musical creation, he later played in bands in junior high and high school. At Virginia Commonwealth University, he majored in musical composition. He is proficient on bass guitar, guitar, piano, drums, and computer audio/midi programming. Marty has played with jazz pianist Marian McPartland, Huey Lewis, Dion, Clarence Clemons, Brazilian Voices, Planet Earth Project, jazz performer George Tandy, jazz flutist and Latin Grammy Award Winner, Nestor Torres and VH1 Dia, Tomey Sellars. His programming includes music for “Little Shop of Horrors,” “The Sound of Music,” and “Lil’ Abner.” He and his family moved to Lake Asbury (with the baby grand) after over 25 years in the Miami music scene. He is most enthusiastic about the beginning student. “The most important thing for first time students is to be excited about the musical experience. I’ve met so many adults that took lessons in grade school only learning to hate it, and quit. What a waste. Appreciation for reading music comes much easier if it is combined with some music theory. It shouldn’t be a chore, but rather a creative experience.”
REGGIE POWERS
MUSIC INSTRUCTOR
Born in North Carolina and raised in Jacksonville, Reggie has been playing the guitar for the past 40 years. His musical influences include Robert Conti, Larry Carlton, Russ Freeman, Pat Metheny, George Benson, Lee Ritenour, Pat Martino and Eric Johnson. Reggie studied under Jazz recording artist Robert Conti during the late 1970's and subsequently performed as Lead guitarist for Pegasus during the 80’s as they toured the Southeast. He has gone on to perform with artists from the bands Exile, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Roadmasters and several local headliners. Reggie also has performed past and present for hundreds of solo and duo engagements. He holds both a BA and MBA from the University of North Florida. Reggie enjoys teaching guitar to the students of North Florida.
ERIN LARSON
APPRENTICE / STUDENT TEACHER
Erin has been dancing with Asbury Arts for 5 years. Hiphop is her favorite style and she has been doing it for all 5 years. She has been an assistant teacher for 2 years and has been closely working under the main hiphop teacher, Miss Alexis. She has also had experience working with special needs students. Her goal for the future is to continue working in the education system specializing with younger students.
JULIE LACOUTURE
APPRENTICE / STUDENT TEACHER
Julie Lacouture has been dancing at Asbury Arts since the age of 11 and has competed with the competition team for the past 4 years. She practices a range of dance styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, hip hop, tap, tumbling, and Zumba. Along with dance, Julie has also done gymnastics, cheer and many other sports. She is a well rounded athlete and is always open to trying new things. Julie has been a teaching assistant for the past 3 years alongside many of the studios teachers. She enjoys working with young kids and helping them find the joy in dance. Julie is currently at senior at Clay High School and plans to continue on to community college while pursuing her teaching career at Asbury Arts.