THE PATH TO DANCE

Lillian Wetzel, a native to Mid-Missouri, began her dance and movement journey as a child. Lillian credits her growth as a dancer and artist to numerous teachers and mentors over her formative years. Her early training was predominantly in Classical Ballet Methods including RAD (The Royal Academy of Dance), Ceccetti and Vaganova. Throughout her high school and college years she was fortunate enough to attend pre-professional dance intensives in the Summer months, some include: Ballet Magnificat!, Ad Deum Dance Company, Joffrey Ballet School NYC, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. Lillian holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Belhaven University with a duel emphasis in Ballet and Modern dance. During her undergraduate studies, she explored Neoclassical Ballet styles and fell in love with Contemporary Ballet and the Gaga movement language. From 2020-2022 she was the Dance Director for Presser Performing Arts Center. She continues to dance professionally and instructs Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Improvisational Dance, Modern Dance and coaches pre-professional dancers. She currently teaches dance at Alpine Dance Academy in Frisco, CO and is the Dance Ministry Director (little mustard seeds dance ministry) at Agape Outpost Church in Breckenridge, CO.

NABA© MOVEMENT COLLECTIVE

In 2017, Lillian developed her own movement practice/collective called Naba©. The root word “Naba” comes from the Hebrew language meaning "to flow", "to bubble up" and "to spring forth". The ancient meaning of this word means “to speak forth”, “to proclaim” and “ecstatic illumination”. These meanings resonate greatly within Lillian and this movement process.

Her inspiration comes from the Gaga movement language. Gaga was born in Israel and created by Ohad Naharin. She has curated a culmination of movement methods and explorative exercises for both dancers and non-dancers. Like Gaga, there is no use of mirrors in a Naba class. It is Lillian’s desire that in this process movers will step into a place of deepened self-awareness, discovering further their body, brain and soul and learning how to express it. Additionally, finding connection with others by igniting the lost practice of curiosity through movement.

THE GYROKINESIS® & GYROTONIC® METHOD

Lillian often struggled with common dance injuries, fatigues and physical pains in her life and career as a dancer. However, after discovering the Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic Method, she began to feel drastic improvements in her stability, strength and overall health. Her daily performance through training in the studio and performing on stage changed for the better. Aside from other movement methods she had implemented in her life, the Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic Method allowed her to bounce back into the body she could be in control of again. In a time when she was about to call it quits with her dancing career, she was met with a great amount of hope, physical healing and empowerment. Lillian became a Certified Gyrotonic Trainer in 2018.

Lillian has worked closely with Master Trainers Jennifer DePalo-Peterson, Lindsey Hansen-Sturm and ClydeRae Jolie-Ashe throughout her training and Apprenticeship. She has taught the Gyrotonic Method at Gyrotonic® BODHI located in Boulder, CO as well as Center Strength Studios in Denver, CO. Through her continuing education she has completed Gyrotonic Applications for Dancers Level 1 with Miriam Barbosa. In 2023, Lillian became a Certified Gyrokinesis Trainer under the guidance of Jenifer DePalo-Peterson and Mariam Barbosa. She currently teaches Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic inside Spheeris Pilates & Wellness Studio in Breckenridge, CO.

THE PURSUIT + APPROACH TO TEACHING

Lillian is a passionate teacher and is fully present with her clients each and every day. When it comes to the pursuit of one’s health and wellness, she embraces and shares a holistic and natural approach. She loves investigating and providing better self-care habits through clean eating, injury prevention methods and in the studio/at home therapeutic plans. She is deeply committed and motivated in helping each one of her clients reach their personal goals and highest levels of health and happiness. She is attentive to seeing each person as an individual and meeting them where they are at and helping them get through physical and mental obstacles. Lillian cares a great deal in being clear, consistent, and logical when explaining movements and giving cues. It is paramount to her to see that her clients understand why they are doing certain movements and how to do them safely and correctly.

Lillian continuously works to create an environment for her clients to experience renewal, calm and restoration as well as motivation, courage and energy in each session and class. She loves to hear her clients share with her about the challenging movements and the “aha!” moments they have experienced in their bodies. She hopes that people would be transformed by the freedom and power that can be found within movement and that they would continue to live more abundantly physically, mentally and spiritually!

Lillian currently resides in the lovely mountain town of Summit County, Colorado with her husband and is the proud founder of Remedy in Motion LLC. While she is normally in constant motion, she is also passionate about exploring the wilderness and enjoys guiding backpacking courses in the Summer months for Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries (SROM). Lillian loves rock climbing with her husband and is most recently savoring the precious moments of being a new mother!

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

— Acts 17:28

Qualifications