Meet Our Coach
Walled Lake Western Athletics Coordinator Sara DiBartolomeo and Walled Lake Athletic Director Brian Swinehart announced the hiring of LaTasha Tillman as the new Varsity Dance coach
at Walled Lake Western.
Tillman comes to Western with over twenty years of coaching experience, working with both dance and cheer teams. Prior to accepting the Western job, Tillman was the head coach of the Oakland University Dance Team.
DiBartolomeo is excited about having such an experienced coach like Tillman on board at Western. “We’re looking forward to seeing the growth and development Coach Tillman is able to accomplish in the upcoming years with the dance team. She comes to us with a wealth of dance knowledge and experience—all of which will be crucial to building a successful program.”
When looking at the big picture, DiBartolomeo said, “At Western, Coach Tillman will have a group of passionate dancers who are craving the high school dance experience outside of their own day-to-day studio lifestyle. The WLW Dance Team will bring a whole new energy to Friday night football games in the fall and basketball games next winter.”
The veteran coach is very excited about the opportunity to head the Warriors’ dance program. “I was intrigued to apply for this job after seeing the talented dancers at Walled Lake Western. Unfortunately, with Covid-19 presenting itself in our country, placed a huge setback to all athletic programs around the globe. I felt it was right to lend not only a hand to the program, but my expertise as well to help build this program.”
A cheerleading and dancer throughout her high school years, and later a head coach at the collegiate level, Tillman knows what it takes for one to excel and succeed in the sport.
When asked about her coaching philosophy, Tillman replied, “I stand by the philosophy that of what you put into your craft will be your output. Commitment is ‘key’, not only should an athlete commit to practices, but the work they put in outside of practice shows true commitment, dedication, and continuous development.”
Outside of coaching NCAA dance, Tillman also headed the 2016 Dance and Pom Pon Annual Competition at the former Michigan State Fair. She also has experience with the Camp Pro Staff as an annual choreographer and even serves as a guest speaker for dancers aspiring to dance professionally.
As a professional dancer herself, Tillman was a team member of the Detroit Pistons’ Dance Team, Automotion. She has also danced with Mary J Blige, Gladys Knight, Brian Friedman, and Debbie Gibson over the years as a pro.
Tillman still finds time to rotate to studios to assist with competition choreography, master classes, company auditions, and make-up and hair techniques. She also judges competitions sponsored by the NCAA, NBA, and NFL.
Tillman is anxious to get started at Western, and says that she has the following goals in mind already. “My goal is to rebuild the dance team into a solid program by creating a presence within the school, student body, and the district. My mission is to coach the dancers to their potential dance career, and prepare them for college opportunities.”