Founder / Artistic Director

Joel Aguilera is a Houston-based choreographer, instructor, and performer with an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a BFA in Dance from the University of Houston. He has performed nationally and internationally, with credits in Albania, Montenegro, France, and New York. Joel has worked alongside Grammy Award–winning artists including Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Joel currently serves as an adjunct professor, teaching Hip Hop at the University of Houston and San Jacinto College, in addition to teaching at studios across the Greater Houston area. Aguilera has choreographed works for University of Houston, Lamar University, Principia College, San Jacinto College, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Houston Community College, Westside High School, and Bailando Dance Festival. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Mezclada Dance Company, where he has presented work in Houston, New York, Milwaukee, Austin, and St. Louis. Aguilera is a current New/Now Artist under Performing Arts Houston for the 25-26 season.

Assistant Director

Lizzy Aguilera received her BFA in Dance from the University of Houston and her MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She is a principal dancer with Mezclada Dance Company and serves as the company’s Assistant Director alongside her husband, Joel Aguilera. Together, they have choreographed and led residencies at several colleges, including Principia College and Lamar University. Lizzy also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston.

As a performer, Lizzy has guest danced with companies such as Six Degrees, NobleMotion, Psophonia, and Dance Houston. As an educator, she teaches a wide range of styles, specializing in Jazz, Contemporary, and Acrobatics. She is the Assistant Artistic Director of her family-owned studio, Dayton Academy of Dance, and previously directed the dance program at Crosby Middle School. Lizzy is highly experienced in both studio and drill team choreography, always emphasizing strong technique and a solid classical foundation across all platforms.

Principal Dancer

Kenny Louis, was born in the Caribbean on the island of Haiti. He is one of Houston’s top Hip-Hop performers, competitors, and teachers. He served as captain of the Houston Rockets Launch Crew for several years and moved on to become the coordinator for the entertainment team before starting his own company. Kenny founded K-Lou Entertainment, where he creates his personal projects. He is also the Event Coordinator for RADCrew Production, an entertainment and media company based in Houston. After traveling the world performing, teaching workshops, and creating concerts, he decided to focus on doing more work locally since the 2020 pandemic.

Principal Dancer

Sonia is a professional choreographer, performer, educator, and cered personal trainer with an emphasis in modern dance, ballet, and street/club styles such as hip hop and house dance. Sonia received her BA in Contemporary Dance with a minor in Arts Management in 2016 from the University of New Mexico. She has also studied with many masters of dance at the American Dance Fesval, the American College Dance Associaon, and the Jo+rey Ballet in New York City. Having such a diverse background and training has allowed her to ll many di+erent rolls in her professional career.

Sonia’s career has consisted of an array of dance and dance theater producons like a mul-disciplinary/mulmedia performance in the Alps of Austria with Lawine Torrén. She is currently in her third season as a company member of Open Dance Project, a dance theater company that specializes in immersive dance theater, her second season as a company member of Mezclada Dance Company, a company that blends contemporary dance and street styles with Lan dance, and a member of Assorted Flavas Crew, a street dance crew that has been based in Houston, Texas for 25 years. She most recently performed as a principle dancer with Bace Producons Motown Revue at The Miller Outdoor Theater. Sonia has presented her own choreography through ACDA, the University of New Mexico, with Open Dance Project at Miller Outdoor Theater and at the Match Theater in Houston, Texas. Sonia views art and the educaon of art as a means of social change. She is passionate about teaching dance and feels that expression through movement is a necessity in life.

Principal Dancer

Hector Cisneros is a Houston based Venezuelan dancer, competitor, and instructor varying in styles and genres with rich experience in breaking. Cisneros actively competes in the competitive breaking circuit, performs nationally, and teaches locally. In Houston, Cisneros is the Captain of the Houston Rockets Launch Crew, Core Dancer of Mezclada Dance Company, Member of RAD Crew, and Head instructor with Fitbreak Workout. A few of Cisneros highlights include performing with The Houston Symphony, The San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts, Kaleidoscope Festival, Hispanic Bar Association, and Barnstorm Dance Fest. Competitively, Cisneros has qualified for events including The Red Bull BC One Houston Cypher, TX Breaking Open, Breakfree’s Break X, and Silverback 2017. Lastly, Cisneros is currently on track to attain his Bachelor's Degree in Design and Digital Media from the University of Houston.

Principal Dancer

Julia Hammond is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she began her training at Thomas Dance Studio. She holds a BFA in dance, as well as a kinesiology minor, from George Mason University where she performed in works by Christopher d’Amboise and Stefanie Nelson, as well as conducting a research project on the efficacy of mental imagery for technical dance corrections. Her choreography has been presented at Harris Theater (GMU), the Jack Guidone Theater (Washington D.C.) and the ACDA Mid-Atlantic South Conference Gala (Meredith College). Upon graduation, Julia collaborated with composer Kenneth Michael Florence at the NEXT Festival of Emerging Artists (Peter Askim & Christopher d’Amboise, directors) at NYU’s Center for Ballet and the Arts in New York City to create an original piece, both of music and movement. Shortly after NEXT Fest, Julia relocated to Houston to perform with NobleMotion Dance as a guest artist and has since performed in works by Adam Castaneda, Dwain Travis, Joel Aguilera, and Nicola Bennett. When Julia isn’t dancing, she is taking care of the tiny humans in the NICU as a registered nurse.

Principal Dancer

Born & raised Houstonian.

Williams started in the quincenera business as a 11 your old chambelan & later fell in love with dance that turned into 15 plus years of entertainment & performance experience. Known for high flying tricks & explosive movement. Well rounded in all styles of dance with strong points of all Latin styles, breaking, & hip hop choreography.

One of the newest additions to the Mezclada family.

Williams is grateful to be here to have the opportunity to spread love, passion, & excitement to our audiences & his Mezclada family.

Principal Dancer

lyssa Vega is a dancer, choreographer, and educator with over twenty years of training and a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Houston, where she was a member of the UH Dance Ensemble, Young Audiences Touring Company and recipient of the Joanna Friesen Scholarship. She has performed with PDC Works, Chapman Dance, and is a current core member of Mezclada Dance Company. In addition, she co-founded Momentum Movement with Lizzy Aguilera, a teaching and choreography collective that brings quality dance training and team-building workshops to high schools across Texas. Most recently, she began an apprenticeship with Open Dance Project under the direction of Annie Arnoult and continues to serve as Studio Manager at Hunter Dance Center in the Heights. Elyssa is passionate about uplifting & contributing to the Houston dance community, nurturing the next generation of artists, and expanding her own creative practice as both a performer and educator each and every day.

Principal Dancer

Annmarie Walling, from Georgetown Texas, is a principal dancer on Mezclada Dance Company. She holds a BFA in Dance from Texas University and comprehensive pilates certification. From dancing in music videos, breakdance battles, and with acrobatic dance company Diavolo, Annmarie is known for her athleticism and elegance.

Annmarie works as a choreographer for teams all over the U.S., pushing creativity through instruction that challenges both the athlete and the artist.

With high level training opportunities, such as training under bboy YNOT DeNaro, training jazz, ballet, and contemporary with Joffrey NYC, and street styles of hip hop with 36 Chambaz of Stylz NY, Annmarie is ready to inspire the new generation of dancers.

Apprentice

Apprentice