Julia Riley

Varsity Lightning Dancers Director

Julia Riley is the Director of the Lightning Dancers and oversees the drill team program and the dance department at Central High School. This is Julia’s 12th year with the Lightning Dancers.

The Lightning Dancers have been honored to perform in New York for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Disney World, Disneyland,Pearl Harbor , Fort Worth’s Parade of Lights, the Stock Show Parade and as the pre-game performance for the Dallas Mavericks. The team has won numerous awards including Best Overall Technique, Precision, and Performance awards, multiple Winners Circle placements and Regional, State and National titles.

Julia graduated from Boswell High School where she was a 2-year officer of the Pure Gold Dance Team. After high school, she became a UNT Dancer. Julia was a 3 year member of the UNT Dancers and Captain her 3rd year. While at UNT, she studied Dance under James Clouser and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Health Promotions.

Julia started her teaching career in Fort Worth, TX where she was the director and owner of the Dance Gallery. From there she taught dance at Azle High School and Directed the Emerald Dazzlers for 8 years. Following Azle, Julia jumped to the other side of Eagle Mountain Lake and began teaching at Central High School, running the Dance Department and Directing the Lightning Dancers Organization. One of Julia’s favorite rewards as a teacher is watching her students become successful in the world of dance and in life.

Most important in her life is Julia’s faith and family. She has two beautiful children, Gloria, a Central High School Graduate and Lightning Dancer Alumni. Her son Dylan is a current Senior at Central High school. Julia and her husband Ragan, love planning adventures with their kids and traveling!

Brianna Eason

JV Lightning Dancers Director

Ms. Brianna Eason is thrilled to serve as the JV Lightning Dancers Director at Central High School. This is her third year at Central, and she is incredibly grateful to be part of such an outstanding school community. Her love for dance began at the age of 3, and she started competing when she was 5 years old. She trained at Dance Machines Dance Studio throughout middle and high school and was proud to be a member of the Guyer Silverados Drill Team. After graduating from high school, she continued pursuing her passion for dance at Texas Woman's University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a minor in Education. During her time at TWU, she performed with the International Dance Company, participated in numerous showcases, and received recognition through ACDA. One of the most meaningful experiences of her college career was completing her student teaching at Central High School with Ms.Riley. Returning to Central as an educator has been a full-circle moment, and she is honored to teach, mentor, and inspire the next generation of dancers.

Outside the dance room, Ms. Eason enjoys spending time with her family, including her mom, dad, brother, and boyfriend. She loves exploring new places with friends, attending concerts, and spending time with her dog, Juno. Dance has always been at the center of her life, and she is excited to continue sharing that passion with her students each day.