JazzElle Dance Studio was founded in 2008, and since then it has been under the artistic direction of Tihana Strmečki. The studio offers courses in a variety of dance styles, with a particular focus on jazz-based styles, and a unique specialization in musical theatre education. Through dance classes, numerous performances at amateur festivals, and workshops with instructors in high demand, participants gain stage experience and develop a sense of teamwork in an inspiring, supportive, and empowering environment. JazzElle is a dance community where members devote themselves with both body and soul, celebrating theatrical creations with a strong emphasis on dance.
Alongside the development of stage and dance techniques, JazzElle is a studio committed to creating a positive experience for every participant, with discipline and respect that go both directions. Our priority is ensuring that every participant feels safe, cared for, and inspired.
Each dance class is adapted to individual needs as well as group progress. Special attention is given to a healthy approach to dance training, with every instructor highly educated to responsibly build technique while respecting differences in abilities.
Throughout the season, participants have the opportunity to take part in performances as part of every course, though participation is never mandatory. During classes, care is taken to ensure that any potential video recordings do not impact participants who prefer not to be filmed. All participants are invited to perform in the studio’s traditional annual showcase “JazzElle Dancing Sunday”, a festival celebrating the passion for dance, emotion, and sharing stories with an audience.
JazzElle in numbers
10000
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eight-counts of music danced
2586
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m2 of fabric sewn into costumes
112320
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pirouettes
MEET JAZZELLE FACULTY
Behind every successful dance program stands a dedicated, professional, and motivated team of teachers who share their knowledge and inspiration with equal passion. The JazzElle team consists of educated and creative leaders who continuously work on improving their skills in order to provide every participant with a high-quality and encouraging experience. Below, get to know the teachers whose work, energy, and personalities form the heart of the JazzElle community.
TIHANA STRMEČKI, director, choreographer, and dance educator, teaches Musical Theatre Jazz and MasterClass Series classes. She has been developing her theatrical style throughout the years at leading dance centers on Broadway (New York City) and worldwide, including London, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, and Zagreb. Tihana has directed, choreographed, and danced in various theatre projects, dance performances, music videos, commercials, and created stage movement for numerous plays. She has created stage movement and choreography for more than 50 professional productions, both plays and musicals, for children and adults. Among many directing titles, particularly notable works include the direction and choreography of the successful musical “Kiss Me, Kate” at the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc, the choreography of the musical “Les Misérables” at Komedija Theatre, and the choreography of the musical “Heidi” in Switzerland. Tihana creates movement and staging for Croatian Radiotelevision as an associate. She also serves as a judge at numerous competitions.
She is the founder and the artistic director of JazzElle Dance Studio, where she teaches various dance styles and organizes workshops and performances. As a sought-after dance workshop and masterclass teacher, she has been a guest in various dance studios across Croatia, as well as throughout Europe and in New York.
More info on: www.tihanastrmecki.com
ELA KUPRES ĐORĐEVIĆ is the dance teacher of Street Jazz classes. She is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer, who has from an early age been oriented toward the performing arts. She began her dance training at the age of five in ballet, jazz dance, urban, and contemporary styles, alongside parallel development in theatre acting and singing.
In 2014, she completed a professional training program for dance teachers at the Open University Zagreb, and further acquired pedagogical, psychological, didactic, and methodological competencies through additional education at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. She continuously advances her expertise through international training, including regular professional development in London, with focus on street, commercial, and musical theatre styles.
As a teacher, she has extensive experience working with junior and senior groups at both recreational and competitive levels, and in recent years has further established herself as a mentor to professional performers. Alongside her pedagogical work, she is actively engaged as a dancer and choreographer in theatre, film, and multimedia projects, including musicals, music videos, and festivals.
ENA BAŠIĆ IBRIŠEVIĆ teaches Musical Vocal classes at the JazzElle Dance Studio, developing participants’ vocal technique, expressiveness, and musical theatre interpretation in close collaboration with the dance course, combining movement and voice into a complete stage experience. She is an active member of two acoustic cover groups – the duo Maršrutka and the trio Gin Sonic – and the singer of the band Gin Cooler. In addition to participating in the creative and performance aspects of the bands, she is also involved in production, social media management, administration, and direct communication and sales, combining the artistic and organizational aspects of musical work.
On stage she has played numerous roles as a singer and dancer in amateur versions of the musicals “Mamma Mia”, “Grease”, and “Pravi Krivi Put” [The Right Wrong Way], and has also built acting experience through a series of theatre productions. For more than ten years she has been continuously honing her skills through acting workshops and singing and dance lessons, developing her stage identity and expressive interpretation. She has also gained experience behind the camera, participating in the production of award-winning feature and short films (“Zagrebački Ekvinocij” [Zagreb Equinox], “Frka”, “The Message”, “Buba”), as well as television projects. Whether on stage, in the studio, or behind the production console, her work always combines discipline, emotion, and authentic artistic expression.
KRISTINA PAJ is the teacher of JazzElle Kids classes. A dedicated psychology student and a great lover of all art forms, she considers dance her first love and has been dancing since early childhood. She graduated from the Primary School for Ballet and Rhythmic (now the Artistic Dance School “Silvija Hercigonja”), majoring in contemporary dance. During the following years across dance studios in Zagreb she learned various dance techniques and styles: ballet, contemporary dance, jazz dance, MTV commercial, jazz funk, lyrical, show dance, and tap. She won first place as part of the senior formation in the show dance category at the Croatian National Urban, Artistic, and Partner Dances Championship in 2019 with Step by Step studio. After the pandemic – the only year she did not dance – she authored a book about dance (“Ne gubi fokus” [Don’t Lose Focus], Naklada Asia, 2023), after which she expanded her dance knowledge into Latin American dances. She participated in Komedija Theatre’s musical theatre workshops led by Tihana Strmečki.
MARIJA PAVIĆ (social media manager) has been involved in theatre from an early age, regularly attending performances, taking part in drama workshops, and performing in numerous school productions. She graduated from Josip Runjanin Primary Music School (piano). She continued her acting path at the amateur theatre Nova Scena and additionally completed the lifelong learning program ‘Basics of Acting and Puppetry’ at the Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek. After moving to Zagreb to study Journalism at the Faculty of Political Science, she joined the drama studio of the Zagreb Youth Theatre (ZKM) and took part in professional productions such as “Rurururur” and “Mi & Oni” [Us & Them]. She has been an active member of the JazzElle Dance Studio under Tihana Strmečki and performed for one year as part of the ensemble in “Pravi Krivi Put” [The Right Wrong Way]. As Tihana Strmečki’s assistant director, she has worked in productions of “Kako je vilenjak spasio Božić 2” [How the Elf Saved Christmas 2] and “Puni pansion” [Full Board]. She has also worked as a sound technician in “U mojim snovima”[In My Dreams] by Teatar Cirkus Punkt. She has completed courses in basic playwriting and dramaturgy at the Theatre Laboratory of Teatar Tirena. She has worked for Radio Student, Global News, Večernji list, Jutarnji list, and currently manages the social media of JazzElle Dance Studio while working in sales at Kerempuh Theatre.
GUEST FACULTY
Through collaboration with our guest teachers, we bring a diversity of styles, fresh ideas, and additional inspiration to our participants.
MAJA ŠIVAK is an actress, singer, and dancer with rich and diverse experience as both a performer and educator. She holds a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from the Institute of the Arts Barcelona, and has also trained in Zagreb, Madrid, and Hamburg. She currently lives and works in Barcelona, where she is actively involved in film and drama through Creation Drama Studio, as well as in independent theatre and film projects.
LUCIJA TANDARA holds a Master’s degree in Design and is a dancer working interdisciplinarily across design, dance, acting, and singing. After graduating from the School of Contemporary Dance “Ana Maletić,” she earned the title of contemporary dancer, and later obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design and a Master’s degree in Visual Communications Design from the School of Design at the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb. She continuously develops her skills in dance, acting, and singing through various courses and workshops in Croatia and London. Her extensive performance experience includes notable roles in professional theatre productions.
IVONA GRUBIŠIĆ PUPIĆ (1996, Zagreb) is a professional dancer, educator, and choreographer with formal training in Amsterdam and Linz (Bachelor of Arts), following her education at the School of Contemporary Dance “Ana Maletić.” During her studies, she further developed her skills through numerous workshops with prominent local and international artists, continuously expanding her dance practice. After returning to Croatia, she established significant collaborations, including the project Gore (Zagreb Dance Company, 2020) and long-term work with the Šibenik Dance Festival. As both author and performer, she created the full-length production Diši (2022), while also developing her pedagogical work through collaborations with dance studios and the School of Contemporary Dance “Ana Maletić.” In theatre and commercial contexts, she has participated in projects such as Broadway Dance Show (2025, assistant choreographer and dancer) and Christmas Miracle 2025 (choreography and performance). Over the past year, she has also been active in drama theatre through stage movement (Bachelor Party, 2025; No Privacy, Please, 2025), while continuously educating herself in yoga, mobility, strength training, and integrated physical preparation and recovery.
ANTONELA DOJČINOVIĆ attends BASE Performing Arts College, where she is training in styles such as Musical Theatre Jazz, Contemporary, Heels, and Commercial, as well as in singing and acting. She has extensive performance experience, ranging from television appearances to theatre stages.
ANA SERTIĆ is a musical theatre artist who began her international journey at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London and continued at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York. She has been a member of the Komedija Theatre ensemble. Her vocal talent has shone on international stages, at the Croatian National Theatre opera stage, and on Croatian national television.
