Staff
Julia Schaefer - Owner/Director
Julia Schaefer is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and educator. Passionate about physical and emotional health, she is excited to bring the art of dance and movement to the community of Lowell. With bachelor's degrees in both Dance and Exercise Science, along with a plethora of professional dance and teaching experience, she is excited to offer a variety of classes in dance and fitness for all ages.
Julia was a competitive gymnast until the age of 12, and then began intensely training 20+ hours a week in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Modern, and Musical Theatre with Company Dance Traverse in Traverse City, MI. After high school, she danced professionally on Holland America Cruise Lines and came home to attend the prestigious dance program at Western Michigan University. Throughout her college career, she performed with a touring company called the Western Dance Project, was selected to perform and teach on a cultural immersion trip to China and Taiwan, co-founded a hip hop company, was selected for multiple guest pieces by world renowned choreographers such as Peter Chu and Nelly VanBommel, all while earning a separate degree in Exercise Science. Throughout many summers, she was the assistant choreographer for the musical theatre summer program at Interlochen Arts Academy, performed as the dance captain for multiple professional theatre shows in Traverse City, instructed for Universal Dance Alliance dance team camps, and guest taught at various studios across MI and beyond.
Over the past 7 years, Julia has been on the teaching and administrative staff at two different studios in MI. She has taught ages 1 to adults, recreational to competitive levels, in many styles including Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Acro/ Tumbling. She specializes in technique, where she uses her knowledge from her exercise science degree to help build strong and versatile dancers. Dancers trained by her are now performing in the programs at Western Michigan University, Marymount University in NYC, and the dance teams at Michigan State University and Grand Valley University. She has received numerous awards for her choreography and performances and has also expanded her choreography to show choirs, pageant contestants, wedding dances, and competitive gymnastics routines.
Hannah Trulock - Ballet Director
Hannah was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she began her ballet training at age 3 with her mother, Nancy Schenck. She later attended the Grand Rapids Ballet School directed by Laura Berman, and performed featured roles with the Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company, as well as later performing alongside Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Hannah competed in the Youth America Grand Prix and placed in the Top 12 in the Senior Division. She attended summer programs at Southland Ballet Academy, V & T Dance, Ballet Chicago, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Met, and Indianapolis School of Ballet.
Mrs. Trulock then completed her training in Indianapolis, Indiana. Featured roles include Snow Queen, Arabian, Marzipan Lead, and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker. She was chosen by Balanchine repetiteurs to perform works such as Concerto Barocco, Serenade, and Raymonda Variations, and has had the pleasure of training under ballet greats; Victoria Simon, Nilas Martins, Sandra Jennings, Dan Duell, and Melinda Roy to name a few. Hannah also worked as a model for Motionwear Dancewear at their headquarters in Indianapolis. Mrs. Trulock served on Indianapolis Ballet faculty as an instructor and choreographer, and performed company and guest artist roles for Indianapolis Ballet, Dance Kaleidoscope, and Grand Rapids Ballet.
Since moving back to Michigan, Hannah has worked as an instructor and choreographer at Ada Dance Academy since 2017, with a specialty in pointe and partnering. Her students and choreography have won acknowledgments such as Mr. Legacy, Miss Showbiz, and multiple special awards.
Hannah credits her greatest achievement as being a mommy to her son, Wesley. She often teaches alongside her dance partner and husband, Noah, whom she happily married in August 2017.
Olivia Gaudreau - Administrative Assistant/ Instructor
Olivia Gaudreau graduated from Grand Valley State University with a bachelors degree in Marketing and International Business. She served as the Vice President for Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity, and Co-Treasurer of Momentum, a student-run dance organization at GVSU. Additionally, she has served as the Social Media Manager for Momentum.
Olivia has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She has been trained in ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap, contemporary, and pointe. Her performance experience includes competition pieces, The Nutcracker, yearly recitals, Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, and Momentum showcases. Through Momentum, Olivia has been able to set choreography on dancers, run auditions, and perform pieces set by other students.
Olivia is excited to join us as LoMI’s Administrative Assistant.
Noah Trulock - Instructor
Noah Trulock first fell in love with the arts by becoming involved in colorguard at the age of 15. He discovered his talent for dance, performance, and choreography touring and performing seven summers with several world class drum corps. Accomplishments include several silver and gold medals at the world championship level.
Mr. Trulock received his formal ballet, ballroom, and contemporary dance training at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he was born and raised. Through the IU ballroom team, he competed nationally and received silver and bronze medals in the Latin Ballroom Collegiate National Finals.
After his versatile training in many modern and contemporary dance techniques, he studied on scholarship at The Martha Graham School in New York City.
Noah danced professionally at Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis, IN, where he moved through the ranks from apprentice to principal dancer. His award-winning choreography has been performed by Dance Kaleidoscope professional company, and by students across West Michigan.
Mr. Trulock brings to LoMI Studios nineteen years of teaching experience in over twenty states across the US.
Noah feels blessed to be at LoMI, and is inspired daily by his loving wife, Hannah, and their son, Wesley.
