The LoMI Team

Julia is a dancer, educator, choreographer, artistic director, and the owner of LoMI Studios. She believes dance is about far more than learning steps—it’s a way to develop strength, confidence, discipline, creativity, and meaningful connection. Her goal is to create a space where dancers feel challenged, supported, and inspired to become not only skilled artists, but thoughtful, resilient human beings.

Julia began as a competitive gymnast before discovering dance at the age of 12. She went on to train more than 20 hours each week in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and musical theatre with Company Dance Traverse in Traverse City, Michigan. After high school, she performed professionally with Holland America Cruise Lines before earning both a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, with a focus on injury prevention, from Western Michigan University.

During her time at Western, Julia performed with the Western Dance Project, was selected to perform and teach on a cultural immersion tour through China and Taiwan, co-founded a hip hop company, and had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers including Peter Chu and Nelly Van Bommel. She was also named Outstanding Dancer at NYCDA, assisted at Interlochen Arts Academy’s summer dance programs, and served as dance captain for Miracle Productions’ productions of Hairspray, Tarzan, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Over the past decade, Julia has taught, choreographed, and served on the administrative staff at dance studios throughout Michigan. In 2022, she opened LoMI Studios with a simple vision: to offer high-quality dance education in an environment where both excellence and kindness are valued.

Julia believes the lessons learned in dance extend far beyond the studio. Every class is an opportunity to practice resilience, compassion, teamwork, flexibility, commitment, courage, and self-discipline. Dancers learn how to navigate challenges, celebrate one another’s successes, adapt when things don’t go as planned, and continue showing up with integrity. Most importantly, they learn to trust themselves—their abilities, their instincts, and their capacity to grow through consistent effort.

Whether a student dances for one season or many years, Julia hopes they leave LoMI with more than strong technique. She hopes they carry with them confidence, self-awareness, a genuine love of learning, and the understanding that hard work and kindness will serve them wherever life leads.

Julia is grateful for every family who has chosen to be part of the LoMI community and considers it a privilege to be part of each dancer’s journey.

Alex is our incredible Ballet Director & one of our Company Instructors! Alex began her dance training at age 4 at the FIM’s Flint School of Performing Arts, studying a pre-conservatory curriculum in ballet and modern dance. Growing up, Alex participated in Children’s Performance Workshop, Youth Dance Ensemble, Flint Youth Ballet, and from 2003-2011, Alex performed in over 9 productions of The Nutcracker with the Flint Symphony Orchestra at The Whiting. She also performed works by George Balanchine, Darrell Moultrie, Tyrone Brooks, Amy Hall Garner, among others, and attended summer dance intensives on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey School, Magnus Midwest, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Alex continued her training as a dance major at Western Michigan University’s Dance Department and attended intensives at DanceWorks Chicago before moving to Tallahassee, Florida to receive her Bachelor of Science in Criminology from Florida State University. As a college student, Alex performed in MFA student choreographed works with FSU’s School of Dance, served as a dance diplomat with FSU’s Movement Exchange Chapter in Panama City, Panama, and performed as a company member with Dance Tallahassee. Alex returned to Michigan in 2017 to attend law school, while performing as a company member with MSU’s Orchesis Dance Company and MSU’s Law Musical Theatre Revue. Alex earned her Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law and passed the Michigan Bar Exam in 2020.

During the day, Alex is a municipal attorney in Lansing, MI, providing general counsel to local governments and representing them in litigation throughout state and federal court. In the evening hours we are lucky enough to have her on staff at LoMI. We are eternally grateful to have Alex on board at LoMI!

Faith W started dancing when she was 5 years old and quickly fell in love. She started competitive dance when she was 8 and continued through her senior year of high school, studying under Julia Schaefer for several years. She has trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip-hop. She has had the privilege to work with a variety of dance directors and teachers over the years. She has performed as Clara in The Nutcracker, danced at The Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, and participated in yearly dance recitals and competitions.

Faith recently graduated from Grand Rapids Community college with a degree in Child Psychology. After graduation, Faith spent the Spring & Summer of 2023 serving in Cancun, Mexico with Back2Back ministries as a volunteer staff member where she taught dance classes at the community center there and led workshops for children’s mental health. Upon returning to Michigan, Faith was offered a position at LoMI Studios. Since then she has risen to become a fabulous member of the team and  we are so grateful to have her. 

She also owns and runs a charcuterie board business, Faith Woudtra Charcuterie. 

Kendra is a contemporary dance artist and choreographer based in Grand Rapids,

MI. She began her training at South Coast Conservatory and Orange County School of the

Arts in Southern California.

 Kendra earned her Bachelors of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Hope College in 2018. While at Hope, she was a member of H2 Dance Company, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and was the recipient of the Kurtze-Wickersheimer Dance Performance and DeLong Senior Dance Awards. Her performance and choreography career in Chicago includes working with companies such as Joel Hall Dancers, Chicago Tap Theater, Inaside Chicago Dance, Simantikos Dance Chicago, and Lucid Banter Project.

 In 2022 she founded Currents Dance Theatre in Grand Rapids, MI and is currently the Executive/Artistic Director. She was the 2024 recipient of the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award and her work has been featured in Detroit Dance City Festival, the Grand Rapids Ballet Summer Festival, West Michigan Dance Festival, of which she is a cofounder, and more.

Faith A has been dancing since the age of three at Spirit Expressions Dance Studio in Laingsburg, MI and has found it to always have been her greatest passion. During her time at her studio, Faith trained in Ballet for fifteen years and also expanded her training through Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary, and Lyrical. 

Beginning in Elementary School, Faith took part in her school's Band program, competing in national competitions with both marching and concert band. There, she was able to grow her love for the arts through music. Throughout her career in the band, Faith was named Section leader, as well as awarded the National Marching Band Award for her leadership abilities. 

Faith is fourth-year student at Grand Valley State University, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing with a concentration in the pediatric field. She prides herself on the safety and care of children and enforces it within her teaching. In the fall she will be joining the GVSU elite dance team where she can further her love and training for dance. Faith is an integral part of our LoMI Team & we couldn’t be more thrilled to have her here!

EmJ has been studying dance since the age of 3 years old. What started out as a recreational activity quickly became her life passion. After competing in dance for 10 years, she decided to continue studying dance at a higher level in college. This fall, EmJ will be receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University!

While at Grand Valley, EmJ has had the opportunity to perform in a wide range of shows through the Dance Department & Momentum, a student-run dance organization. She has choreographed for the Musical Theater Department, stage managed for the Dance Department, and more. She has had a lot of incredible experiences through dance and cannot wait to share that passion with her dancers. We couldn’t be more excited to have EmJ here at LoMI!

Emma began dancing at just 4 years old and quickly fell in love with the art form. She trained at the Letha Fulton School of Dance in Ludington, where she performed and also competed on their senior dance team—including the exciting opportunity to dance at Disney World twice! During high school, she discovered her passion for teaching while leading dance classes at the studio, and she continued sharing her love of dance by teaching summer camps throughout her college years.

Emma went on to study dance at Hope College, where she received the Distinguished Artist Award for Dance. She also choreographed and performed in a wide variety of shows and plays while there, gaining a deeper appreciation for both performance and creative expression.

Now living in Lowell, Emma teaches English as a Second Language full-time and continues to follow her passion for dance instruction here at LoMI Studios.

Chris joins us with years of experience in many forms. From sewing to teaching preschool. With her love for music as a child, she studied piano into her high school years, was involved in band/choir, and is a self-taught guitarist. While homeschooling her 3 daughters, she directed the 3 year old Cherub Choir and helped direct a musical production with the West Michigan Homeschool Group. 

Miss Chris leads Wee Luv Music preschool classes at AppleTree Daycares, teaching basic musical awareness, rhythm, & movement. Her other experiences include teaching piano, tutoring phonics, accompanying students at Solo Ensemble and leading worship at her church. Chris brings a fun and inspiring energy that sparks a love for music & dance in her students. 

She can fix any costume in a snap and we are so thankful that she is a part of our LoMI team!

Jenna started dancing when she was 3 years old. While exploring many styles, she developed a specific interest in Ballet. She studied the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet for 11 years through Ann Parsley School of Dance while performing and training with Macomb Ballet Company. Alongside this ballet training, she indulged in contemporary ballet, pointe, and partnering, while exploring styles of jazz, modern, and hip-hop. 

Since then, Jenna has continued her dance journey at Grand Valley State University and pivoted her studies to focus more on modern techniques. As a rising senior, Jenna has had the opportunity to study many techniques while a part of the GVSU Dance Department, such as West African, Jazz, Urban Dance, and Ballet, as well as Choreography and Production courses.

We love the  beautiful work she contributes to LoMI.