Our staff
DIANE BELZ
Diane is the Artistic Director at the Upper Room as well as the Watchmen Dance Ministry at her church. She began her formal training at Merle Scheff School of Ballet in St. Louis Mo. where for 12 years she studied under Principal dancer Karen Rosenburg of the St. Louis Civic Ballet Company.
After moving to Aspen Colorado she took classes locally as well as training Summers with Ballet West (Salt Lake City).
Diane and her family have been in the Chicagoland area since 1991. Locally she has taught classes at Moves Dance Studio and the Edge Homeschool Group.
Her career has been as an independent dancer with performances in Operas and Special Events.
Diane began the Upper Room in 1997 with 20 students using the Fellowship Hall of Wheaton 1st Assembly Church. She has been blessed to see the exponential growth of the studio but most importantly the growth of her students skills. Her hearts desire is to see her students use their talents for God - "THEIR UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST".
ORLA LUDWICK
Orla has been with Diane and the Upper Room since its 1998. Initially a student, then assistant, Orla has taught the Dancin .9, Irish, and Tumbling classes for over 15 years and has watched many students grow up at the studio. She has been the Stage Manager for every recital and keeps everyone in line and on cue!
CHLOE PRINSEN
Chloe began dancing at age three and enjoyed learning ballet, jazz, and tap before studying Irish dance. She has over seven years of experience, practicing with the McNulty School of Irish Dance in both soft-shoe and hard-shoe styles. She has performed in over 50 live performances in a wide variety of venues.
Chloe also has a passion for working with children and has spent the last six years working/volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, a teacher’s aide, and a camp counselor.
BRYN MICHAELS
Bryn Michaels, a native of Detroit, Michigan, developed a love for ballet early on. Upon relocating to Chicago, Bryn continued to follow her passion for ballet and refine her technique under the tutelage of Corinne Alimbetov, Steve Norman and Tatyana Mazur, Watmora Casey, Vilma Machin.
Bryn is a YAGP and World Ballet Competition alumna and has trained with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Nashville Ballet,The art of classical ballet under Magaly Suarez and the American Academy of Ballet (AAB) in New York. While at AAB, Bryn had the privilege of studying with Ballet Masters Karen Averty (Paris Opera Ballet), Craig Salstein (American Ballet Theatre) and Paloma Herrera (American Ballet Theatre).
In 2017, Bryn joined the company of Louisville Ballet performing roles in George Balanchine’s Rubies, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Firebird, Romeo and Juliet and more.
Bryn has taught all the Upper Room Ballet classes since 2019.
SARA SMITH
Sara Smith has been dancing with the Upper Room Dance Studio since she was 6 years of age, and has had a passion for dance even longer.
While at the Upper Room, she trained in ballet, pointe, and contemporary dance under the direction of over 15 instructors.
In addition to yearly recitals, Sara has had the privilege of dancing at various churches, retreats, nursing homes, parades, and the Power of Dance Nationals Competition.
Sara began as a teacher’s assistant under Diane Belz when she was 12 and started substitute teaching when she was 15. Since 2018, Sara has been teaching ballet to all ages, and since 2022 has been teaching contemporary dance.
Sara’s passion is to pass on all the excellent instruction she was given at the Upper Room Dance Studio to the next generation of dancers, all while giving glory to God.
HANNAH SMITH
Hannah Smith started dancing at the Upper Room Dance Studio in 2005 at the age of 4. At the age of 11 she began learning the use of various worship tools.
Over the next 7 years, trained under Cindy Green and Theresa Murata in Tamborine, Flags, Fan Streamers, Streamers, Silks, and Poi.
She has also received instruction from many different teachers in Ballet, Pointe and Contemporary dance.
She has performed many places such as Nursing homes, Churches, CYT musical theater and the 2022 Power of Dance Nationals competition where she won Diamond awards.
Hannah has been a teacher’s assistant to the Upper Room’s youngest dancers since 2016. She loves teaching and helping others learn how to use dance as a form of worship to God.
RACHEL LARSON
Rachel grew up in Indianapolis dancing with Dance Creations Academy, which is where she fell in love with worshipping the Lord through dance.
After high school, she trained in Texas with Ingredients Dance Company as a Trainee and toured with the Dance Revolution national dance convention.
Rachel majored in Spanish and Dance at Anderson University and graduated in 2020.
She was the Campus Director for The School of Ballet 5:8’s Valparaiso Satellite Campus from 2020-2022 and was promoted to Co-Director of the Children’s and Youth Division.
Rachel is passionate about helping the next generation of students to grow in both dance technique and in love with Jesus.
THERESA MURATA
Theresa began teaching at the Upper Room Dance Studio in 2014. She has over 20 years of dance training and has trained in various dance forms including Oriental dance, Worship Tools, ballet, jazz, modern, hula, West Coast Swing and other social dances.
Theresa founded and directed a worship tools training ministry, Worship Expressions, for 12 years and is the author of Dancing with Silks training manual and a worship devotional. She has also worked as a behavioral therapist for children with special needs.
Theresa earned a teaching degree from the University of Illinois is currently training to dance professionally with The Barefoot Hawaiian hula company. Her passion is to worship the Lord and help others experience the beauty and joy of worshiping Him through dance.
