INSTRUCTORS
Karisa Vander Weele - Studio Owner, Instructor (Ballet, Tap, Performance, Pointe, Pre-Ballet)
Karisa started her dance training at Hearts In Step Dance Academy in 2013 where she has trained mostly in Ballet, Modern, and Pointe, but has also taken classes in Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Contemporary. She joined HIS Ensemble in 2016 and enjoyed dancing in several ballet productions and is now doing costuming for their shows. She also enjoyed being a part of their outreach, and appreciated the opportunity to minister to and encourage people through the art of dance.
In April of 2022, Karisa graduated from Calvin University with a degree in graphic design and minors in both business and dance. During her time at Calvin Karisa was very involved in Dance Guild, a student run organization which puts on a dance performance every semester. She appreciated being able to not only learn and perform various dance styles through Dance Guild, but the opportunity to choreograph several dances including lyrical, pointe, ballet and modern as well.
Karisa took over ownership of Reverence Dance Academy in June of 2023. She is excited to see how God will use the studio in the coming years.
Hannah Bernhardt - Instructor (Ballet, Jazz)
Hannah began dancing at three years old in Marine City, Michigan, and trained as a competitive dancer from age eleven through her youth. She has trained in numerous styles of dance, with an emphasis on ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary. Throughout her time as a dancer, she has had the pleasure of working with artists like Andi Salazar, Renaldo Maurice, Adam McGaw, and Liz Schmidt, among many others.
Hannah is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Advertising & Public Relations. Throughout her time at Grand Valley, she has performed pieces in the Fall and Spring Dance Concerts and has also performed work by fellow students in the Senior Dance Capstone Concert and in the Momentum Dance Organization. She has choreographed eight pieces for Momentum Dance Organization, received Runner-Up at Michigan Dance Council’s Maggie Allesee Choreography Competition 2024, and was fortunate enough to be nominated for the Alexander Calder Honors Scholarship, receive the Upper Division Dance Scholarship, and receive the Excellence-in-a-Discipline Award for Dance. In addition, her self-choreographed solo, “Intrusive Ruminations,” was one of two works selected to be performed in Grand Valley State University’s Spring Dance Concert 2025.
Hannah is currently an Apprentice with CPR Dance: Inhale Movement in Stevensville, MI and Currents Dance Theatre in Grand Rapids, MI. In the future, she hopes to continue dancing and choreographing to share her love of movement with others!
Veronika Smelik - Instructor (Ballet)
Veronika has been dancing for 15 years; and has focused mostly on ballet. She has spent time dancing at A&A Ballet, HIS Dance Academy, Grand Rapids Ballet, and at home with her mother Olga Smelik who is an instructor at HIS Dance Academy. She was part of the cast of many full length Nutcrackers along with some other productions like “Ark” and “Red” at HIS Dance. She has also taught ballet at various studios for the past 5 years.
Right now Veronika is going into her sophomore year at Hope College and is double majoring in Exercise Science and Psychology.
I am excited to continue teaching young girls the joy of dancing!
Kayla Vander Weele - Instructor (Ballet, Jazz, Pre-Ballet), Studio Manager
Kayla grew up dancing and has done ballet, tap and jazz at various studios. In May 2023 she graduated from Cornerstone University with a degree in exercise science and cardiac rehab. During her time at Cornerstone Kayla was a student athlete on the cheer team, where she did competitive and sideline cheer. While on the team Kayla got to help lead as a captain, plan daily devotions, help with dances and cheers and teach freshman content. The past two summers Kayla has traveled all over the country with a traveling ministry called EveryHeart. Spreading the gospel, serving those in need, and unifying and encouraging the local church. Now Kayla is working as an exercise physiologist at a local hospital helping patients rehab from surgeries as well as help them reach fitness goals. When she is not working, she loves running, working out, baking, hanging out with friends and being outside.
Kayla says “I am so excited for this year of teaching. I love working with kids and I am passionate about helping everyone find fun ways of being active. Most of all I love the Lord and desire to honor our creator with everything that we do. It is my goal this year that kids leave class loving dance and knowing God; the one who gave them life and ability to dance, more deeply!”
Anna Ydenberg - Instructor (Ballet, Performance)
Anna has been dancing for 15 years. She studied at HIS Dance Academy in both Ballet and modern styles of dance. She was part of the cast of many different ballets there including “The Toymakers Son”, “Ark”, “Red”, “Royal”, and “Desert”. She was also part of the cast of “Cinderella” at Reverence a few years ago and in Reverence's Nutcracker in 2023.
Anna is a sophomore at Calvin University studying kinesiology. She is also a member of Calvin's Dance Guild Leadership team.
Anna is excited to teach young girls dance which has been such an important part of her life!