Sydney brings over 17 years of dance experience, beginning her journey at a local studio where she trained extensively in hip hop, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, and poms. Throughout her dance career, she has competed at major competitions such as Midwest Starz, Starpower, and Monsters of Hip Hop. A highlight of her competitive career came in 2012 when she earned both a Judge’s Award and a Top 5 Overall placement for her jazz solo.

In high school, Sydney served as captain of the varsity dance team, where she took the lead in choreographing halftime performances and mixing music. She continued her passion in college as the hip hop instructor for the University of Iowa’s dance club, while also studying musical theater and ballet. In 2017, she was honored with the opportunity to perform in a promotional video for a Billie Eilish concert.

After graduating college, Sydney returned to her hometown and began teaching dancers of all ages, from preschoolers to adults. In 2020, she became the head coach of the MDF competition team and later took on the role of varsity coach for the Richards High School Dance Team.

Sydney is passionate about sharing her love for dance and connecting with dancers of all ages and skill levels. She enjoys choreographing not only for classes and dance teams, but also for special events such as weddings and quinceañeras. Known for her vibrant energy and attention to detail, Sydney is excited to continue her journey with Elevate Dance Company and inspire the next generation of dancers.

Experience: 11 years teaching, 17 years dancing 

Sarah began dancing at age three with the Village of Orland Park, where she trained through age 18. She was a member of the Orland Park Dance Company for nine years participating in many community performances. Sarah trained under EDC studio director, Kristin Lux, in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, and lyrical.

While studying at Saint Louis University, Sarah pursued a minor in dance. She studied dance history, choreography, ballet, jazz, and musical theater under the mentorship of Holly Seitz, Samantha Gaitsch, and Lucy Cashion. Sarah also choreographed dances for campus fundraising events, teaching peers of all experience levels.

Outside the studio, Sarah will graduate with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May 2025 and pursue a career in pediatrics. Currently completing her final clinical at Children’s Hospital of Colorado, Sarah is working with kids of all ages—a role that has earned her a new respect for the impact you can make on a child’s life, as well as the impact they can have on you.

 Sarah has gained experience with kids as a babysitter, dance teacher’s aide, and gymnastics coach of nearly 10 years. She feels most at home in the studio using dance as a creative outlet. Eager to begin teaching alongside her former teacher, Kristin Lux, and longtime role models, Jackie Lewis and Jessica Talwar, Sarah looks forward to the opportunity to share her passion with young dancers and be a part of their journey.

Experience: 23 years dancing 

Jessica (“Jess”) Talwar brings 25 years of dance experience to the Elevate team. Her journey has progressed from student, to teacher’s aide, and now to instructor. She has received training in ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, lyrical, and modern under the guidance of fellow teachers, Kristin and Ashley, and has also trained in the South Asian dance genre of Bhangra. 

Jess extends her passion for teaching and working with youth beyond the dance studio through her volunteer work with Chicago Public School students in the after-school tutoring program, Tutoring Chicago. The skills and lessons she gains from tutoring influence her approach to teaching dance, creating a reciprocal enrichment between her volunteer and professional roles. 

Outside of the studio, Jess works full-time in management and IT consulting, developing software for state and local government entities. She lives in the southwest suburbs with her husband and two cats, Penny and Pearl.

Experience: 6 years teaching, 27 years dancing 

Jorie’s dance journey began at the age of 2, initially focusing on tap dance until she entered high school. At Mount Assisi Academy, she joined the JV competitive team as a freshman and spent the next two years on the Varsity team, achieving placements at sectionals and qualifying for state competitions. When Mount Assisi Academy closed, Jorie transferred to Queen of Peace for her senior year, where she founded a Varsity dance team that qualified for state in its first year. 

Jorie continued her education at Valparaiso University, where she was an integral part of the collegiate dance team. Her performances earned her appearances on ESPN and opportunities to dance during the March Madness tournaments. 

During graduate school and well into her career as a Speech Language Pathologist, Jorie coached the Varsity Competitive Dance Team at St.Laurence High school for 4 consecutive years. In March 2021, she joined the Village of Orland Park’s dance program as a Hip Hop, Tap and Jazz instructor. 

Jorie is excited to join the Elevate Dance Company staff. Her favorite teaching styles are Lyrical, Jazz, Tap, Pom and Hip Hop. 

Experience: 9 years teaching, 26 years dancing 

Jackie’s dance journey began at the young age of two with the Village of Orland Park, where she continued her training until she was sixteen. During this period, she became a member of the Orland Park Dance Company for six years and simultaneously studied at Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago and Dance Images in Tinley Park. 

At Lou Conte, Jackie trained under the esteemed ballet mistress Birute Barodicaite and modern dancer Kristina Fluty, among other notable instructors. She further honed her skills by attending Hubbard Street's summer intensive for three consecutive years. Her expertise spans various dance styles, including ballet, modern, pointe, jazz, and aerial dance. 

While pursuing a degree in Art History at DePaul University, Jackie was recruited by Noumenon Dance Experience, allowing her to perform at various venues and festivals, including Dance Chicago and RAW. After years of working in Chicago art galleries as well alongside teaching, Jackie returned to DePaul to graduate with her MBA in June 2023. She is now a Sales & Operations Manager at Crayola Imagine Arts Academy. 

Jackie has been affiliated with the Village of Orland Park since 2011, bringing her extensive dance experience and artistic insight to the community.  She is very excited to join the team at Elevate Dance Company and continue to work with the great community of local dancers. 

Experience: 9 years teaching, 28 years dancing 

As a former student of Ms. Kristin, Sophia’s passion for dance began at the age of three at a local dance studio, where she learned various dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip hop.  Throughout the years, she has participated in various workshops and recitals. 

Sophia's desire to share her love for dance inspired her to pursue teaching.  She recently began her journey as a dance instructor, working as an assistant teacher at the Village of Orland Park’s Dance Program.  In this role, Sophia supports experienced teachers, learning valuable techniques for instructing young dancers and gaining hands-on experience in classroom management and choreography.  Her warm and encouraging demeanor helps her connect with her students, fostering a positive and nurturing learning environment. 

Sophia is excited to further develop her teaching abilities and inspire the next generation of dancers.  She is not only excited to see her students grow as dancers, but see their personal proud moments of breakthroughs to occur in their hard work and learning throughout the year.  She looks forward to creating a supportive space where students can explore their creativity, build their confidence, and develop their passion for dance. 

Experience: 2 years teaching, 15 years dancing 

Kristin Lux embarked on her dance journey at the age of two, training at Applause Dance Academy in Chicago for over 14 years under the direction of Mary Marks. As a dedicated student of dance, she participated in the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters workshops and competitions where she studied under the likes of Bruce Stegmann and Lane Alexander. She further refined her skills under the tutelage of Jay Fagan, an internationally recognized tap master and choreographer. Her training encompasses numerous dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, and pom. 

Kristin has taught at various studios in the area and has choreographed for local theater productions, community projects, special events and high school dance teams. 

For the past 15 years, Kristin has been a vital part of the Village of Orland Park’s Dance Program, teaching students of all ages and directing the Mini, Junior, and Senior Dance Company. Most recently, she established the award-winning Dance Company Competition Team and took on an administrative role within the dance department. 

Kristin's passion for teaching dance is evident in her commitment to her students. She finds great joy in sharing her love of dance and is inspired by the progress and dedication of her students. Her hope is to inspire her students as much as they inspire her. With 20 years of teaching experience, Kristin is thrilled to open the doors to Elevate Dance Company and welcome all dancers! 

Experience: 21 years teaching, 39 years dancing