Meet the Instructors

Amanda Westergard

Owner, Instructor
email: mrsamanda@studiowdance.org

Amanda is the Owner and Director of Studio W and teaches classes in ballet, jazz, lyrical and tumbling each week. She is also the Director of our Dance Company. Amanda began dancing in 2004, when she was 14 years old.  Since then, she has danced with many different instructors in Sonoma County and studied dance at Santa Rosa Junior College. Amanda danced with Surge Modern Dance company for one year and has performed in five of SRJC’s annual spring performances. She also has choreographed dances for the SRJC performances. During her eleven years of teaching, she began a dance company, a summer camp program and made several life long friendships. Amanda has twelve years experience in teaching ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, tumbling, choreography and preschool dance programs. Amanda loves her job and hopes to continue teaching for many more years.

Kristina Magill

Office Administrator, Camp Director, Instructor

Kristina has been dancing for 14 years and has been dancing with Mrs. Amanda for 5 years and has also assisted in her classes. She is a graduate from Windsor High School and attends Sonoma State University. She is planning on majoring in Psychology and receiving her dance certificate from SRJC. Kristina teaches tap and is in charge of the studios social media and is director for summer and mini-camps.

Andrea Tidd

Pre-Dance Program Director, Instructor

Andrea began dancing and doing theatre when she was 8 years old. She really fell in love with the process of learning, applying and finally getting on stage for a big performance. She graduated from Art Quest at Santa Rosa High School in 2005, and went on to study dance in college. She has worked with children for almost 10 years and loves every moment of it. Her favorite color is orange and she loves her garden. She has an 8 year old son and two dogs, Luna and Obi. She is so happy to be part of the Studio W family and can’t wait to watch all the kids grow and learn. 

Sam Minnifield

Instructor

Sam began dancing at the age of 14 after realizing a passion for dance during a freshman PE section of line dancing. Sam is a recent graduate of California State University Long Beach having earned their BFA in Dance with a minor in Anthropology. Originally from Monte Rio, Sam received the majority of their training from local dance programs and studios, even dancing with Amanda at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Sam has danced competitively on both Contemporary and Jazz companies, as well as performing internationally in Jeju, South Korea. Sam believes in creating well rounded humans, not just dancers. Through the use of improvisation and everyday human gestures in their choreography, Sam gives their students the opportunity to move in ways that don’t rely solely on technique. Sam’s classes are a safe space that welcomes all shapes, sizes, and abilities that have the urge to create art with their bodies. 

Natalie Pile

Instructor and Class Aide

Natalie has been dancing for 10 years and has been dancing Amanda for 5.
She attends Healdsburg High School and enjoys many forms of art including
band, dance and crochet. She hopes to have dance in
her life forever and loves to work with children!