Amanda Kaneshiro is an original 2016 founder, CEO, and owner of Summit Dance Co. Small business leadership is not for the faint of heart, but Amanda has carried Summit through a pandemic, ownership transition, thousands of students, and more, so she well equipped to lead the Summit community! Her journey with dance began in diapers, at age two. For 15 years, Amanda trained and competed in Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, and Hip Hop. Her training and passion became drastically more serious when she started teaching dance at age 16. While working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Puget Sound, Amanda taught dance to all ages for multiple studios, directed youth dance summer camps, and served as the Director of Tap at a local studio. Her artistic work has been recognized at regional and national levels. Amanda also danced and choreographed for her college’s dance company. During her time with the college dance group, Amanda served several executive positions, developed a tap program, and choreographed many pieces for the dance company’s productions. Amanda also has a passion for theatre; she starred in the Puget Sound production of Anything Goes and has choreographed for several children’s theatre productions at local schools. In recent years as a studio owner, Amanda has found her voice in making changes in the dance industry, like advocating for safe practices and teaching age, developmental, and culturally-appropriate material. When Amanda became a mom in 2019, she switched to more of the business management aspects of Summit, but you bet if you take her class, you’ll come out dripping in sweat and feeling inspired and empowered! Amanda spends her “spare time” making special memories with her two daughters, Dani and Bri (who you will find at Summit often) and her husband, Jon (all of whom you will often find at Summit). She is also finding her love for learning, advocating, and de-stigmatizing mental health issues.

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