About Us
We are Studio West Dance Center, independently visioned and operated since 2006.
SWDC offers an experience for all. We understand everyone’s journey is unique and offer two enriching paths for our dancers through our Performance and Pre Pro opportunities. We offer the very best in a well-rounded dance education under one roof for the beginner to advanced dancer.
Our History
It all began with the deep seed instilled in the then 40-year-old Jennifer Knostman to provide the next generation of artists with the meaningful, inspiring, creative, and passionate experiences rooted in her own dance education growing up in Kansas. As a mother of three, she felt there was a hole that needed to be filled in her community: to provide the “all-’round” dance experience.
With a family environment from its inception, Studio West Dance Center has been helping the youth of Northern Colorado to discover and pursue their dreams through the art of dance. We prepare each dancer for a successful path in life, as we believe dance skills are life skills. Our dance education is based on foundation and current industry standards in all genres and styles, cultivating lifelong relationships, helping others, and the importance of being present. Our values in technique, artistry, dance education and performance opportunities have not wavered 17+ years later.
They say it takes a village. We are so grateful to all the families, guest artists and faculty who make us who we are today and bestow on us this privilege to continue making art.
Jennifer Knostman
Owner, Artistic Director, Instructor
(Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop)
Jennifer Knostman opened Studio West Dance Center in 2006 and has been sharing her love of dance since. From her first dance class at the age of 3 to SWDC as you know it today the art of dance has fueled her passion for over 55 years and taken her from coast to coast. Nurturing and encouraging the next generation of artists and HUMAN beings has been her top priority from SWDC’s inception and continues today.
For the past 34 years Jennifer and her husband Tom have been building roots here in Fort Collins and Northern CO. Together, from the ground up they created Studio West Dance Center, and raised three “dancing” babies. Having their own children go through the program fueled and guided the model for the continued pursuit of bringing the best faculty, master teachers and intensives to Northern CO. Today, Jennifer has stayed rooted in these values and ensures that excellence in artistry, technique and education are at the forefront of SWDC’s philosophy.
You will still find Jennifer in the classroom, as well as continuing her own pursuit of dance education. Her dancer’s have graduated from Juilliard to USC and in between, you can find them on cruise ships, world tours, dance companies and beyond. She has been awarded many national awards and accolades along the way and can be seen in Dance Teacher’s May 28th 2019 Higher Ed issue, “Harrison Knostman’s Winning Path to Juilliard.”
She is devoted to keeping the art of dance alive in a fun, nurturing and kid friendly environment!
Full-Time Staff & Guest Faculty
We understand we are more than “dance instructors”. As your child’s role models and mentors, we are committed to inspiring them to be the best version of themselves on and off the dance floor.
Schyler Dewberry is from Gilbert AZ. She attends Colorado State University and is entering her Sr. Year this Fall. Schyler is apart of our front desk staff, here at SWDC! With 12 years of dance and gymnastics experience combined, Schyler has always worked with students; having taught acro/tumbling and was a teacher’s assistant for aerial silks. Schyler’s passion, determination, attention to detail and fierce drive makes her a great addition to our team!
Nathan cultivated his passion for dance at the age of 5, training at multiple schools in Northern VA and Washington, DC. Growing up as a competitive dancer, he was recognized in magazines such as DanceSpirit Magazine and Dance Informa for his exceptional tap dancing. He also made an appearance on Lifetime’s reality television series Dance Moms as a guest artist. In High School, Nathan was selected as a National Young Arts Foundation Finalist, granting him the opportunity to train with famous artists such as Josh Groban, Nikki Minaj, and more.
His career started at a young age when he was cast as Billy in the national tour of “Brothers’ of the Knight”, directed by Debbie Allen. Soon after, Nathan joined the team of Dein Perry’s “Tapdogs”, an award-winning Australian tap dance show, where he traveled the world performing in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Other performing credits include Rhythmic Circus and Busch Garden’s “Celtic Fyre”. As a member of the professional company The JaM Project, Nathan toured the United States performing; “Good Times, Bad Times” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Break the Floor Production’s “25 Live” in Los Angeles, CA, and the Capezio ACE awards in NYC. The JaM Project has also made multiple appearances on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”, and “World of Dance” Season 2.
Additionally, Nathan is an active dance instructor and traveling choreographer, teaching workshops and intensives across the U.S. He has been involved in events such as the DC Tapfest, Riff, JaM Camp, KAR, and more. Nathan continues to share his passion for dance to all ages around the country, in hopes of inspiring the next generation of artists to “Keep on Dancin’.”
Harrison Knostman, a native of Colorado, commenced his dance training at Studio West Dance Center (SWDC) at the tender age of three. Throughout his high school years, he continued to teach and perform at SWDC, showcasing his versatility by performing works by renowned choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Barak Marshall, and Ida Saki, among others.
Harrison’s accomplishments extend beyond his dance career. He is a YoungArts finalist in the modern/contemporary dance category and received a scholarship from the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation. Following high school, he pursued further education at The Juilliard School, where he honed his skills in ballet, modern, and contemporary dance techniques under the guidance of world-class instructors. In 2022, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Upon graduation, Harrison embarked on his professional dance journey in Tel Aviv, performing with Complexions Contemporary Ballet throughout the company’s 28th season. Today, Harrison has worked with and performed works by William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Bobbi Jean Smith, Dwight Rhoden, and Francesca Harper, among many more renowned artists. Since joining Complexions, he has also ventured into freelance work in New York City and explored various career opportunities that align with his interests.
Returning to Fort Collins, Harrison has dedicated himself to teaching at Studio West Dance Center, returning to the very program that nurtured his passion. In the future, Harrison aspires to achieve his dream of collaborating with professional dance companies globally and educating dancers about the profound beauty of this captivating art form.
Adriana Reidle is from Thornton Colorado, currently attending Colorado State University while working and teaching for SWDC! She has been dancing since the age of 3 and competitively since the age of 5. Adriana works both at the front desk and in our classrooms teaching a variety of dance classes to our young dancer’s.
" I love that I am still able to share my love and knowledge of dance, and help out behind the front desk!"
A Colorado native, Binyamin began his dance training while attending Colorado State University. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Zoology in May, 2022. While attending university, Binyamin had the opportunity to perform in numerous faculty and student-choreographed works, as well as residency pieces by internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, André Megerdichian, and Vincent Thomas. Binyamin also developed a strong choreographic voice of his own at CSU. Some of his undergraduate works were selected for presentation at the American College Dance Association Conference and as a finalist in the New Century Dance Project Choreographic Competition in 2022.
As a working professional, Binyamin continues to engage the Colorado dance community at large. Binyamin joined Canyon Concert Ballet as an artistic associate and faculty member in June, 2022, and he was a principal dancer with the company from 2024 through the organization’s closure in April, 2026. He is also an inaugural member of Soda Shop Movement Company, and he performed with IMPACT Dance Company from 2023 on through its sunset season in March 2025. Binyamin’s work as a choreographer has flourished through creations for students throughout Northern Colorado and multiple professional company commissions, as well as independently organizing and producing a full length mixed-repertoire program, Swan Song, at Bas Bleu Theatre in May 2026.
Sydney Swearingen trained extensively in ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and tap throughout her adolescence. She studied at Modern Dance Arts and Marjorie Kovich School of Ballet before joining Oklahoma City Ballet's Pre-Professional Program, where she trained from 2015–2018. While training at Oklahoma City Ballet, Sydney performed in numerous professional productions, including Paul Vasterling's Peter Pan and Robert Mills' Sleeping Beauty.
After graduating from high school, Sydney attended the University of Oklahoma, where she studied Ballet Performance with minors in Health and Exercise Science and Arts Management. During her time at OU, she performed as a soloist in Amy Hall Gardner's world premiere I Rise and performed in William Christensen's The Nutcracker.
In 2021, Sydney transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma to pursue a degree in Dance Education. She completed her K–12 student teaching internship at John Marshall Enterprise High School in Oklahoma City Public Schools and graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Dance. She is certified to teach dance to students in grades K–12 in the state of Oklahoma.
Sydney joined the full-time faculty at Modern Dance Arts in 2019, where she taught ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary through 2025. During her tenure, she choreographed numerous award-winning competitive routines and developed dancers of all ages and skill levels. She has also served in multiple artist-in-residence positions throughout Oklahoma, teaching dance in both rural and urban public school districts.
In 2025, Sydney relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado, to pursue her professional dance career. She joined Canyon Concert Ballet as a Second Company dancer and was promoted to the Main Company shortly before the organization's closure in April 2026. During her time with Canyon Concert Ballet, Sydney also served as a full-time faculty member at the Canyon Concert Ballet School, teaching ballet and Horton modern technique. Midway through the season, she was promoted to Upper-Level Lead Instructor in recognition of her leadership and teaching excellence.
Sydney joined the faculty of Studio West Dance Center in August 2025 and has thoroughly enjoyed working with its dancers and families. She is passionate about cultivating technically strong, artistic, and confident dancers while fostering a positive, encouraging classroom environment where every student can thrive.
Ernan has been teaching Boyz Hip Hop with us since early 2024. He is a part of the local dance group FoCo Flava. Ernan is also the recruiter for Colorado State University's Dance Program, and is well versed in all styles of dance. He brings lots of positive energy and amazing dance moves to the classroom!
Emily Carpenter (she/her) is an international triple threat performer with over 15 years of dance training. Most recently, her career has taken her sailing as Dance Captain on Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas performing in some of their most iconic shows, Boogie Wonderland and Broadway Rhythm and Rhyme. She has also performed the works of renowned choreographers such as Aszure Barton, Martha Nichols, Amy Hall Garner, Robert Priore, Sarah Brinson, Kiesha Lalama, and Cat Cogliandro. Emily received her B.F.A. in Dance with a Minor in Musical Theater from Point Park University in 2022. While pursuing her degree she performed in over 10 shows from musicals to concert pieces and everything in between. As a teacher, she loves connecting with students from all over the world, encouraging young dancers’ versatility, and bringing the fun back to learning!
Brady grew up as a competitive dancer for many years. He has participated in many conventions where he has won scholarship money, apprenticeship opportunities, as well as the prestigious $60,000 AMDA College scholarship. He has toured as an assistant with the dance convention Titans of Dance. Out of high school, Brady started choreographing in Ohio and in his 4 years of creating, he has won numerous choreography awards including 2 World Choreography award nominations with Star Dance Alliance. Brady currently is an apprentice with LA-based contemporary dance company MusEffect where he performed in three PSA dance videos entitled "Where Is The Love?" , "I'm Tired", and “Unstoppable.” Brady was a dancer in the Dancer Against Cancer PSA dance video choreographed by Jessica Starr and performed at the Industry Dance Awards 2022. He currently travels and choreographs at various dance studios all across the country independently and with MusEffect and assists many choreographers such as Katie Hazard, and Matthew Fata. He works as a competition judge for ID Dance Competition and AMP Dance Competition, and is a faculty member at Activate Your Artistry Dance Convention. Most recently he performed at Los Angeles’s Choreographers Carnival in Jessica Starr’s piece this past month. He as also recently been accepted as a principal dancer for Katie Hazard’s dance company, Vitality.
Ashton is an amazing triple threat talent who has been working professionally in the entertainment world since the age of 12. Growing up in her mom’s dance studio, Ashton quickly mastered the art of performance, and with focused determination by the age of 17 had co-written and recorded two demo albums as a pop artist. She has danced on the Disney channel in a music video with Tiffany Evans for the Lion King 11 soundtrack, appeared on the CBS hit show “Dance Revolution,” plays Mariah on the current WB hit webisode “Downer’s Grove,” and has numerous performance credits as a pop artist.
Ashton has danced on the stages of Wade Robson, Tabitha & Napolean D’umo, Dave Scott, Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Chantal Robson, and so many more. She has received top awards in performance and scholarships from every major dance convention on the circuit. She has assisted at major dance conventions all over the country and has years of teaching experience from her mom’s studio in Colorado Springs. She also has runway and print modeling credits.
Ashton is proficient in Jazz, Funky Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Ballet and Technique. She is well known for her upbeat and energetic teaching style for all ages.
Sithumi Sinley is a Studio West Dance Center alumni who graduated in 2022 and is currently studying commercial dance at PACE University in New York City. Alongside perusing her education in dance, she still continues to coach both recreational and competitive dancers in various styles.