Dance Instructor + Company Choreographer
AMANDA ZGONINA is a dance instructor, choreographer, and theatre and dance performer working throughout Chicagoland. She enjoys teaching and choreographing for students of all ages and levels and has experience instructing various styles of dance, including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, musical theatre, lyrical, and contemporary. Raised in Elmhurst, Illinois, Amanda grew up training in ballet, pointe, jazz, and tap at DuPage Dance Academy and performing with their resident company, Elmhurst Dance Theatre, as well as with Ballet North and youth musical theatre companies. Supported by strong mentors, she began teaching dance and choreographing professionally. She also pursued training and studies in music, theatre, and dance at Lou Conte Dance Studio, College of DuPage, Aerial Dance Chicago, and North Central College, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre and a Minor in Dance. During her training and career, Amanda has contributed choreography and performed in many dance concerts, ballets, and musicals, with credits including Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy, Arabian), Sleeping Beauty (Enchanted Garden Fairy, Little Red Riding Hood), Big Fish (Little Lamb), Shrek (Ugly Duckling, Bluebird, Dancer), and A Chorus Line (Lois). She has also choreographed numerous musicals for youth, community, and professional productions, including favorites such as Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, Newsies, Grease, Sister Act, and The Little Mermaid. Motivated by her love of the art of dance, Amanda is delighted to work with the teachers and students of VERSA5!