Faculty

Anna Cosper (she/her)

Instructor

Anna has lived and loved dance since she was small. Tap was her genre of choice from age 7 until very recently; she was lucky enough to study under Marijke de Braal and Roxanne Butterfly, and to tap at The Beat in Berkeley, of Gregory Hines fame. At age 16, classical ballet joined the ranks of beloved dance forms, and Anna studied ballet with fervor in the US and The Netherlands, adoring it for its structure, power, beauty and complexity. Argentine tango found her around 2014; similarly complex and beautifully metaphoric, she is particularly excited about taking tango beyond gender roles into new, playful territories. Currently, she dances with the Meander Dance Collective and teaches ballet at Island Dance and at the Meander School of Movement.

Beck Diamond (she/ they)

Artistic Director of Meander Dance Collective and Co-founder Meander School of Movement

I have been dancing for as long as I can remember. It has always been a sacred refuge for me throughout my life. I received early dance education from school programs and nonprofits that gave their time to share the art with public school programs like mine. I started with hip hop and then modern dance and eventually took technical training in Ballet and Jazz. It is difficult to choose one style as my favorite, but it would perhaps be modern because it is such a grounding and accessible style.

When I am not dancing, I am enjoying watching my children grow in our lovely Whidbey Island Community.

April Jane M. Herrild (she/her)

Director of Education and Co-founder Meander School of Movement

For April Jane, dance is a powerful intersection of athleticism, artistry, and deep connection to herself and others. She loves movement for its physical power and its ability to ground her in her body fully, while allowing her to express what words cannot – helping her process life’s events, tell stories, and connect deeply with fellow dancers and audiences alike. 

A dancer, choreographer, and theatre artist based on Whidbey Island, April Jane holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Utah and a Master’s in Teaching from Western Washington University – a dual foundation that brings a rich blend of performance expertise and pedagogical skill to her students. She is endorsed to teach theatre, dance, health and fitness in WA State public schools. April Jane has spent over a decade sharing her love of dance and performance across public schools, studios, and colleges throughout the Pacific Northwest. As well as teaching and choreographing for Meander, she currently teaches theatre and choir at South Whidbey High School.

You can occasionally find April Jane performing theatre locally. Recent credits include Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, Woman 4 in Cowboys Are My Weakness and Macy in The Cake, all at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. 

April Jane lives in Freeland with her husband, Jesten, and their four dogs (Eobard, Bexley, Emmi, and Zephyr).

Hailey Way (she/her)

Instructor

TBA