D
ancing isn’t just dancing to Tamai-
ra Sandifer. She believes dance has
life-changing power. Better known
as “Miss Tee” to her students, she
founded Studio T Urban Dance Acade-
my to help young people in Sacramento
develop confidence, character and hope.
Some Studio T students have even gone
on to dance professionally for Beyoncé,
Bruno Mars, Cardi B and Rihanna. But
it’s more than just lessons: Sandifer of-
fers dance-related programs and prac-
tical life workshops for local youth and
their families.
Sandifer, who says she’s been
a dancer and choreographer
since age 7, got her start in Sac-
ramento after relocating from
the Bay Area in 2000 by volun-
teering at local dance studios
and community centers. She de-
cided to pursue teaching dance
as a profession and made it her
mission to teach kids from un-
derserved communities, giving
them access to the arts and en-
gaging them in positive activities.
Since 2012, Sandifer has
worked with school districts, com-
munity organizations and churches
throughout the greater Sacramento area,
including Del Paso Heights, North High-
lands, Rancho Cordova and south Sac-
ramento, to establish dance and practi-
cal life workshops where kids and their
families reside.
“I quickly realized that we were
losing kids to drugs, teen pregnan-
cy, suicide and third-party homicide,
particularly among kids of color,” says
Sandifer. “By bringing our programs di-
rectly to the kids and creating enrich-
ment after-school programs, we were
able to keep kids off the street and out
of trouble.”
Sandifer has launched several pro-
grams designed to connect schools,
community organizations and teaching
artists to focus on developing person-
al growth and practical life skills. Pro-
grams include Pass to Dance Class, an
on-demand virtual dance-class that
schools can use for physical education;
SacTown Showdown, a talent competi-
tion with cash awards for youth in south
Sacramento; Graffiti Bridge, a mentor-
ship program with resident artists from
the Warehouse Artist Lofts; Studio T
Hannah Feuerwerker, a dance cap-
tain at Studio T, has been teaching
dance for six years and was a student
for four years before that. “We change
people’s lives not just through dance,
but also by providing our dance fam-
ilies with support,” she says. “We all
work to help and inspire one another,
both in the classroom and out in the
community.”
Sandifer also founded California’s
National Day of Dance, an event that
promotes the availability of performing
arts in the Sacramento com-
munity. In 2018, she received
a $7,000 grant from the City of
Sacramento that funded Day of
Dance and additional program-
ming. Because of this event,
she has had the opportunity to
bring kids from all over the city
together to celebrate dance.
“Miss Tee is so dynamic,” says
Jody Ulich, director of the City
of Sacramento’s Convention &
Cultural Services. “She makes a
true difference in so many kids’
lives. … [She] teaches them the
importance of building character.”
“Dance is how we get access, but
it’s the messaging that offers perspec-
tive, confidence and gives each child
a voice,” Sandifer says. “My hope is to
open the door to opportunities and
give kids a vehicle to achieve success. I
believe this is how we build a commu-
nity and, ultimately, change a city.” n
“dance is how we get access,
but it’s the messaging that
offers perspective, confidence
and gives each child a voice.”
— Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer, founder,
Studio T Urban Dance Academy
Empowering Parents, aka S.T.E.P., work-
shops that help “dance families” with
financial and meal planning, including
the popular How to Not Go Broke at
Christmas workshop.
Chevonne Reed, a former dance
student and mother to 8-year-old hip-
hop and ballet dancer Alaiya, is an
empowerment workshop leader for
Studio T. “A majority of the families we
work with are lower income or receive
some type of assistance. The practical
life workshops teach valuable skills,
like budgeting,” says Reed. “Miss Tee’s
program is amazing because she’s
been where many of her dance families
are now.”
Christina Kiefer is a communications
consultant and freelance writer based in
Sacramento who specializes in public re-
lations, copywriting, content marketing
and strategy.
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