ADI Teacher Feature: Meet Dakota Crist-Garcia!

At American Dance Institute, our instructors are the heartbeat of our studios. For this edition of our Teacher Feature, we are thrilled to spotlight Dakota Crist-Garcia. Dakota serves as our Assistant School Director and a very popular instructor at our Shoreline location. Whether introducing our littlest toddlers to the joy of movement or teaching a full schedule of kids ballet classes, and last but not least organizing and coordinating our student performances, Dakota’s dedication shapes our community every single day.

Dakota grew up in the beautiful state of Montana, where she discovered her love of dance, studying ballet, jazz, modern, and pointe. This love led her to train with professional ballet programs and companies in Montana, Utah, and California, ultimately leading her to Seattle, WA.  At age 16, she began teaching and choreographing at a local dance school in Montana, igniting a passion for helping young dancers discover their joy in their movement. Through teaching, she strives to create an encouraging and positive environment where dancers of all ages can learn, practice, and grow. Dakota holds a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts. She has completed workshops in Brain Compatible Dance Education and is certified in both Music Together and Barre Above.

In the studio, you can find he

• Guiding toddlers and young children through creative dance and pre-ballet classes, fostering a lifelong love for rhythm and movement.
• Teaching beginning through intermediate ballet and contemporary to older children, teens, and adults.
• Creating choreography and running rehearsals.

Beyond the weekly classroom schedule, Dakota is the creative engine behind our student performances. She heads up our annual year-end dance recitals and our beloved Nutcracker productions. From choreography to backstage coordination, she ensures every child builds self-esteem while experiencing the unforgettable thrill of performing on a professional stage.

Dakota’s leadership extends beyond dance. She also oversees the Shoreline Music School located in Shoreline, Washington—a vibrant subsidiary and sister school to the American Dance Institute. Under her management, the music school provides top-tier instruction in piano, guitar, voice, and strings.

 Q&A Corner with Dakota

Q: What is your favorite part about teaching at ADI?
A: "The students! Having taught at ADI for the past 8 years, I've helped both children and adults progress through our program. I feel incredibly proud of them, the goals they have accomplished, and the dancers they have worked so hard to become. For me, teaching is a continuous process of learning and growth. I'm grateful to have a teaching "home" at ADI where I learn and grow along with the students."

Q: What is your favorite part about coordinating student performances?
A: "The process! In the studio, I love working with the dancers to create choreography, themes, and characters for their performances and then seeing the piece come alive on the stage. I'm incredibly proud of how hard the dancers work to prepare for performance day. On stage, their hard work manifests as confidence, which adds an extra sparkle to their performance. It's both exciting and rewarding to watch! In the office, I enjoy working out the fine details so that each performance runs as smoothly as possible for our performers and families. 

Outside of the studio, you can find her spending time with her husband, Christian, and energetic pup, Stella.

Want to take a class with Dakota?

Dakota brings passion, structure, and a zero-snootiness approach to every student she meets.

• View Class Schedules & Book a Free Trial to find a spot in her upcoming dance sessions.
• To learn more about music lessons, explore our programs over at Shoreline Music School.