DANCE ACADEMY OF MANSFIELD

BY MEREDITH KNIGHT

CHRISTIE GARRETT

Dance Academy of Mansfield

As a young child, Christie Garrett dreamed of one day becoming a dancer. To her delight, her mother enrolled her in ballet, tap and jazz classes at the age of 8. On weekends her mother would take her to the Theatre in Houston Texas where she witnessed beautiful ballerinas and world-famous artist perform on stage. A hugely impactful moment was when she saw The Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform the masterpiece “Revelations”. The skillful beauty and expressive dancers along with the amazing storytelling would inspire her for years to come. As a blossoming dancer, Christie studied with The Dyche Yzer School of Ballet, Margo Marshall School of Ballet in Houston, The Abilene Metropolitan Ballet, and the Civic Ballet of Abilene performing in the Nutcracker, Coppelia, The Wizard of Oz, and other productions. After a lot of hard work and dedication she landed a scholarship with Joe Tremaine studying jazz, lyrical, and modern dance at the Moral Landis Dance Center in Los Angeles. She also trained under the direction of Doug Caldwell and Jackie Sleight at the Dupree Dance Center also in LA. Christie began her professional dance career at the age of 19, touring nationally with the children’s musical "The Chipmunks and Magic Camera”, including performances in Madison Square Gardens. She would go on to perform in numerous stage productions, musicals, industrials, and TV commercials in LA and Dallas. She and her husband founded Dance Academy Mansfi eld as a one-room dance studio in 1999. “I was the owner, artistic director, dance teacher, receptionist, bookkeeper, and more,” she said. Dance Academy of Mansfi eld fl ourished and now consists of three dance rooms with 10 highly trained and educated teachers and staff members serving over 150 children and families each week. “Our staff is extremely committed and passionate about investing in the lives of children,” Christie said. “They are also strong in their faith and great role models for our students.” What sets Dance Academy of Mansfi eld apart, is the emphasis of nurturing all aspect of a student—mind, body, and spirit in a Christ-centered environment. “We have a proven curriculum that focuses on the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of each student,” Christie said. “This emphasis has created a safe, nurturing environment where students can grow in character and self-esteem while receiving excellent dancing training. Our dance program uniquely provides a variety of dance styles while incorporating prayer, worship, and bible devotions equipping each student to reach their full potential. This philosophy comes alive in performances as students ages three through 18 relate inspiring stories based on Biblical principles to teach life lessons through dance. “Productions are performed in a theatre with beautiful costumes and sets offering students a professional experience,” Christie said. “Students learn the purpose behind their performance which helps them grow in artistry and creativity.” Christie and her husband of 34 years have been active in their church teaching Sunday school, participating in worship teams, prayer groups, and emotional inner-healing ministries. The Garretts have three grown sons, 2 granddaughters and several fur babies (dogs) that they adore! “I have treasured the opportunity to work closely with students, staff and the community for the last 21 years and look forward to many more” she said. From a humble beginning to a thriving business, Christie’s journey has been a wonderous adventure that has led to a beautiful destination.

CONTACT

208 EAST BROAD SUITE #108 | MANSFIELD, TEXAS 76063 (817) 453-4868 | DANCEACADEMYOFMANSFIELD.COM “Productions are performed in a theatre with beautiful costumes and sets offering students a professional experience,” Christie said. “Students learn the purpose behind their performance which helps them grow in artistry and creativity.”