Elizabeth Chayer, founder of the American Dance Institute, on opening day of her first dance studio in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood 1991.
The Phinney Ridge Community Center was her first class room studio and she quickly built enrollment to 60 students. Sensing a real need for her style and approach to teaching, she leased the corner space at 8001 Greenwood Avenue North.
Longtime Greenwood dance teacher, Verla Flowers, was retiring, and Elizabeth purchased her student mailing list. Verla was the first dance teacher of now world famous contemporary dance choreographer Mark Morris.
Appreciating that location is everything in business, she took a big chance and leased the busy, visible, and expensive corner space at the intersection of 80th & Greenwood. With the help of her parents, who flew in from New York, Steve, and their long-time friends Kim Hartman and Maryl Marx, the space was remodeled into a state-of-the art dance studio.
School enrollment grew very quickly and steadily. Elizabeth was a very busy small business owner, mother, and wife. In 1993 her first son Andy was born and two years later, almost to the day, Denny arrived. In fact, in 1995, while pregnant with Denny, Elizabeth was auditioning a new teacher in studio one when she went into labor. She finished the audition, drove herself to Northwest Hospital and Denny arrived into the world just 20 minutes later.
In 2007, she leased a 2 nd space in the same building and opened studio two. Today some 26 years, and 12,700 students later, ADI employs Seattles best dance instructors, an office staff in Seatlle and Shoreline, a huge student alumni, numerous community awards and deep roots into our community.
Sarting as ballet school ADI class offerings now include Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Irish Step, Creative Dance, Flamenco, Break Dance, Ballroom, Latin, Swing and more. Many of her former child students have enrolled their children in classes. "It's all come full circle, "she says. At an age when most small business owners think about retiring, Elizabeth won't hear of it. "My students and parents are my families, and I love my ADI family."
"I've built a warm, welcoming and accommodating school because in this environment anyone can learn. I want the world to know that dance is for everyone and I figure it will take another twenty-five years to get the word out." :) - Elizabeth Chayer
