Kirstie Spadie co-founded NCDI in 2001 alongside her husband, Jay Spadie. She served as the artistic director for twenty-four years. Kirstie received a bachelor’s of fine arts from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence. Kirstie was coached by Agnes de Mille as the Lead Cowgirl in Rodeo. Kirstie spent several summers at Jacob’s Pillow and performed in Milton Myers’ Full Moon Rising. She performed and toured nationally as the White Cat, Victoria, in Cats. Kirstie performed in the West Side Story national tour — which also toured throughout Europe — and served as the assistant director for the original Jerome Robbins choreography. 

Kirstie has taught extensively throughout North Carolina. Students experience a positive and high-energy environment with respect towards traditions and discipline of dance. Kirstie trained with the National Dance Institute Teacher Training Program in New York City and believes highly in their teaching methodologies that dance can promote confidence, discipline, enrich children’s lives and spark their artistic dreams for the future. Kirstie was appointed by National Dance Institute Founder Jacques d’Amboise as the Artistic Director of North Carolina Arts in Action (NCAIA) from 2005-2007. As the founding NCAIA Artistic Director, she conceived, choreographed and directed Moving to the Masters and Got Jazz!

Kirstie is active in the community with teaching master classes and choreographing for musicals. Her choreography has been presented at the NC Children’s Dance Festival, the NC Educators Ball, Carolina Arts Festival, NC Special Olympics opening ceremonies, CBS-17’s Tree of Lights, ABC-11’s Winterfest and Pieces of Gold. Her contemporary choreography was presented at the 2009 Youth American Grand Prix ballet competition. Kirstie is a frequent guest faculty instructor for Carolina Ballet’s summer intensives and UNCSA’s Festival of Dance. In 2003, Kirstie was awarded Community Dance Educator of the Year by the Dance Association for North Carolina Educators.

For the past 27 years, Kirstie has been connected with the theatre community choreographing musicals, such as The Wiz at Saint Mary's School and Guys & Dolls at Wakefield High, which was nominated for Best Choreography as part of the Durham Performing Arts Center’s Triangle Rising Star awards. She also co-directs for the adult acting group, STAR (Special Theatre Arts of Raleigh), which was awarded the Raleigh Medal of Arts. She has traveled the world dancing and teaching, including frequent travels to Beijing and Shanghai, China to choreograph for DDC Talented Youth Program. These works included Madagascar, Seussical, The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella.

Kirstie was featured in the book Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Music and Dance and Firestarters: 100 Job Profiles to Inspire Young Women. As a teacher, Kirstie enjoys mentoring talented students in their pursuit for excellence in the arts. A native of New Orleans, she is passionate about empowering young people to find their voices through dance.

In 2025, Kirstie appointed her former student and NCDI Associate Artistic Director Victoria Moore to the role of artistic director. Kirstie looks forward to supporting Victoria in her vision to lead the next generation of young dancers at NCDI.