Meet Andrea Garcia of Costa Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Garcia.

Hi Andrea, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out working the front desk at a fitness studio about ten years ago. I was watching people come in and out every day and just seeing how much movement changed them — their energy, their confidence — and I just knew I wanted to be part of that somehow.

My background is in dance, contemporary and modern specifically, and that really shaped the way I think about movement and the body. Over time I started bringing a lot of that into my work as a trainer — ideas from somatics, floor work, improvisation — because I kept seeing this need for movement that actually felt good. Not just physically, but like, genuinely nourishing.

A big part of what I do is create an environment where we’re not only lifting but also taking time to explore and integrate other forms of movement. Sometimes that looks unconventional — we might be on the ground practicing X rolls, we might be playing a game — but that’s kind of the point. I want people to associate that space, whether it’s a gym or a park or wherever, with something that feels fun and safe, rather than intimidating.

I work with people from all different backgrounds — runners, dancers, athletes chasing performance goals, but also moms who are carving out time for themselves, and retirees who just want to keep doing the things they love. For one person it’s about getting stage ready, for another it’s getting ready to play on the floor to with their grandkids. My job is to meet them there and help them feel strong, capable, and like their body is something they can trust.

I’m also finishing up my degree in Dance Science, which I use to continuously inform and evolve my practice.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, no — and I think the biggest struggles have been internal more than anything else.
I’m a first generation American, and with that comes a survival mode mentality that can be really hard to shake. You’re taught to play it safe, to be practical — and sometimes that’s exactly what keeps you from taking the risks you need to take in order to create.

A lot of it came down to learning how to trust myself. I grew up carrying a lot of things that weren’t mine to carry — other people’s projections, their limitations, their doubts. I entered relationships and spaces without really knowing myself as my own person, and that followed me for a long time. People told me I’d never do anything with dance. And for a while, some part of me believed them.

Finding a good therapist changed everything. There was so much unraveling — in the best way. I started to separate what was actually mine from what had just been placed on me, and that shifted everything. The way I showed up in my work, the decisions I made, the things I was finally willing to let go of.

Because a lot of the struggle was also that — letting go. Of paths that weren’t serving me, of people who couldn’t see the vision, of versions of myself I had outgrown. That’s not always easy or clean, but it was necessary.

I think that’s also why the work I do means so much to me. So much of what I help people work through in their bodies is connected to something deeper. I’ve lived that. I know what it feels like to come back to yourself.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work is really hard to put in a box — and honestly, that’s kind of the point.
I specialize in movement that meets people where they are. Some days that means pushing hard and conquering something new, other days it’s slowing down and doing a mobility flow to just get the mind and body right. I’m always reading the person in front of me and adapting from there — and I think that’s what I’m most known for. My clients know that when they show up, I’m fully present for them that day.
I’m deeply body neutral and body positive. I want people to love their instrument — to see movement as a skill that can be both functional and therapeutic. That’s at the core of everything I do.
What I’m most proud of is honestly just the trust. One of my clients has been with me for eight years. Another client in her eighties who called me excited because she was strong enough to carry her own luggage on vacation. And a dancer who tells me how quick she feels on her feet a few months into her program. That’s it. That’s the whole thing — finding freedom in your body.
And what sets me apart —I think it comes down to the relationship. I want to know my clients — really know them. And from that place I can adapt, encourage, and push them in ways that actually land. I have a good sense of humor, I love to laugh, and I think that makes the whole thing feel less like a session and more like something you actually look forward to.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I definitely see the industry moving in a more community forward direction — and not just group classes, but real experiences. Events where people connect in ways that inspire creativity, feel nourishing to the soul, and movement is just naturally built in. I think we’re all a little burnt out from the grind mentality and the hyper individualism, and people are craving something different. Something grounding. Something that actually fills them up.
I think we’re going to see more of a demand for spaces, teachers, and coaches that can foster that kind of environment. And honestly, a lot of these trends come from dance. We saw the rise of barre and pilates — and I think modern and contemporary dance are next. There’s a grounding, exploratory quality to those disciplines that I can see melding into fitness in a really meaningful way.
At the end of the day I think it all comes down to where we are as people right now. We’re trying to fill a need — connection, restoration, play. And I think the industry is going to keep shifting to meet that.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrea.mvmnt/

Image Credits
Sabine West