St. Paul Ballet consolidates operations to Midway location

St. Paul Ballet (SPB) has begun the process of consolidating its operations at a single studio at 655 Fairview Ave. N.

“In late May we learned that the owners of the building in which our Grand Ave. studio is located had plans to sell the building and close the dance studio,” said Lori Gleason, SPB executive director. “St. Paul Ballet has a long history in the Grand Ave. studio and we are very grateful for the time we spent there. Now we’re looking to the future of St. Paul Ballet.”

Gleason said the news was unexpected, but she sees it as an opportunity.

“St. Paul Ballet expanded rapidly over the last few years. We needed more space, so we opened a second, larger studio on Fairview Ave. two years ago,” Gleason said. “While it provided the space we needed and ADA accessibility, we lost some of the camaraderie of having a single studio where students of all ages mixed.”

Photo right: SPB utilizes an artist-led organizational model for ballet companies. Now in its ninth year, this artist-led model gives Company dancers opportunities within the infrastructure of SPB to broaden their voice and build their careers in the arts. (Photo submitted)

Though the Fairview space was originally intended as a temporary solution while the organization expanded, a close relationship with Element Boxing and Fitness evolved that vision.

“Our landlord at Fairview, Element Boxing and Fitness, is happy to partner with us over the next couple of years as we grow,” said Gleason.

To prepare for growth, SPB had already leased additional space at the Fairview location and is remodeling. More than twice the size of the Grand Ave. location, the completed space will have three dance studios, plus an expanded lobby area and a separate office.

“It is very fortunate that our strategic plan for growth included adding space, which afforded us the opportunity to absorb the consolidation,” said Gleason.

Gleason realizes that closing the studio on Grand Ave. will be a loss to many who remember it fondly. It has been a classical ballet studio for over 67 years, since shortly after World War II when Lorand and Anna Andaházy, former dancers with the famed Col. de Basil Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, settled in the Twin Cities and created a school and company.

A day of celebrating SPB’s past and future is planned for Aug. 27.