New Home Opening Night - April 18, 2008
Dreams really do come true.
Seeing our new studio, on its opening weekend, filled with all of you dancing filled our hearts with pride and gratitude.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to beautify the space. Thank you to all the organizers who volunteered to host our first Club Salsero. A special thank you to everyone who donated to the kid's program. You gave over $2000 to help underprivileged kids experience dance.
Our first weekend surpassed all expectations. We love that you are a part of SDS and want to help us grow. - Joy and Todd
New Home Progress
March 30, updated April 1
Say goodbye to the Uptown Wellness Center, and hello to the new Social Dance Studio at 3742 23rd Avenue South! We have a few hurdles to um, hurdle, this week before our classes can officially start, but first we'd like to give you the good news about the progress that is being made at our home.
Vance Engelstad, Jeff Hausken, Kevin Volk, and Brian Waletzko spent nearly the entire weekend working at the new space, going above and beyond the call for help. (You guys are the best!) The lobby is painted, its wood floor is installed, and it's awaiting the registration desk, which arrives tomorrow. The Solar Studio is fully painted, and the Star Studio and Bella Ballroom are 75% complete. The HVAC system still needs to be connected to the rooftop units, which we expect to take place tomorrow. After that, we will patch and paint the ceiling. The DJ booth is nearly ready for the sound system to be installed and we have put in temporary light fixtures throughout the space. (The permanent ones are set to arrive April 7).
To get our Certificate of Occupancy this week, we need additional electrical work completed to bring us up to code (like EXIT signs), and the electrical, plumbing and HVAC work must pass inspection. Should everything go well, we hope to lay the portable wood floor of the studios Thursday morning. We plan to furnish and put in finishing touches after classes have commenced. The soundproof curtains, which will separate the three studios during class time, are scheduled to be installed on the 7th.
As you can see, there is some chance we will not be able hold classes and Club Salsero this week. Please check your inbox or back here for further updates this week.
April 1 update:
Unfortunately, yesterday's winter storm delayed the HVAC installation at our new home, pushing our opening schedule into next week. The studios will open, and classes will start, on April 7th. Club Salsero, originally scheduled for this Friday, will be held instead on Friday, April 11. Joy will be teaching at 8 p.m., and DJ Todd will be spicing up his Latin Club mix with some World dance music (we don't want to steal all of International Night's thunder). In May, these parties will return to their regularly scheduled Fridays - 1st & 3rd Friday for Club Salsero, and 2nd Friday for International Night.
Thank you!
March 19
We are so grateful to everyone who responded to our call for help with studio renovations this week. From now until the end of the month, we will continue to need your help with painting, upholstering, and laying the maple hardwood of our new floors! Todd - at 612.968.2401 - is the point person to call about each day's work and schedule. He's going to do his best to include the relevant details on his voicemail.
New Studio Update
Febuary 20
Our projected date is April 1st - no joke honestly. Walls have been removed, the old floor ripped out, and the front remodeled. Next in line is drywalling and installing all of electrical wiring, jacks etc. Bathrooms and heat and air are being built. We hope to start painting, putting in flooring and decorating come March 1st. Many of you have offered help. We couldn't be more grateful and we are excited to have your energy to create our new home. When we are ready, we will send out a newsletter with dates and jobs that need to done. If you are available we would appreciate the assistance. Two hands are better than one and with many hands, we will get the job done. Construction pictures will be posted on the website by next week. If you wish to stop by and see for yourself, the new address is 3742-48 23rd Ave S. The whole block do you ask? Just about! Check out the huge parking lot accross the street. Hallelujah!
EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!
January 25
We are officially one giant step closer to being in our own new dance space! Today at 4:30 pm we got approval for our parking variance at our new home. "Where is our new home? When will we be there?"
Our new SOCIAL DANCE STUDIO will be at 3742 23rd Ave. S. in Minneapolis. This space is just a mere 10 minutes away from our current location. Our plan is to be ready to teach out of the new studio by the first of March. Although we will be teaching there at that time... there will still be much work to do before our grand opening. Our new space will have 3 rooms, lots of sunlight, NEW heating and AC (that is under our control), fans, LOUD music, more classes each day, and more energy than ever! We will chart our renovation progress via the website so everyone can watch us grow.