HELEOS and Dance Loft tout their effort as an innovative solution to two problems with the same cause: the lack of arts spaces and affordable housing, both victims of D.C.’s rapidly rising rent.The plan would double Dance Loft on 14’s size to 19,000 square feet, including two theaters and four dance studios. One of those would face out onto the street, allowing passersby to observe dancers at work.

“It’s really vital to ensure that arts organizations can have permanent homes. And in doing that, it enlivens the community as a whole,” Movius said, adding that the city needs places where artists can practice or make art, in addition to the theaters and galleries where work is displayed. “The more of those spaces that disappear, the less of a grassroots arts culture D.C. will have.”

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Dance Loft on 14 founder Diana Movius observed a pattern over the years as, one by one, she watched other dance rehearsal and performance spaces in D.C. shut down.

“Arts organizations that buy their buildings are the ones that are ensured permanent sustainability,” she said, pointing to Dance Place in Brookland as an example. “The trend in D.C. has been that arts organizations that rent their facilities typically eventually close.” In the past decade, D.C. Dance Collective in Tenleytown and Flashpoint in Penn Quarter were among the latter.

That’s why, a few years ago, she jumped at the chance to buy the building where her organization rented dance space. Movius, a dancer and choreographer, opened the current 8,000-square foot facility in 2015, and learned in 2018 that her landlord would be selling the building.

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With a goal to stay on its site and improve its facilities, Dance Loft on 14 initiated this novel partnership with not-for-profit developer Heleos when its building went up for sale. The new space dedicated to performing arts will encompass 19,000 sq ft of permanent studio space with two theaters and four dance studios, one of which will be a public facing studio visible from 14th street.

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With a goal to stay on its site and improve its facilities, Dance Loft on 14 initiated this novel partnership with not-for-profit developer Heleos when its building went up for sale. The new space dedicated to performing arts will encompass 19,000 sq ft of permanent studio space with two theaters and four dance studios, one of which will be a public facing studio visible from 14th street.

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Dance Loft initiated the partnership with Heleos when its current home went up for sale this year. The organization currently provides space to more than 2,500 artists per year, and attracts more than 5,000 audience members while its in-house professional ballet company employs 12 dancers.

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Dance Loft initiated the partnership with Heleos when its current home went up for sale this year. The organization currently provides space to more than 2,500 artists per year, and attracts more than 5,000 audience members while its in-house professional ballet company employs 12 dancers.

Read More