3 dance companies combine to serve dancers around Treasure Valley 

This autumn, dancers of all styles will be united in one single location in Boise, as three leading dance companies will come together to open a new 20,000-square-foot dance facility. Christina Shell, Dance Unlimited co-director, shared that when they decided to build a new facility, it was a natural decision to share the space.

“We [Dance Unlimited, Boise Ballet Academy (BBA) and Be Studios] have been working side by side for several years,” she explained. “All three of us have very strong programs, and by coming together in one building, we can create additional opportunities for Boise-area dancers.” 

For all three companies, it just made sense to combine everything into one space and the options that will be available because of that are incredibly exciting to think about, the owners said.  

“Our relationship with Dance Unlimited has been strong since we opened Boise Ballet Academy in 2018, so when Christina and Tamra offered for us to join them in the new space, we were happy to accept,” said Mads Eriksen, Boise Ballet Academy director. 

The space, which will be located at 11186 W. Gabrielle Drive in Boise, will offer 10 state-of-the-art studios, which will provide the ability to offer many more classes to Treasure Valley dancers of all ages and abilities. Tamra Nefzger, Dance Unlimited co-director, explained that the company currently offers classes in ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, tap, musical theater, yoga, ballroom and more. BBA will also offer pre-professional ballet training, offering American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum, focusing on training the whole dancer, and GYROTONIC Method training. Be Studios offers yoga classes, in addition to barre and dance classes, both in person and virtually.  

“We also have plans for future collaborations and hope to also add choreography classes, stretching, anatomy, dance history, combos and improv as time goes on,” Nefzger said. 

The building plan has been in the works for several years, so getting the project off the ground has been an exciting process, and throughout each planning phase, the team has worked to tailor it to dancers and their needs. The studios will have custom sprung floors, which are floors that are lifted off the ground and supported by foam, giving dancers a safe way of training that supports their knees and backs. There will also be studio-quality sound systems, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, ballet bars and adjustable stretching bars. Additionally, there will be dedicated spaces in the studios, such as a dancer’s lounge, study and homework spaces, an outdoor patio and a sizeable lobby with a viewing area for parents. A large dancewear retail store will be included inside, and there will be birthday party and event rental space available as well. ESI is the contractor, and the architect is Glenn Walker from ADP Architects.

Ultimately, the new building will allow for the three companies to serve more dancers and reduce the size of their waitlists.  

Lesley Thompson, owner of Be Studios, said in a press release: “My hope for this collaboration is to create space where anyone who walks through the door can find movement that speaks to them — to help develop dancers into artists who are mindful of their craft and to offer a place for anyone to connect the mind and body and be a part of a supportive community.” 

To make things easy, each business will continue to operate individually, planning its own classes and schedules. The added convenience is that dancers can take classes from all three businesses in one single location, making it a great way to provide more well-rounded training opportunities for dancers looking to hone their skills.   

Eriksen said, “We at BBA are thankful and proud to be a part of the biggest dance center in the Treasure Valley and cannot wait to spread the love for dance with a larger community.”  

Shell shared, “We wanted to create a facility designed for dancers, truly thought-out for them. It isn’t just about the classes they can take, but also taking the dancer’s lifestyles into consideration. We hope this will be a place to create friendships and memories — more than just a dance studio.”