Welcome. We are back with new management and new offerings. We re-opened full time after being closed during the most intense year/months of the covid-19 pandemic. We have a dream we would like to make tangible here at our Center for Embodiment, and we need your support!! We would like to create a truly inclusive space for every being in our community.
If you would like to join Shana Bloomstein and her vision committee to fundraise and/or write grants for accessibility/inclusivity here at The Belfast Dance studio & Center for Embodiment, please contact Shana at: 207-323-8499, info@belfastdanestudio.com.
Our History
The Belfast Dance Studio was founded in 1985. Our first location was on Main Street around the corner from our present location on High Street. We started with one 24'x40' studio and a shared hall bathroom. We soon outgrew the space and in 1991 purchased the High Street building across from the Belfast public library. We moved into our new state of the art studio in the spring of 1992. We have one large studio and bathroom upstairs and a smaller studio, sauna, changing rooms, bathroom, waiting room and office downstairs. Both studios have sprung and heated flooring. We have offerings seven days a week including, but not limited to: movement play, dance, yoga, martial arts, and healing arts.
Over the years the Dance Studio has hosted many workshops, galas, studio shows, festivals, dance intensives, and weekly classes. The founding director Lisa Newcomb was focused on dances of the African and Caribbean diaspora. Some incredible artist and teachers in this field have spent many summers teaching at the studio including Arthur Hall, Richard Gonzalez, Nego Gato, Abdoulaye Sylla, Cle Douglas, and Julio Jean. With the help of many of these amazing dancers and The Community Multi- Cultural Arts Project, Lisa created the Sankofa Festival, a yearly summer event, from 1989-2002. The Sankofa festival included dance and drumming workshops, street vendors, food, street performances and a community street dance. Over the recent years we have been the home to Women’s Works dance collective and festival. We continue to foster community through healing arts movement practices.
The Belfast Dance Studio is committed to providing a community space to people while they discover the world of movement and creativity. We are grateful to have a team of heart centered facilitators and practitioners, who offer a multitude of movement and healing arts classes. A number of our teachers have been with us since our doors opened in 1985 and most folks have been facilitating classes for atleast 5 to 10 years.