Why Hidden City Ballroom?
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Why start a ballroom?
We have seen many successful ballrooms, which have produced many happy dancers, close over the years due to rising commercial rents – and this was even before the pandemic hit. Apparently, selling widgets brings in more money per square foot than providing space for the waltz. Who knew? In Germany, by contrast, we danced at our friends’ local dance club, to which they paid a nominal monthly fee to practice. The local government subsidized the club costs, as ballroom was considered a culturally important activity. Here, it has made us sad to witness many important hubs of community, dance skill, and creativity fall due to our culture’s inability to recognize ballroom as the art and sport that it is. We have been thinking for many years that one to response to the commercial rent problem would be for a bunch of us dancers to pool our money, get investors, and buy a building ourselves, so that we could put down a flag of some sort and claim a space for dance that can’t go away. Hidden City Ballroom is this flag. |
Why “Hidden City Ballroom?”
Ballroom As a “ballroom,” we join a number of fine independent ballrooms in the Bay Area, as a place for high quality independent instructors to share their skills and love of dance. We offer space for ballroom dancers to teach, practice, and take lessons. Hidden City Our historic building, now ballroom, served the little town of Point Richmond for 120 years, first as a church holding singsperations and dances for the troops, then as painters’ studio space, then as a photography studio. It seemed only fitting that the space continue its creative service. The intention of the space as a “Hidden City” where ballroom dancers go to work and may run into local actors, musicians, storytellers and other performance artists in their practice. Meeting and greeting often leads to collaboration, and it is our hope that dancers and other artists will make aquaintence, make friends, and make art together here. The name “Hidden City” is also a local reference for Point Richmond itself, which, tucked away close to the water, it has been affectionately called over the years. |
Mission:
1. Provide a nurturing and supportive atmosphere for all people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities to learn to ballroom dance and to practice this art form.
2. Provide a space that fosters a sense of community among its dancers, teachers, and students and which encourages mutual support. As a ballroom, to work collaboratively with other independent ballrooms in the Bay Area to fullfill our goal of sharing and spreading our love of dance.
3. When possible, to open our doors to local arts organizations, artists, and performing artists, as well as to our immediate neighbors, to support creative projects that grow community and creativity in our town.
1. Provide a nurturing and supportive atmosphere for all people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities to learn to ballroom dance and to practice this art form.
2. Provide a space that fosters a sense of community among its dancers, teachers, and students and which encourages mutual support. As a ballroom, to work collaboratively with other independent ballrooms in the Bay Area to fullfill our goal of sharing and spreading our love of dance.
3. When possible, to open our doors to local arts organizations, artists, and performing artists, as well as to our immediate neighbors, to support creative projects that grow community and creativity in our town.
