File photo
Sept. 6, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
The large space on Queens Boulevard that once housed a Korean church and acted as a community hall will now serve as a permanent home for a children’s school and a dance studio.
The site at 41-20 Queens Boulevard will be the location of the Q Studio Lab, a laboratory school serving children from kindergarten to the third grade, and Dance Matters, a youth arts program making its way to Sunnyside from Spaceworks in Long Island City.
The Q Studio Lab, according to its founder Lauren Travers, who also founded the Amazing Magic Beans Learning Center at 43-12 46th Street, is currently a small “home school collaboration” that launched in 2015. The idea came about after working with a group of parents and teachers to create a learning environment that follows the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which promotes experiential learning and teaching through the arts. Prior to moving its location to Sunnyside, the studio lab operated out of the Variety Boys and Girls Club in Long Island City.
The Q Studio Lab will officially open on Queens Blvd. tomorrow.
The studio lab program has 12 enrolled students and a capacity to seat 50. The studio lab will likely receive private school designation in early 2018, according to Travers, and students who join the Q Studio Lab before that are enrolled through the New York City Department of Education’s Home School program.
Tuition for the Q Studio Lab is $1,200 a month, and the studio lab is still accepting applications for interested students. For information on how to enroll, visit the Q Studio Lab page.
A pre-school and an after school are also planned for the site, and will open late October.
After the school day finishes, the top floor of the building will be occupied by Dance Matters, a youth program for children ages 2 to 18 that teaches a variety of dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, through classes like “Mommy and Me” and a newly added “Boys Freestyle”.
Mariana Sanchez, an American Ballet Theater certified instructor, founded Dance Matters in 2014 after closing down her former dance school, Astoria Fine Arts Dance. Sanchez, along with four other professional dance instructors, will teach students in two large dance studios.
“Part of the mission is to create a nurturing environment where kids can find their own strength,” Sanchez said. “Dance is such a powerful tool for kids to have in their lives.”
Nak Won Reformed Church (2012)
Travers reached out to Sanchez about moving the dance school’s location to the Queens Boulevard site in order to have an after-school program within reach that aligns with the creative teaching philosophy of the studio lab. When the after school program takes off late October, Sanchez will likely provide a select number of classes for enrolled students at the studio lab school. The dance school, however, is open to any child, and does not require affiliation with studio lab to join.
Dance classes will begin this Saturday, but will continue to be held at Spaceworks, located at 33-02 Skillman Avenue, until the dance studios are ready for use in the coming weeks. Children can sign up for a 7-week class series in any of the dance styles taught, which costs around $175 total. Pricing plans and models are also available for students interested in year-long learning. For more information on enrolling and pricing, visit the Dance Matters site.
Travers says the goal for the Queens Boulevard site is to have it be used as a community space, with a possibility for the dance studios at the top floor to be rented out to artists interested in using the facilities.
“Ultimately, we want to partner with local public schools and community organizations so what we’re doing can be shared—like a shared brain trust,” Travers said.
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20 Comments
This is an old photo. There is no Cherry Vally Dairy and Salt & Fat. Cherry Vally is now Divina Threading Salon. Salt & Fat is no Day Boat.
let JVB start taking lessons –
$1200 a month!
I heard Neal Milano is designing the interior
I heard Neal Milano will be teaching how to do the jailhouse rock!!!
Oh so funny. Yeah, I get it ,Elvis, jail house rock. Oh so funny. You should go on tv oh so funny. Oh oh oh ha ha ha……
What a stupid jerk
This promises to create more traffic congestion for the neighborhood, since the building also has an entrance around the corner on 42nd Street, which already has a Public School further up the block towards 47th Avenue. Was that considered before the deal was made?
ask JVB and see how much money he is getting !!!!!
We’re talking 50 kids, and of those I’m willing to bet at least half will live in walking distance. Let’s not get too worked up.
I never seen a church playing heavy metal till 3 am.
Yes it is indeed good for me, I need to get a bit better everyday to keep pace with your girl.
Fat Al and Skinny El Loco…better than a Jerry Lewis- Dean Martin movie. BTW. Fed up is taking dancing lessons there. Beetle Juice says she beat him out of a tip when she tries to park in Neal’s old private spot out front. Fed Up is now banned by El Loco who was recently crowned the Ambassador of the spot.
Hey stupid ojj, I’m 6foot 190lbs. Where do you get I’m fat from ? You idol el loco? Why don’t you mind your business and leave me out of your posts! Your as dumb as the loser you worship
Hey ALAN, as OJJ says towards the end of his famous song “you’re dismissed!” And El Loco will dance circles around you. He is like Danny Terrio and wears Capezio dance shoes! What are you wearing right now… your flip flops from the dollar store while you sit in front of your black and white TV with the rabbit ears eating your Swanson TV dinner watching Animal kingdom with your mom. You mess with El Loco you mess with OJJ.
I want my mommy.
Shut up Al from SUNNYSIDE! Thank god a rest from Neil Milano. But unfortunately no rest from Al from SUNNYSIDE. I’m going to tell your mommy to put you to sleep now.
El loco this is good for you
you two are morons, go away
It’s not me, it’s al.
I heard Neal Milano was looking into taking some dancing lessons.