The story of Durango Dance
Founding
Durango Dance was founded in 2008 under the direction of Kristen Brewer Sitter. She created a much-needed place for children and adults to attend dance classes with a community feel. Durango Dance classes started in the Durango Sports Club and soon moved to our first home at 11th Street and Main Ave (across the street from what is now 11th Street Station).
Growth
In 2014, Miriam Morgan moved to Durango and joined the teaching team at Durango Dance. Soon after, she took over as office administrator. In 2016, Miriam became a partner along with Kristen, and in 2017, Miriam purchased Durango Dance from Kristen. Over the next several years, Durango Dance grew and required a different studio space. In 2019, we found our permanent home at 3416 Main Ave.
Impact
Under Miriam’s direction, Durango Dance grew from a children’s and adult dance studio to include our Plie Playschool, serving young children and their parents with dance, arts, and play-based childcare in the mornings. In 2021, Durango Dance added a satellite location to serve the communities of Mancos, Cortez, and Dolores.
Also in 2021, Durango Dance made the important step away from traditional ballet pink dance wear to a more inclusive skin-tone dress code. This along with dress code options (either leotard and tights or joggers and shirt) opened new avenues of inclusion for children of various races, sensory-processing conditions, gender expressions, and religious ideals.
The Dream Fund
In 2019, Miriam signed a lease with purchase option for the current space at 3416 Main Avenue. The studio was growing and the option to buy was a goal. It is no surprise that Durango Dance faced a large set-back in 2020 when COVID closed our doors, and we immediately moved classes online. Our enrollment for that fall was 40% of the previous year’s enrollment. We were barely surviving.
Fast forward to 2022, and we have grown over and above our pre-COVID numbers. Additionally, we’ve been able to bring on a full-time Elevé Director and have plans to bring two more staffers on full-time as well. However, all this growth after such lean years has meant that we have no funds set aside for a down payment on our building. Our current building meets our needs beautifully with fully sprung floors, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, two-way mirrors for parent observation, an enchanting Plié Playschool area, plenty of parking, and nearby parks and trails. We love it here.
We are asking for help keeping our current building as not just tenants but owners. Our lease ends in August, and in order to keep our price locked in, we need to have closing set for September at the latest. Our fundraising goal is $70,000 which along with a grant and assistance from local loan sources would mean that 3416 would be our permanent home.
If you are interested in making a donation to the cause, you can write a check to Durango Dance with "dream fund" in the memo, or speak with Miriam directly for more information!
As always, we want to express the deepest gratitude to our donors. If not for you, our small business studio would not be what it is today.
Durango Dance was founded in 2008 under the direction of Kristen Brewer Sitter. She created a much-needed place for children and adults to attend dance classes with a community feel. Durango Dance classes started in the Durango Sports Club and soon moved to our first home at 11th Street and Main Ave (across the street from what is now 11th Street Station).
Growth
In 2014, Miriam Morgan moved to Durango and joined the teaching team at Durango Dance. Soon after, she took over as office administrator. In 2016, Miriam became a partner along with Kristen, and in 2017, Miriam purchased Durango Dance from Kristen. Over the next several years, Durango Dance grew and required a different studio space. In 2019, we found our permanent home at 3416 Main Ave.
Impact
Under Miriam’s direction, Durango Dance grew from a children’s and adult dance studio to include our Plie Playschool, serving young children and their parents with dance, arts, and play-based childcare in the mornings. In 2021, Durango Dance added a satellite location to serve the communities of Mancos, Cortez, and Dolores.
Also in 2021, Durango Dance made the important step away from traditional ballet pink dance wear to a more inclusive skin-tone dress code. This along with dress code options (either leotard and tights or joggers and shirt) opened new avenues of inclusion for children of various races, sensory-processing conditions, gender expressions, and religious ideals.
The Dream Fund
In 2019, Miriam signed a lease with purchase option for the current space at 3416 Main Avenue. The studio was growing and the option to buy was a goal. It is no surprise that Durango Dance faced a large set-back in 2020 when COVID closed our doors, and we immediately moved classes online. Our enrollment for that fall was 40% of the previous year’s enrollment. We were barely surviving.
Fast forward to 2022, and we have grown over and above our pre-COVID numbers. Additionally, we’ve been able to bring on a full-time Elevé Director and have plans to bring two more staffers on full-time as well. However, all this growth after such lean years has meant that we have no funds set aside for a down payment on our building. Our current building meets our needs beautifully with fully sprung floors, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, two-way mirrors for parent observation, an enchanting Plié Playschool area, plenty of parking, and nearby parks and trails. We love it here.
We are asking for help keeping our current building as not just tenants but owners. Our lease ends in August, and in order to keep our price locked in, we need to have closing set for September at the latest. Our fundraising goal is $70,000 which along with a grant and assistance from local loan sources would mean that 3416 would be our permanent home.
If you are interested in making a donation to the cause, you can write a check to Durango Dance with "dream fund" in the memo, or speak with Miriam directly for more information!
As always, we want to express the deepest gratitude to our donors. If not for you, our small business studio would not be what it is today.