Coming soon: Dance City Sunderland

Published: 8 October 2016
Reporter: Peter Lathan

An artist's impression of the Fire Station development

Dance City, which has been based in Newcastle for over 30 years, is to open a Sunderland branch, Dance City Sunderland, in 2017.

The new development will be part of the Music, Arts and Cultural Quarter (MACQ), due to launch in August 2017. Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust (MAC) has secured support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sunderland City Council to develop the old Fire Station building as phase one of the MACQ. The building, empty since 1992, will become a hub for cultural activity.

There will be two new state-of-the-art dance studios which will offer a varied programme of public dance classes and be available for hire by community and private groups, as well as for children’s dance parties. Dance City will also deliver some of its formal education activity from the building.

The studios will also be set up for aerial and acrobatic use. As with Dance City’s Newcastle building, all the classes will be run by highly trained, specialist dance teachers in a wide range of styles and will be welcoming and inclusive.

There will be classes for those with previous dance experience as well as complete beginners, with classes for children, adults and people aged 55 and over.

“We are excited to be able to offer amazing dance opportunities in Sunderland through the opening of our new spaces there,” said Anthony Baker, Dance City Artistic Director and Joint CEO.

“We’re delighted to be part of such an ambitious and forward-thinking development and that Dance City will be able to play a key role in redeveloping this area into a thriving cultural epicentre.”

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