Maryland Performing Arts Center Opens Beautiful New Location

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Following six months of renovation, the new Maryland Performing Arts Center facility opened its doors to students in early March. Modeled to capture the look and feel of a New York-style studio — with exposed light bulbs, duct work and brick walls — the state-of-the-art studio offers students and their instructors more than 6,000 square feet of dance space.

“The overall design of the studio is very city-esque,” said Kelsey King, the center’s owner and artistic director, who designed the space herself. Her hope is that by giving her studio the same aesthetic as a studio in New York, it will give her students a fresh sense of inspiration. “I really want to make them feel they’re traveling somewhere special every time they come to dance. It just feels a lot more mature and it’s something they get excited about,” she said, explaining that many of her students have traveled to the Big Apple and other places around the country for workshops, classes and auditions.

When Maryland Performing Arts Center first acquired the space, which was previously occupied by Tuesday Morning, King was daunted by how much room she would have for lessons and practice. “When we first looked at the place and saw how much space there was, the only problem was ‘How are we going to use all the space?’” she recalled.

She quickly realized that her teachers and 42 students in the company would have no problem making use of all 6,000 square feet. Associated Property Management, which owns the building, was pivotal in helping transform the open layout into multiple dance rooms as well as a comfortable teacher’s lounge, a spacious open hall for students to catch up on homework between dance classes, and a reception lounge equipped with a television monitor so parents can watch the classes while they happen.

With a beautiful new facility open and ready for use, King realizes the potential that her business has for growth in the future. Because she draws students from as far as Glen Burnie and Kent Island, she has considered the possibility of a second location. “If this takes off and people enjoy what we’ve done with the place, we’ll keep expanding,” she said. “I would always love to keep on expanding whenever we get the chance to.”

Maryland Performing Arts Center is located at 844 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. For more information, visit www.marylandperformingartscenter.com.

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