WEST VILLAGE — A pair of flamenco dancers opened a new dance studio in the basement of a church on Christopher Street this winter.
Jorge Navarro opened the Creative Cultural Center in St. Veronica Church with his longtime flamenco dance partner, Antonio Hidalgo.
Navarro and Hidalgo run a dance company called Arts Flamenco, and for a while Navarro focused on that and the weekly flamenco shows he hosted on Saturdays at La Nacional on 14th Street.
But they frequently needed studio space for rehearsals and the classes they teach, and Navarro wanted them to have "their own space that they could call home for Arts Flamenco," said Caitlin Thurgood, who now helps run the six studios at 149 Christopher St.
"Jorge had been looking around for a few years for a space and he started asking around in churches in the West Village, because there are a lot of times hidden spaces in churches that aren't used," Thurgood explained.
Thurgood said Navarro inquired about the space at St. Veronica's "and had a really good rapport with the priest."
Renovating the basement into six studios with sprung floors suitable for dancing took about a year, Thurgood said.
Navarro is eager to rent the studios to other artists or non-profits looking for space to rehearse or hold classes and workshops. They range in size from about 200 square feet to 1,200 square feet, and are available to rent for $15 to $60 an hour.
Along with Navarro's beginner flamenco classes, the Creative Cultural Center offers fitness classes, ballet and yoga, and they hope to add Zumba, salsa, Pilates and tango as well. Single classes cost $16, and packages of five or 10 run $75 or $140.
Navarro also launched a children's dance school, offering ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern and flamenco classes for different age groups, from 6 to 10 years old and 7 to 11 years old. Saturday youth classes are open to kids 12 years and up. One semester of classes costs $225, with a registration fee of $25.
Creative Cultural Center, St. Veronica's Church, 145 Christopher St. between Greenwich and Washington streets.
