A new nonprofit dance company has opened its doors at the same San Mateo studio where generations of local dancers trained for nearly six decades.
Peninsula Ballet Arts launched in July at 1880 S. Grant St., in the Concar Drive shopping center, founded by Greg and Nina Amato and other former leaders of Peninsula Lively Arts, which closed June 30 after struggling with rising costs and the looming redevelopment of its home. The new company already has about 200 students enrolled, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
"For us to cease operations without a plan and for all those cultural organizations and anyone who was associated with that building to stop was going to be devastating for the dance community," Greg Amato, co-founder and artistic director of Peninsula Ballet Arts, told the Daily Journal.
Why Peninsula Lively Arts closed
Peninsula Lively Arts, founded in 1967, operated as an umbrella organization for Peninsula Ballet Theatre and a dance school offering ballet, tap, jazz and musical theater. The company's board voted to close on Feb. 12 and announced the decision publicly on March 13, according to the M-A Chronicle.
Two forces drove the shutdown: the Concar Drive shopping center where PLA's 34,000-square-foot facility sits is slated for redevelopment by owner Brookfield Properties, and the organization could not generate enough revenue post-pandemic to sustain operations. Former PLA media relations director Joe Arellano said even a scaled-down facility would require specialized studio space and long-term lease commitments difficult to secure on the Peninsula.
The company held three farewell performances called "The Last Dance" on June 20-21, according to the Almanac, before closing for good.
What Peninsula Ballet Arts offers
The new company operates in the same studio space, which it has secured for one more year before the redevelopment proceeds, according to the Almanac. School director Léna Alvino said the organization has broadened its class offerings, including an absolute beginner adult ballet class that PLA never had.
Adult classes run $22 per session or 10 for $195. A six-week Repertory Workshop is scheduled Thursdays from July 9 through Aug. 13 for $210. Faculty includes Alvino, Greg Amato, Kelley Hashemi and former PLA Director of Artistic Operations Chloe Watson.
Peninsula Ballet Arts plans to stage performances including The Nutcracker while branching into new productions aimed at younger audiences. The organization is also taking a grassroots approach to fundraising, with donor outreach already underway, according to the Almanac.
At the time of PLA's closure, 300 students were enrolled in the school. Amato said that community was the reason the founders moved quickly to launch the new organization rather than let families scatter.
For class information, contact Peninsula Ballet Arts at (650) 307-5088 or [email protected].
Also in San Mateo County this week
- Thursday, July 16: San Mateo County's seventh annual Inclusion Festival, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 500 County Center, Redwood City. Features live music, a family fun zone, mobile library and the raising of the Disability Pride flag. Hosted by the County Commission on Disabilities.
