YOUTH PERFORMING ARTS GROUP FINDS NEW HOME IN LEMON GROVE

Nonprofit focuses on underserved middle and high school students

Local dancers will have a new spot to express themselves now that transcenDANCE Youth Arts Project has opened its doors in Lemon Grove.

The nonprofit transcenDANCE will cater to underserved middle and high school students in San Diego County, offering dance classes and holistic programming that includes access to mental health services. It also has on-site therapy and administrative offices, a separate community workshop space and a conference room.

TranscenDANCE has been in search of a forever home since its beginnings in 2005 in City Heights when it shared space with a martial arts studio. It moved into another shared space in National City for eight years before finally landing the 2,000-square-foot room on the ground floor at Citronica One, a mixed-use development near the San Diego Trolley stop in downtown Lemon Grove.

On Friday afternoon, four teenage dancers with the group gave a beautifully choreographed performance inside their new digs during a live feed broadcast to followers of the troupe. Among the guests cheering on the dancers were two of transcenDANCE’s original alumni, Seiha Vor and Nerly Bates-Gray, now both in their 30s.

“It’s amazing to see this, like night and day,” said Bates-Gray, whose younger sister is a current dancer with transcenDANCE. “We used to rehearse in parking lots, just wherever we could find

a space. We were just so excited to dance, it didn’t matter where we were. But actually seeing them with a roof over their heads, a room, a floor, it’s beautiful. To see we actually have a place to keep the work going is beautiful and magical.”

Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez, who told those viewing the live feed that she used to take dance lessons as a young girl, and Citronica developer Ginger Hitzke were also there to congratulate the troupe on making Lemon Grove its new home.

“I’m thrilled,” Hitzke said. “I can’t think of something

more perfect and more in line with some of my personal values. Anything that has to do with kids and the well-being of kids has a special place in my heart. The emotional wellness (transcenDANCE) offers in addition to the health component of dancing with wraparound services are also really important. I’m also excited to have the space activated with the energy that young people bring. We really need that kind of energy in the neighborhood.”

Grammy Award winner Jason Mraz, an Oceanside resident who performed with transcenDANCE students and alumni at two sold-out shows of “Shine” at the Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego in February 2020, joined Friday’s celebration virtually.

The studio will officially open May 1, with more robust programming coming in June, according to Cat

Corral, transcenDANCE co-founder and artistic executive director.

The group is also partnering with the Lemon Grove School District to provide dance opportunities for Lemon Grove elementary-school-age kids this summer and has provided social/emotional learning videos for teachers in the district to use as a tool for working with students.

Corral said the group is also renting another spot at Citronica and hopes to add a curtain and lights so dancers can perform on site. Corral said transcenDANCE has nearly met a $400,000 goal for its capital campaign and is looking toward the community to help get it to the finish line. For more information on contributing, visit transcendance.givecloud.co.