Our Mission
The Dance Complex enables the creation, study, and performance of dance. We sustain artists, audiences, and the community through programs that connect movement and ideas. We celebrate the wonder and curiosity of dance for all.
Our Vision
The Dance Complex is for all who want to dance or move; who need space to express or explore through movement. We offer classes, performances and professional development in a safe inclusive environment—unlike those with barriers to entry because we believe in catalyzing movement as both art and as a tool for life.
30+ year old central hub for dance
The Dance Complex is a 30+ year old central hub of dance- locally, with connections to the New England region and in dialogue with the inter/national dance field. Our building, an 1884-circa Odd Fellow’s Hall in the heart of Central Square, Cambridge, is home to a diverse range of movers and dancers. This unique arts center hosts professional, pre-professional, and recreational movers. All are able to find a variety of movement and dance classes to take their next step. All can access affordable studio space, and participate in programs to help strengthen their choreographic, performance, and production skills. Those who dance, teach and create within our studios receive valued space in a supportive environment for affordable rental rates.
We are a community space
We invite the community to join us for over 100 concerts a year in our theatre and studios, and to celebrate with us in seasonal festivals that bring study, creation and performance together. Local artists perform alongside national guest artists in two theatre spaces.
The Dance Complex is sustained by a staff comprised of professional artists and arts administrators, resident companies and artists, renowned teaching artists, a working board of directors and a corps of volunteers.
The Community Ambassador program provides The Dance Complex with a 50-person workforce who man the front desk, and clean and maintain the studios, affording the participants with valuable study in dance in exchange for their work.
The community at The Dance Complex is reflective of its locale.
Cambridge traditionally attracts all kinds of people from all corners of the world, and this is reflected in the artists, their classes and performances at The Dance Complex.
Our History
The Dance Complex is housed in an 1884-circa, 5-story building, originally built as meeting rooms for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a philanthropic fraternal brotherhood. By the mid to late 20th century, the building became used as aerobic/fitness and dance studios known as Joy of Movement Center. In 1991, when the fitness entity experienced financial problems and closed its doors, a group of local dance-makers, led by founder Rozann Kraus, negotiated with the City of Cambridge and lending institutions to maintain the building as a dance center.
Then, as now, faculty and resident artists include world-renowned teachers and dance-makers. From its early days, a team of Community Ambassador students along with the founding faculty donating their time to create a studio administration that was artist-centric, striving for affordable rental rates. A studio “time-share” system was created to put the profits from classes in the hands of the teachers; in turn, class fees to students were kept below the local and national norm. This model continues today, with a growing number of Dance Complex-sponsored programs alongside these resident teaching artists/entrepreneurs.
From its inception, The Dance Complex has hosted dozens of genres and dance styles and is the resident home of several dance-makers and teaching artists. A long tradition of mentoring, resulting in a series of Shared Choreographers’ Concerts over many years, allowed younger artists the benefit of seasoned choreographers’ advice. DanceMonth, in May, dedicated the month to dance-centric activities that extended beyond the building’s walls and into the ever-changing Central Square community. Founder Rozann Kraus, lead-dreamer and lead-catalyst, conceived these projects and was assisted by an able staff of working artists, teaching artists and work study students, along with partners in the community.
The Julie Ince Thompson Theater (Studio 1) is named in honor of the late, Boston-based dance maker and offers an intimate loft style performance space. Throughout the years, inter/nationally renowned guests performed in the theatre, including those artists and companies produced by Dance Umbrella, a pioneering, locally based presenting organization. The mix of out of town productions with Boston and regional offerings brought local presentations to a new standard.
The building was secured for purchase through arrangements with the City of Cambridge, the Central Square Business Association and lending institutions. As a new entity, The Dance Complex was sheltered originally under Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center (then CMAC, now Multicultural Arts Center) as the title holder. In the mid-2000’s, the building was transferred to The Dance Complex as owner of the building.
Historical Landmarks
2021 – Complex @ Canal, a gift of BioMed Reality to The Dance Complex, allows for a plethora of performances, events, classes, and movement in Kendall Square.
2017 – The Dance Complex celebrates for a full year its “25 & Dancing On” anniversary, with celebrations honoring Founder Rozann Kraus and Board Chairman Mary McCarthy; From the Horse’s Mouth, a performance highlighting the region’s dancers, and a multi-media performance bringing dance to the streets and onto the building’s façade with the dual created works, “25…6, 7, 8” and “Dance Happens Here”.
2016 – The Boston Foundation grants a 2-year, $150,000 grant to The Dance Complex; The Cambridge Historical Commission awards The Dance Complex an excellence in renovation award for its Studio 7 street-level facade
2015 – The Barr Foundation bestows a $500,000 2-year grant to The Dance Complex
2014 – The Dance Complex receives two grants from The Massachusetts Cultural Council Facilities Fund (for work on Studio 7/street level studio and event space and Studio 1/Theatre)
2010 – City of Cambridge Go Green Award: Waste Reduction/Small Business
2008 – Community Newspaper Company’s 1st choice silver reader’s choice award regional favorite: dance/gymnastics school
2007 – Community Newspaper Company’s 1st choice bronze reader’s choice award regional favorite: dance/gymnastics school
2005 – Best of Boston Best Dance Studio
2003 – Community Newspaper Company’s 1st choice gold reader’s choice award regional favorite: dance/gymnastics school
2003 – Best of Boston Best Dance Studio
1996 – Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Nominee
1982 – Odd Fellows Hall is added to the National Register of Historical Places
Our mission at The Dance Complex includes the study, creation and performance of dance; and our values support growth for all. We rely on all students, teaching artists, audience members, community members and beyond to ensure our mission and values come to life. We want to work with you (yes you!) to help us grow and better serve our community and continue to give movement and dance a home.
Our Accomlishments
The Dance Complex, a small business located in Cambridge for 30+ years, generates minimal waste and provides access to recycling throughout their facility.
In the process of completing a multi-million dollar historical renovation, the Dance Complex recycled and reused building materials including doors, windows, lighting, bathroom fixtures, and lockers.
A reuse center is maintained in the lobby allowing people to donate and take items for reuse including clothing, home furnishings, baby accessories and even partially used bottles of shampoo.
Accept used items and refurbish theater equipment, dance flooring and ballet barres. Paper office supplies feature post-consumer recycled content and staff work to reduce paper use.