You are reading

Sunnyside Dance Company to Open 3,000 Square Foot Studio on Queens Boulevard

Students from Dance Matters NYC across the street from the new studio at 37-10 Queens Blvd. The facility, scheduled to open in August, is above Sonic (Photo courtesy of Dance Matters NYC)

July 20, 2022 By Christian Murray

A growing Sunnyside dance company is opening a 3,000 square foot studio on Queens Boulevard.

Dance Matters NYC, which was established by Sunnyside resident Mariana Sanchez in 2016, is opening a dance studio on the 2nd floor at 37-10 Queens Blvd.

The facility will consist of three dance studios, where she will teach a variety of dance. The space will also be available for artists to rent.

Mariana Sanchez, owner and founder of Dance Matters NYC (Photo courtesy of Dance Matters NYC)

Sanchez anticipates that construction on the studio will conclude next month, and she will be ready to start classes for the upcoming school year.

Sanchez, who learned ballet as a child in Mexico City, has been operating her dance company in various locations throughout western Queens since its inception. Her company teaches students of all ages–from toddlers to young adults.

Her life story represents the classic immigrant experience. She came to New York for opportunity– primarily to explore the world of modern dance—only to build a business many years later. She also married a New Yorker, has children, and has lived in Sunnyside for 12 years.

The opening of her own studio space will at long last provide her company with stability, since she has been renting studio space from various organizations since the company was established. She rented space at Spaceworks LIC, which later closed, and then took space at The Q StudioLab, located at 41-20 Queens Boulevard, in 2017.

The Q StudioLab, located at 41-20 Queens Boulevard (Photo: GMaps)

But the company has grown and with that the need for more space. She now rents space at three locations, Q StudioLab on Queens Blvd. as well as Suryaside Yoga and The Secret Theatre—both located on Skillman Avenue.

“We have been looking for a new home for some time and we found the space and we felt it was the perfect location,” Sanchez said, who says the new performance space will be state of the art.

“Everything will be housed here. This will be our new home and I won’t need to go looking around for space.”

Sanchez offers a number of a classes—including an after school and weekend program, typically attended by about 350 students. The students learn everything from ballet, tap, hip hop, modern and contemporary. The classes are divided by age—with classes for 2 ½- 10 year-olds, and classes for 11-18 year-olds.

She said she follows the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum.

Her students also put on two performances each year, with the Nutcracker in winter and a Spring Performance.

Her company also has a program where her instructors go into local elementary and middle schools and teach ballet, jazz, musical theater and hip hop. The company typically teaches around 200 students.

Sanchez said she is also about to launch a program for pre-school kids–called the Studio Fine Arts Club—which she said will be an innovative, artsy and exciting day program.

Sanchez said she is looking forward to putting all her efforts into her dance programs and not having to constantly find space for her classes. She said she is looking forward to her new venue opening.

She said the company’s focus will remain the same, where its built around making her students feel special and building their confidence. “Our students are all unique and should express themselves. They should go into the world and be themselves. My aim is to enrich their lives.”

Students from Dance Matters NYC (Photo courtesy of Dance Matters NYC)

 

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.

A hidden gem in Sunnyside: Bistro Punta Sal blends Peruvian and Italian flavors

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

On a quiet street in Sunnyside, Bistro Punta Sal has its French doors wide open, letting the late August breeze emanate throughout the space, which is ornate with flowers, paintings and an array of tables and chairs for intimate dinners with friends or a romantic date night. The cozy restaurant, located at 45-51 46th St., is a hidden gem in the neighborhood that is just waiting to be discovered, as the sights and aromas of the restaurant invite guests in. 

Off-duty paramedic spots South Richmond Hill two-alarm house fire that injures nine firefighters, two civilians on Friday morning: FDNY

Nine firefighters were injured, two of them seriously, and two civilians sustained minor injuries during a two-alarm house fire in South Richmond Hill on Friday morning, but it could have been worse if not for the actions of an off-duty veteran EMT.

Paramedic Craig Biscuiti was driving to work when he noticed a column of thick black smoke and heavy flames coming from the first floor of a two-story home at 95-36 111th St. just before 7:10 a.m.

Astoria doctor sentenced to more than two decades in prison for rape and sexual abuse: DA

An Astoria doctor was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Thursday in Queens Supreme Court for raping unconscious acquaintances and sexually abusing hospital patients.

Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, of Broadway, pleaded guilty on June 30 to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree in satisfaction of the consolidated indictments against him. He additionally entered an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse. The defendant — a former gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital — recorded the abuse of his unconscious victims with his cell phone in both his Astoria apartment and at the hospital.