National Dance Day is Sept. 16 and local dance organizations in Arts District Liberty Station will be showcasing their talents for the special day and beyond.

The Arts District is home to five local dance organizations – Malashock Dance, San Diego Dance Theater, The Rosin Box Project, San Diego Ballet, and California Ballet School – all sharing this San Diego arts and cultural hub.

The Peninsula Beacon spoke with San Diego Ballet, along with Lisa Johnson, president/CEO of NTC Foundation, which manages the historic Arts District, to find out why dance is so integrally important to San Diego’s artistic and cultural scene.

Matt Carney is executive director of San Diego Ballet, which presents a unique choreographic vision. With the leadership of Javier Velasco, the dance group aims to reignite the passion for ballet with innovative and thought-provoking performances.

“The Dorothea Laub Dance Place building (2650 Truxtun Road) is really the hub for dance in San Diego,” said Carney adding, “This type of facility is really an asset, a leader on the national level. It’s hard to find a facility like this anywhere else.”

San Diego Ballet owns another distinction, that of being one of the original tenants to move into the Arts District when it first opened in 2006. “Only four of those tenants are still there, and three of them are dance companies in the Laub building,” Carney noted adding San Diego Ballet shares the Dance Place venue with other dance companies, and that there are no conflicts in sharing space.

Carney pointed out Arts District dance caters to all ages and styles, both contemporary and modern, including some more exotic forms like martial arts and flamenco – even belly dancing.

“This is not just an art form,” he said. “It is also a creative economy and a place where people continue to engage in the art form (dance) throughout their whole life.”

Noting San Diego Ballet is both “a professional ballet company and a school,” Carney added, “No matter what your age or ability, you can participate in dance and perform. Dance is a silent, non-verbal art form, able to evoke emotions and create impact in a way that’s unique. And you can feel it even from your seat in the audience.”

Johnson noted dance has always been “a really big deal” since its inception. “We are home to a variety of different kinds of dance, and movement, and the Dorothea Laub Dance Place is a really great story,” she said noting the Point Loma philanthropist “donated a very large gift to us, and we commemorated her gift by putting her name on a building. It’s appropriate because she’s (Laub’s) a dancer and she takes classes in the Dance Place.”

Of the Dance Place, Johnson said, “We have four dance companies headquartered there in that building and they all get along, collaborate and coordinate together and support one another.”

Best of all said Johnson, the four dance companies all have widespread appeal. “Our companies, first and foremost dance and perform, and not just here in San Diego but take it elsewhere to smaller communities throughout the country,” Johnson said adding the Arts District presently has over 100 tenants occupying 114 spaces, which includes a fair amount of nonprofits.

“I have over 35 nonprofits in my tenant makeup including artists, painters, jewelers, ceramicists, and musicians,” Johnson said noting the tenant mix also includes restaurants, museums, and art galleries.

Of dance, Johnson noted: “We think of it as being on the same plane as the other arts. We want people to recognize that when they come to the Arts District, it’s an opportunity to experience all kinds of art, as well as some things they didn’t expect or anticipate. That’s what makes us unique.”

Arts District Liberty Station dance institutions

Malashock Dance: believes that dance is a universal art form accessible to all. Malashock serves as a creative hub for artists to develop their dancing skills, providing them with a tool for life-long learning.

San Diego Dance Theater: Under the creative guidance of executive artistic director Terry Wilson, San Diego Dance Theater is dedicated to offering top-notch dance training for students of all ages and backgrounds. With a strong commitment to inclusivity, the organization strives to enrich the lives of young students using dance as a creative avenue of artistic self-expression.

The Rosin Box Project: is a premier contemporary ballet company with the mission to re-imagine the way artists and audiences connect with and experience dance. The organization encourages young dancers to explore artistic growth and exploration, fostering a nurturing environment where classical and contemporary professional dance artists can amplify their voices.

California Ballet School: Led by Maxine Mahon, the school offers a comprehensive curriculum, including classical ballet, jazz, tap, Spanish dancing, and workshops, catering to both young students and adults seeking exceptional dance training.