UNC offers new, expanded dance spaces in Woollen Gym

The dance program at UNC has made great strides recently, but there is still a long way to go.

Two new dance studios were installed in Woollen Gym and made available to campus at the beginning of this semester.

But the demand for the new space is so high that dance teams have to enter a lottery system just to get practice time, said Lauren Mangili, associate director of Campus Recreation.

Marty Pomerantz, director of Campus Recreation, said the additions came as part of renovations to the lower level of the gym, which cost about $5.2 million.

Campus Recreation provided $1.15 million of the funding, the University gave $400,000, and the athletics department provided $3.65 million, Pomerantz said.

The space is shared by Campus Recreation and the Department of Exercise and Sport Science for school-sponsored dance classes. In the evening, dance teams from across campus can use the studios.

Members of UNC’s dance community, which consists of more than 20 teams, said the facilities are much needed.

“We have really struggled to meet the demand for reserving dance space,” Mangili said.

Before the new studios, a lack of space forced instructors to hold dance classes at The Ballet School of Chapel Hill, said dance instructor Laurie Yeames.

Several UNC dance teams are planning on using the new space for their own practice, including Carolina Vibe, said Sarah Stutts, the president of the team.

Sophomore dance instructor Katie Hudson said the new studios represent an improvement because they were designed specifically for dancing. Other areas on campus used for dance are actually multi-purpose rooms that lack proper dance equipment, she said.

“One of the most important things that sets these studios apart are the barres,” she said. “They allow for ballet technique to be taught more thoroughly, and these studios are the only place on campus with them.”

The old spaces also lacked other essential features, such as mirrors and adequate flooring, said Lauren Petersburg, president of the Carolina Dance Initiative.

“I am excited that UNC is taking such tangible steps, however slowly, toward an official dance program,” she said.

“Dance space on campus is the first small step in the process, and I am looking forward with much anticipation to the next.”

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