Anyone else feeling the winter blues right about now? With the joy of the holiday season over and the sunshine and flowers still a few weeks away, the first months of the new year are notorious for feeling gloomy and like they last forever. In fact, about 5% of adults experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a feeling of depression most common in the winter months when it’s dark and dreary outside. Luckily, there are things we can do to feel better: exercising, hanging out with friends and family, or listening to music, to name a few. Mix all those things together, and you’ve got yourself an adult dance class at DANCESCAPE.
DANCESCAPE is located inside of Bloom Beauty and Wellness at 2277 West Columbia Ave. in Battle Creek. The studio, which opened in October of 2024, offers over 13 types of dance classes that are beginner to intermediate friendly. The studio also offers one-on-one dance lessons, choreography, photography/videography services, weekly children’s classes, and extra fun events for the community. The shocking part? The studio is currently 100% independently run by DANCESCAPE owner and instructor Martina Reed.
“I have always wanted to run my own dance studio ever since I was a little girl. My dance journey has been a rewarding but extremely challenging one. I was trained incorrectly (unknowingly) while growing up in dance and I endured intense body shaming, bullying from my instructors, preventable injuries, etc. up until graduating high school,” Reed said. “Through all of my hardships and experiences, I vowed to never let any student of mine receive the type of training I did growing up in dance. Too many young dancers have lasting negative effects that continue into their adulthood because of their dance experiences, whether that is in regard to their physical health or mental health. I created DANCESCAPE with that in mind – dance should be an escape from the everyday stress of life. It should be a way to improve your quality of life, not make it worse. I really wanted to bring the fun of dance back to the area and offer something unique.”
DANCESCAPE covers all sorts of genres and styles, but the basic timeline of each class is similar.
“You usually start out with some group stretching to warm up your muscles. This helps prevent any injuries, especially if you are new to dancing. From there you learn the dance in waves – learning a new step, practice, practice with music, then the cycle starts over learning new steps until you have learned the full dance. We then record a video going through the full dance,” student Abbey Rocco said.
There’s a class to fit your expertise, whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a complete beginner. All adult classes are “drop-in” classes with new dances every class and no long term commitment necessary. For dancers like KCC’s Nursing Department Specialist Drea Fox, this means you can try all kinds of different dances every week.
“I’ve really enjoyed being able to return to a hobby I loved when I was young without the pressure or time commitment I felt held to when I was in high school! The class time flexibility and variety of classes has helped me not only refresh my dance skill, but expand to styles I had never tried before,” Fox said.
While there is no shortage of dance studios catering to children and teens, Battle Creek has been missing an opportunity for adults to tap into this powerful form of movement.
“So many people grow up with dance (or the arts in general) in their life in some way and they never do it again after graduating high school, mainly because there are no opportunities for those who want to continue it without devoting their education or career to it,” Reed said. “I wanted to offer these classes not only because they are unique, but they’re also beginner-friendly for those who have never tried dance but have always wanted to. Plus, it’s a fact that dancing is one of the best and most effective workouts you can do, especially when you’re distracted by how much fun you’re having!”
Bring your family or friends with you for a bonding experience or even meet some new ones while you’re there – either way, DANCESCAPE offers a unique opportunity to get you out of the house and get your cardio in a much more entertaining way.
“I have not only been wanting to explore dance for myself, but I hate staring at a boring wall when I work out…and I don’t like running,” student Abby Maletta said. “DANCESCAPE has given me a fun way to get cardio into my workout routine, and I have so much fun along the way! Building friendships and community with those who also attend regularly is a plus plus!”
Classes cost $15 each, or you can purchase class cards for multiple classes: 5 for $65, 10 for $125, or 20 for $240.
“Considering the flexibility packages available, it’s definitely more cost effective than many other local dance studios. I can attend 2-3 dance classes a week for the same price as a single weekly dance class at other locations. Plus, Martina regularly offers sales and promotions for her class cards! Keep an eye out for those,” Fox said.
A class like this can be scary if you haven’t done anything like it before, but Reed does everything she can to ensure her dancers feel comfortable enough to let go and feel the music.
“I know it can be intimidating to try new things, but DANCESCAPE is a judgement-free and safe space! I always recommend bringing a friend with you if you’re feeling nervous. I also try to remind my students that we aren’t at an audition or performing for an audience – we will spend the hour together learning a dance and most likely never do it again, so don’t take yourself so seriously and just try to enjoy the moment and the movement,” Reed said.
This sentiment is not lost on Reed’s students, who have had nothing but raving reviews for Reed’s choreography, teaching style, and inviting energy.
“I love the open and judgement-free atmosphere. You’re not expected to be perfect, just willing to try,” student Seth Allred said.
DANCESCAPE is ever-changing and undoubtedly growing, with lots of exciting things for the community to look forward to.
“I’m hoping to offer intro-sessions for adults in the near future. These will be 4 week-long sessions where absolute beginners can receive specific training, learn vocabulary, etc. for different dance styles like jazz, ballet, hip-hop, et cetera,” Reed said. “I also like to teach pop-up classes whenever the schedule allows, so keep an eye out for any updates on our social media/website! I’m always open to feedback and suggestions from the community as well. As the studio grows, the more we can offer.”
Dancers considering DANCESCAPE can rest assured that they or their families will receive top notch instruction from a highly experienced dancer who cares about her students’ wellbeing.
“From my 20+ years of dance experience, I have learned that dance truly brings people together. Some of my strongest friendships in life have been those that I made at dance: friends from my childhood dance studio, the girls from my high school dance team, my dance peers from college, coworkers and students from the studios I worked at in Chicago, et cetera,” Reed said. “I do my best to create a welcoming and safe space at DANCESCAPE, so the community building just happens so naturally. I know that community will continue to grow and evolve as the studio does.”
Learn more about DANCESCAPE and sign up for your first class at martinareeddance.com/dancescape. Find DANCESCAPE on Facebook here.
