ND Academy of Dance building new, bigger facility in south Fargo

FARGO - The North Dakota Academy of Dance is making a graceful leap to south Fargo this fall.

The dance academy, currently based in West Fargo, is building its own place at 3575 41st St. S., documents filed with the city of Fargo show.

The academy quietly announced the plan to move in a video posted to its Facebook page that included an architect’s rendering of the building.

Owner and Artistic Director Carina Schell said she’s looking forward to seeing her students take advantage of the five studios that are planned for the 11,750-square-foot facility.

“As soon as the frost is gone, we’re breaking ground,” Schell said Friday, March 19. “This has been a dream come true. We love our current studio that we are in (at 1122 Prairie Parkway in West Fargo), but we are just hoping to add additional space for our dancers and an opportunity to grow as a studio.”

She’s been thinking about having her own building “probably since I was in first grade,” she said with a chuckle.

“It’s always been a dream to own our own facility and be able to provide additional lobby space for our parents, and a child play area … and just to provide a lot of space on the dance floor for our dancers. We have more of a stage-size experience," she said.

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The academy will also have a studio store to buy outfits, shoes and other items.
Parents are excited about getting more room to park, Schell said.

“The students are like, ‘I can’t wait for this big floor we’re able to use.’ And the parents are like, ‘I can’t wait for the drop-off zone and the parking,’” she said.

Cost of the steel frame and wood truss building was listed at $1,356,595, with construction of a parking lot listed as $231,298, city documents show.

Target date for having the facility ready to occupy is September 2021, the start of the academy’s season, Schell said. Registration for classes in the new facility opens June. 1.

The site is about a half mile southwest of the intersection of Interstate 29 and 32nd Avenue South.