First Street Studio Community Testimonials

What the Community is Saying…

01

"welcoming arms to the community"

I still remember my first visit to First Street Studio, just after it opened five years ago. The neighborhood was nothing like the hipster village it has become—in fact, as I was finding parking and picking my way past broken down cars in the lot (maybe at one time had been a garage?) I remember wondering if this could truly be the right place. As it happened, yes it was. I was attending a performance by Chaddick Dance Theater, and fell in love, not only with the dancing, but with the space, its multi-functional opportunities, and its welcoming arms to the community. It has since been a fundamental part of my identity as a dance artist in Austin. I have been attending performances, training, rehearsing and performing here for five years. It is a wonderful space that serves as a launch pad for many performing artists and artistic companies. The loss of First Street studio would be a loss to the Austin artistic community—not only of a few hundred square feet of sprung floors and mirrors, but of a hard-won and fiercely fought-for home. Part of what makes First Street Studio unique is that it does not play host to large, exclusive, recital-based children’s programs, unlike many other studios intown. This makes the space available to all kinds of artists during prime hours at a relatively affordable rate, and allows its use as a theatre/performance space during all times of the year. The wide variety of renters who use the space reflect a true spirit of community, innovation and inclusion. Please help us keep First Street Studio alive, even as the neighborhood is rapidly changing and rental prices are rising. - Devon Adams

02

"a cornerstone of all creativity and inspiration"

First Street Studio is my home, my safe haven, my church. This essential space in the Austin performing arts community is the cornerstone of all creativity and inspiration. Without this space, the performing arts in Austin would decay, leaving a void in a city so deserving of beautiful art. - AJ Garcia-Rameau

03

"rare in Austin"

First Street Studio is an essential class, rehearsal, and performance venue for dance in Austin. Its central location, size, sprung marley floor, and versatility as a space is rare in Austin. Its leadership is determined to make rehearsal space accessible and affordable to project-based dancemakers, artists, and small entities. Without this space, creatives would have to continue to scramble and fight for adequate spaces to train, to develop work of quality, hone their craft, as well as maintain and enrich community. - Alexa Capareda

04

"keep the dance community thriving and growing"

As an artist living and working in Austin, spaces like FSS are vital for me and my colleagues and the work we are in process with and ultimately present to our community. We need affordable rehearsal and performance spaces like FSS and have been benefiting from their generosity and support of Austin artists since their inception. So many other spaces like this one have already been closed; without studio and performance spaces like this more and more dance artists will choose to move to other arts rich cities that provide realistic (affordable) work spaces for their artists. Please help us keep this space available and open to all to enjoy, and in doing so, keep the dance community thriving and growing. - Alyson Dolan

05

"my studio home base"

I have been rehearsing, teaching, and holding workshops at First Street Studio since they first opened their doors. It serves as my studio home base for my work and company Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre. I have also attended a wide variety of wonderful performances in this space presented by largely diverse groups and organizations. It is a vital space not only for me, but for a great many people in this community. It is one of the few artistic spaces that has an excellent sprung, marley dance floor (a necessity for dancers) and is large enough to hold classes, workshops and performances accommodating larger groups, as well as to rehearse a work for a concert stage. The potential loss of this space would be utterly devastating to me and my work, as well as to a tremendous amount of artists and community members who regularly utilize this studio. The owners of First Street Studio make the studio affordable to artists and community groups and have greatly served the community by doing this. The creative spaces we have in Austin have been so greatly diminished over the recent years, the thought of losing another one is incredibly stressful. - Andrea Ariel

06

"essential...to facilitate the culture of Austin"

First Street Studio was a place where I could continue dance classes and my art with the Austin dance community after college, prior to moving to New York to continue my professional dance career. It is essential to support spaces like First Street Studio to facilitate the culture of Austin and provide a place for working artists to collaborate and train. -Angela Hurt

07

"inviting, professional, and intimate space"

Cheryl approached me to perform in the Dance Festival she was producing at FSS in the fall of 2017. Since my work takes place in another part of town, I was not that familiar with the space. Once I saw the studio, I discovered many dance colleagues, events, classes, and workshops happening here. During the festival, I performed to a wonderful audience in a very inviting, professional, and intimate space that actually took me to another level. It was a magical experience. Since that day, I have

enjoyed other events at FSS, which has most definitely become a much needed hub for the Austin dance community. I would recommend any and all funding and/or other resources to be granted to FSS so that it can continue to play this vital role in our fast changing city. - A Naimpally

08

"a great blessing"

Movement shared through dance is so important to me, and as a young person and college student, I’ve found a great blessing in the First Street Studio. I’m allowed to dance alongside and be inspired by great artists in the space without the heavy financial burden of many dance environments. This space has allowed so much for me and so much for many others. - Ariana Forsythe

09

"successfully brought in visiting dancers from across the United States"

BLiPSWiTCH has been using this space consistently for the past couple years and directors, Taryn Lavery and Alex Miller, have been utilizing this space individually and with other artists since its inception. BLiPSWiTCH has been holding open community company class at First Street Studio since 2018. Through this opportunity, we have successfully brought in visiting dancers from across the United States and introduced new dancers to the Austin dance community because this space exists. First Street Studio is THE ONLY REMAINING professional dance space that is unaffiliated with youth-focused dance studios. Youth studios are successful and exist in a vacuum; space is unavailable and unaffordable to non-profits and individual working artists because of the youth studio's successes—the infrequent and irregular rental availability times offered do not allow reoccurring community class, sky rocketing rental fees are out of non-profit budgets, and the youth-focused studios

are single purpose in that they do not offer the capability of providing a professional performance environment. First Street Studio is a space that both established dance companies and individual artists have access to at MANAGEABLE rental rates and consistent time blocks. This place has been a haven for the arts community in Austin, bringing together artists of different mediums, serving not only dance, but also musicians, theater, fundraisers, etc…. Losing this space would be DETRIMENTAL to the continuation of a successful performing arts community. We perform at First Street Studio, we create at First Street Studio, we educate at First Street Studio, and we collaborate at First Street Studio. With the loss of so many other affordable spaces (studio and performance) in the evolution of this city, we can not afford to lose the last unicorn. - BLiPSWiTCH Movement

10

"the availability of affordable space directly impacts the creative life of a city"

First Street Studio is the ONLY dance space realistically available to the public for rehearsals at this time and one of only two or three affordable spaces to perform. For the past several years I have been going to First Street on average almost weekly either for rehearsals or shows. I am a dance historian, and my dissertation in dance focused on Austin dance history. Undoubtedly the people reading this understand that the availability of affordable space directly impacts the creative life of a city, and Austin dance history demonstrates this correlation repeatedly; the dance community as a whole thrives or declines with the presence of an accessible space suitable for dancing. Unlike other arts, dance must have the following: a large room without obstructions like support poles, a sprung floor, tall ceilings, and a specialized surface such as perfectly smooth wood or linoleum. First Street Studio not only provides these but also mirrors and the technical capability to handle light and sound so that Austin dance artists can perform. Through performances, these artists can build the kind of experience and recognition that will further their careers. First Street Studio allows me and many other artists to be creative and contribute to the vitality of this community. The loss of this artistic dance nexus would set Austin back at least 5 years, if not more, in the life of its dance community. Such an impact would have a negative ripple effect throughout the artists who collaborate with dancers, namely musicians, videographers, photographers, costume designers, lighting designers, visual artists, app makers and other associated technical and artistic support. If Austin hopes to retain recent university graduates not just in dance but in all creative fields, First Street Studio provides a uniquely accessible space for these residents to congregate, experiment, and move the life of the city forward. - Caroline Sutton Clark, MFA, PhD

11

"the only studio of it's kind in the Austin area"

First Street Studio is the only studio of it's kind in the Austin area. As a private lesson instructor it can be difficult to find studio space where I can teach my students one-on-one for a rate they can afford. I prepare my students for ballet summer intensives, Youth American Grand Prix, and professional careers in ballet. Since I've chosen to solely focus on teaching private lessons, I don't have first priority at other local dance studios, and space is limited. Here, I don't have to compete for times and I can continue to operate my business and support myself as an independent artist. Like most dancers, I'm not just an instructor. I am a creator. This studio is the perfect place to run professional rehearsals, film my music and dance projects, and host events and shows. Without this space, I would have a very difficult time running my own business, financially supporting myself, and continuing my artistic endeavors. Not to mention, it is the only studio of it's kind to host affordable professional dance classes for dancers in the Austin area. - Chelsea Pribble

12

"supported me both as a dancer and member of the local community"

One of the too few, last-standing, and reasonably affordable performance and rehearsal spaces in Austin, that has supported me both as a dancer and member of the local community, as it has hundreds or thousands of others. Practicing artists need affordable and accessible places like this to continue to grow and thrive. Please don't take it away! -Christine A. Wong

13

"wonderful"

This is such a wonderful place for so many local artists to work on their craft. I have been in Austin for over 20 years and it would be terrible to lose another artists venue. - Ms

14

"the best facility for doing what we do"

First street studio has been a home for me as a capoeira instructor. For the past few years I've wanted to teach capoeira in Austin and once again form a group of people that can turn off all of the stress from work and our daily lives and have a space where we get to train, play, and have fun moving our bodies and getting in shape. But I never had a place that our group could afford or was open to us using their space. Everything changed when I found the First Street Studio. They opened up their doors and it turned out to be the best facility for doing what we do that I could have ever imagined. I've honestly never had a more appropriate studio for teaching and practicing than I have with the First Street Studio. First Street is our home and it's where we come together to practice. I hope that the studio is able to keep running because I don't know that our group would be able to continue with out it. It's been a huge asset to our community and our mission. With it, we can grow our community and invite more people to part take in all the fun we're having. Without it, I think it would be very hard for our group to continue functioning. - Colin Van Ert

15

"good space...to practice and be fully creative"

I love to take Monday night classes at First Street Studio for Drama with Marco Perella. I drive weekly from Lampasas for this class. It is a bright and roomy studio with good space for lots of little groups to practice and be fully creative. I've taken classes at many spots in and around Austin and in NYC and this is truly a wonderful space to work and learn. Classes for Actors can be quite pricey and difficult to schedule. Here the price and the flexibility is key for me to continue my life long dream and passion. The parking is also nice; and I never worry for my car being towed! Thank you for hearing my story and for this wonderful space. -Dina

16

"It is a community."

The studio is a work space for dance. What I mean by work space is this is where I develop the lesson plans for my dance classes, it is where I imagine, practice, remember and execute dance choreography to teach my dance company or for my own performance for the stage, it is where myself and my company perform smaller and more intimate performances, it is where I attend dance classes, workshops, and performances. It is a community. It is part of the Austin dance community. It is a clean, safe, inspiring space to work as a dancer. It is necessary to keep it open. It is urgent that it stays open. - Ellen Bartel

17

"important place for the art community"

To lose First Street Studio would be a huge loss to the dance community! It is crucial for us to keep this space. It’s already hard enough dealing with the loss of many other affordable places for artists to make and create. I have taught, produced and danced in shows with Ready/Set/Go and Chadwick Dance Theater, and took class in this space since 2015 and will be devastated to lose another space we hold dear. The places that are still around are consistently booked up because of a decline

of options and it is getting increasingly harder to find an environment that supports dance. To lose this space could mean less opportunity for artists, which in turn means less art in Austin. We need to keep it to keep the dance community alive. Not just dancers use this space for rehearsal. Many others musicians and actors have used FSS for rehearsals. It is a very important place for the art community. Thank you! - Emily Rushing

18

"vital incubator for art and culture"

First Street Studio is an integral piece of Austin's dance scene. I have personally participated in affordable professional ballet and contemporary technique classes at FSS, rehearsed freelance projects in the expansive and well-equipped space, and have created a new work as a part of the Ready/Set/Go performance series. I am a freelance dance artist born and raised in Austin and First Street Studio is the first dance workspace where I feel professional contemporary dancers have a studio designed specifically for our artistic needs. This dance hub is now home to a flourishing performance art community and is a vital incubator for art and culture. - Erica Saucedo

19

"professional development programming"

First Street Studio is a dance home for me. It is where I train, commune, create, and grow. Access to an affordable base means affordable opportunities to keep our local arts community evolving and shaping the culture of Austin. My company, ARCOS Dance, has directly benefited in this way as First Street Studio has supported our own professional development programming, in turn allowing us to support more independent artists. Losing a venue like this would be a devastating blow to the culture that has begun to form around shared space, training, artistic experimentation, and above all - community. Supporting First Street Studio means investing in the richness of our shared experience in this city. -Erica Gionfriddo

20

"a staple for the performance arts community in Austin"

First Street Studio is a staple for the performance arts community in Austin. I have taken countless classes there, rehearsed there, watched many performances there, and produced my own show there. I would never have been able to produce my own work without the support of First Street Studio. It is one of very few spaces in Austin that is affordable and accessible for artists to rent to rehearse their work, teach their class, and share their art with the community. It is a hub for dance in Austin, but also brings in members of the theater and music community, making it a truly inclusive space. I cannot overstate the importance of supporting spaces like First Street Studio if the arts are to stay alive and exciting in Austin! - Errin Delperdang

21

"wonderful"

FFS is a wonderful space that needs to remain!!! - Heather Deicher

22

"of utmost importance to me and my artistic journey"

First Street Studio is a hub of creativity. I am a choreographer and professional dancer in this community who appreciates the space First Street has to offer. It is of utmost importance to me and my artistic journey, I've created work there that has been to festivals and work that is incredibly special to me. The space hums with energy, whether I am there to take Austin Community Ballet, class with Cheryl Chaddick or conducting my own rehearsal, it is a magical space that offers something important to the professional community of dancers. - Esther Bramlett

23

"I find First Street Studio invaluable."

First Street Studio is a place where I can take dance and movement classes that wouldn't otherwise be available to me. It's also one of the very few affordable rehearsal spaces in Austin. As a dancer and choreographer in Austin where there are so few spaces to dance, rehearse, and perform, I find First Street Studio invaluable. - Heather Meeboer

24

"great asset to my community"

I am a frequent visitor to First Street Studio and I also live in the neighborhood. I'd appreciate it if the City of Austin's Creative Space Assistance Program grant them creative support. I really don't want to lose this great asset to my community. - Jeff Runnels

25

"This place is home."

This place is home. We just moved here for acting class some time ago and it will be horrible to lose another home. - Gilberto Garcia

26

"ideal location for all of my students"

The studio serves as a performance space for my young actors to practice and rehearse before creating a film as a final piece for class. This studio is perfect for our class and is in the most ideal location for all of my students, since it's in the middle of Austin. - Jessica Looney

27

"creative atmosphere"

I greatly support the dancers and creative atmosphere of First Street Studio, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am today without taking class at the studio. I came to Austin about 4 years ago after leaving a dance company in Florida and began dancing at First Street studio due to its affordability and professional level classes. Here, I met such wonderful people such as Dorothy Overby, Erica Gionfriddo, Sara Paul, AJ Garcia-Rameau, and Magdalena Jarkowiec. After moving, I was unsure of where my next step in my dance career would be. The teachers at the First Street Studio inspired me to apply for the UT dance program, where I was accepted and am currently completing my first year in the B.F.A. Dance Program where Dorothy, Erica, and Sara are Professors of Dance. I am grateful beyond words for their examples of their artistry and commitment to others to spread dance to people of all incomes and level of dance technicality. I have met great friends that regularly attend class at the studio, and I deeply hope that the studio will continue to be available to provide space for dancers to do what we love and support more dancers in the Austin Community. - Jodi DeAngelis

28

"I love it!!!"

FSS is the first venue I performed out of campus when I was a student in UT Austin. A great dance studio, rehearsal space, theatre in east Austin. I taught, and took class at there. And I rehearsed and performed many times at there. FSS is my favorite dance studio in Austin. I love it!!! - SJ

29

"absolutely essential"

First Street Studio is an affordable space (one of the very few in town) for me to rent for rehearsals and small showings. Because of FSS, Ready/Set/Go! has been able to produce shows featuring work from more than 25 Austin based independent choreographers. As a dancer I have taken many different classes and workshops at the space over the past 5 years that have increased my professional development. Also, the type of floor (a true sprung floor with marley) needed to learn and rehearse modern and contemporary dance only exists in a very small number of spaces in town, and the loss of this studio would literally mean that many of these artists would lose a space that is absolutely essential to being able to do their art form. - Katherine Hodges

30

"a wide range of people come through this studio"

There are so many incredible people that use this space. Such a wide range of people come through this studio every week; the class right before my 8:30 pm Thursday class is a dance class specifically made for children. First Street Studio is such a strong representation of what Austin is, and that is a diverse, welcoming space, a place for people of all backgrounds to grow. I have lived in Austin most of my life and it is such a shame seeing so many places that were once stock “Austin” locations go. Please let this place continue to let people thrive and create. - Katherine Harber

31

"positive learning environment"

First Street Studio has been a rehearsal and performance space for the dance company my daughter is a part of, Diverse Space. As a 13 year old girl, exercise, creative expression, a positive learning environment, body positivity, and a social outlet are all of great importance to her growth and development. Without a space for her company to practice and perform, there would be no company. Having a physical place is as important as having a teacher and having dancers. Because Austin is so expensive in terms of real estate, most of the dance companies are outside my price range. Having an affordable place to practice and perform is a main reason why I can afford for my daughter to participate in dance. - Kathleen Davis

32

"a vital resource for Austin's dance community"

First Street Studio is a vital resource for Austin’s dance community. It is one of the few affordable rehearsal and performance venues available to the dance community at-large. I have attended numerous performances at First Street Studio. Were it not for this important space, our incredibly vibrant community of dance-makers would be hard-pressed to find an alternate venue. This would mean fewer dance classes, workshops, rehearsals, and performances. Losing First Street Studio would fundamentally silence a community that already has limited resources for support. Please consider providing financial assistance to First Street Studio so that it can continue to serve the people of Austin. - Kathy Dunn Hamrick

33

"A space to Be"

First Street Studio has been the foundation to helping myself and others create. As a dancer, choreographer and teacher, First Street Studio has been the driving force of making my passions possible. A space to Perform, A space to Rehearse, A space to Teach, A space to Learn, A space to Be. First Street Studio offers accessibility to the arts community, with affordable rates for rehearsal and performance space. This is truly helpful when your on a dancer's budget. This space holds a community of dancers, aerialist, actors, musicians. This space brings joy, inspiration, release. It is crucial to the Arts in Austin that First Street Studio remains apart of what makes Austin jive. - The Artist

34

"a gathering place"

As a former professional dancer, it has meant the world to me to have the opportunity to continue dancing in a space that allows me (and fellow Austin Community Ballet dancers) to have space to move with complete freedom and avoid injury due to the wonderful sprung floors. Truly, after a dancer leaves a company or high-level training environment, it is a rare blessing to be able to continue practicing our art form in a space that allows us to enjoy our abilities to the fullest capacity. Most other studios are too small or have improper flooring, so the FSS space is not something ACB takes for granted. I know that maintaining the FSS space would be such a treasured opportunity for those of us who so value maintaining the integrity of the art form we have spent most of our lives training in. This is more than just a studio, it is a gathering place where high-level artists are able to continue to practice their art at the level that matches their capabilities! To whomever is reading this, thank you for your support! - Kirstan Clifford

35

"a meeting point for artists to find each other, collaborate, and show work-in-progress"

I first came to First Street Studios as a freshman dance major at UT Austin for Austin Community Ballet classes, which were an affordable supplement to my dance education at UT. Over the years, I've been to countless performances - many of them showings for the community - jams, and intensives that have been made affordable because of FSS' rates and the community of creators it brings together. Truly, the most valuable aspect of spaces like FSS is that it creates a meeting point for artists to find each other, collaborate, and show work-in-progress. As a former student and now professional, I have experienced firsthand the value of First Street Studios, which has been critical in my transition from student artist to local artist. This kind of space, and therefore, community building aspect, is already endangered in Austin, where artists have been priced out of space within the city limits. – ELT

36

"accessible place"

I am an actress and having an affordable and accessible place to take acting classes is something that I am immensely grateful for. This is not just a building this is a place where I get to feel connected to people in my same field. - Madeline Pesoli

37

"crucial component for providing space for developmental training, rehearsals, and performances"

My name is Kelsey Oliver, and I am a dancer, choreographer, and theatre maker based in Austin, Texas. First Street Studio has been a crucial component in providing space for developmental training, rehearsals, and performances for so many various artists in town. As performance venues are being torn down/taken over all over the city, First Street Studio has become more and more a relied upon outlet for dancers, theatre artists, and many others. Our project budgets are incredibly small, so the need for an accessible, affordable performance/creation space becomes increasingly more important. Thankfully, due to First Street Studio's large attempts to keep the space accessible for so many, I have been able to perform in a radio play in the space, a full on collaboration with theatre artists, percussionists, lighting designers, vocal actors, and a beautiful full crowd of witnessing supporters. I have been able to perform a dance theatre work with a flutist for my friends and colleagues, a show that was completely not for profit; it was produced and performed with extensive amounts of prep and effort and craft from so many people, purely for the sake of sharing our work with the world. I have seen numerous dance performances in the space that have invigorated my creativity and integrated me more into the Austin arts community. The studio has allowed me keep up with my ballet training in a way that is actually affordable for me. What I love about First Street Studio is that it is a community-first arts hub. It prioritizes the accessibility to create, train, develop, and share our work in a city that is becoming more and more difficult to do so affordably. Please help us in maintaining the growth of this artistic fruit we’re working tirelessly to produce. - Kelsey Oliver

38

"a great space"

We were all extremely happy when First Street Studio opened. Quality dance space in Austin has become more and more difficult to find in Austin, mostly because of the rental costs. I finally got to see the space when my schedule allowed me to take occasional classes from Austin Community Ballet there, and I hope to get back to class some time soon. It is a great space for a ballet class and many other forms of dance: decent size, good floors, good mirrors, good barres, parking, etc. It would be a major loss to the dance community if it were to disappear. - Dr. Mariana Maduell

39

"a safe space for me to express myself"

This has become a safe space for me to express myself within the community. - Marina Troxel

40

"pushing the boundaries"

I’m a violinist and member of both Austin Camerata and Ventana Ballet. Both of these organizations make use of the studio and couldn’t function without feasible access to it. What a truly impactful loss that would be. As a doctoral violin student and Adjunct Faculty at Rice University (Houston) I’ve seen countless attempts to blend performing arts genres and bring music more appealingly and accessibly to general audiences, and these organizations are two of only three I’ve seen do so on a professionally masterful and widely successful level. Austin has the honor of having both these young organizations call it home. I implore you to protect their ability to continue growing and pushing the boundaries of what great music means to musicians and ALL audiences. - Matthew S Lammers

41

"a perfect venue for our needs"

Lline upon line percussion has used First Street Studio as our performance space and have found it a perfect venue for our needs. A great size, a great location, good parking and a surprisingly good acoustic. We definitely want First Street Studio to stick around for many years to come! - Matthew Teodori

42

"feel at home and respected"

I am a dance teacher, didactic researcher and choreographer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Last year I had the pleasure to work in the First Street Studios as part of my 2018 Artist in Residency in Austin. I was invited by Toni Bravo, a long time respected colleague. I gave classes and workshops and created a piece for her youth company Diverse Space Dance Theater. It was great to work in the First Street Studios throughout the residency. It is a simple, well loved, well maintained and well equipped studio perfectly suitable for dance classes, rehearsals and performances. They do an amazing job of making everyone who takes class there and work there feel at home and respected. I sincerely hope you will consider supporting First Street Studio so that they can continue to support the dance scene of Austin by providing such a good work and performance space. - Michael Jahoda

43

"top acting studio in Austin"

I have been a student for 6 months and this is a top acting studio in Austin. It would be a shame if this location closed. Actors need a nice place to learn and sharpen their talent, not to mention how incredible Marco is as a coach/teacher. - Monique Thompson

44

"a vital heartbeat"

As an adult dancer, this space is my church, my therapy, my gym, and my coffee shop. This is my community where I can dance, move, and express myself. This is a vital part of our community. Without the Arts, the community will lack a vital heartbeat. - Paula Lewis

45

"a place to learn, create, and perform"

First Street Studio has been my dance home for the past 4 years. Its existence has allowed a space for the dance community in Austin to flourish. I take classes there 4 times a week and have had countless rehearsals in the space. The studio is a vital part of our community. It allows professional artists and amateurs a place to learn, create, and perform. When I moved back to Austin FFS allowed me to do a energy exchange to get me back in the studio when I didn’t have the money to pay for rental time. The studio has made my freelance dancing career possible. I am so grateful for the space and the people that fill it. Please help us keep this space apart of our community. - Rachael Hanlon

46

"the epicenter of my experiences with dance in Austin"

First Street Studio has been the epicenter of my experiences with dance in Austin. Taking the great range of classes offered at the studio is how I made met and made connections with fellow dancers, jump starting my involvement in Austin’s dance scene. The studio is an excellent space in which to rehearse and train, and is just such a special place within the community. Without First Street, so many artists would be without a place to create. - Rachel Culver

47

"essential to the Austin artistic community"

First Street Studio is the dance studio I take class, train and create for countless hours. I perform works from my company Corps Multiple there (music and dance) and I can attest that this space is vital to the dance community in Austin. People come see shows there, and dancers find affordable studio time to develop their craft. This studio is essential to the Austin artistic community and I hope it will be given the possibility to continue to fulfill its mission. - SD

48

"I get to keep my hobby alive"

First Street Studio is so important to me because Cameron’s weekly modern class is the only place that I get to keep my hobby alive. If it weren’t for this class, I probably wouldn’t really be dancing at all. - Sarah Heath

49

"integral to creative groups in Austin"

The space has been integral to creative groups in Austin for rehearsals!! - Sophie Verhaeghe

50

"central, accessible, affordable, and essential"

I’ve taken classes and seen my friends’ performances at First Street since it’s opening. I direct a nonprofit dance company here in Austin called Early Era Collective. As a director, producer, and performer of local work, I can’t imagine straining our resources even further by losing yet another performance venue. First Street is central, accessible, affordable, and essential. - Stephanie Patrick

51

"essential"

This space is essential for the classes I take there. We need help. Thanks. - Tom Herod Jr

52

"affordable and nourishing presence"

I cannot express how much I [We, Diverse Space Youth and Kids Dance Theatre] appreciate this space! It has been the home of many a workshop, classes, rehearsals, performances... Without it the dance and theatre scene in Austin would be so much less! Children, parents, young artists and professional creators need First Street Studio's affordable and nourishing presence! - Toni Bravo

53

"Dancing is my life saver"

I have been coming to First Street Studio to take ballet classes from the Austin community ballet, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the last 3+ years already. Dancing is my life saver as a mother of two teenage boys. - Wei Li

54

"made for the dancer"

I am a professional dancer and First Street Studio offers one of the best rehearsal and performance spaces in Austin. It’s space including the floors is made for the dancer. To lose this space is a loss of a lot of effort and time put in for the love of the dancer. - Yelena Konetchy

55

"a sanctuary for us"

First Street Studio has been a sanctuary for us, dancers. Space often times is very limited around the Austin area, and for local artists, this hub holds genuine local choreography and classes for training. Personally, FSS has been the main place for me to take class for my professional training and maintenance. This place holds a very special place in my heart and it is truly the ONLY place that is affordable for us, citizen artists like myself that may continue to contribute to the fine arts community. Without this practice, how can we give back service to our beloved Austin community? If FSS were to be lost, how can Austinites say "Keep Austin Weird" if we turned down the opportunity for local artists to create work and make our whole community have that unique feeling of being "Weird"? - Veronica Boccardo