The Dance House Walnut Creek Has Opened Its Doors in the Shadelands SportsMall
Dance has come to the Shadelands SportsMall, opening up avenues for performing arts in the popular sports-focused and supportive youth athletic facility. “You don’t normally see a dance studio integrated into an all sports setting,” said Alex Blitstein, founder and artistic director of The Dance House Walnut Creek, which opened in August. “But this really is a perfect fit because dance is both an art form and a sport — a marriage of athleticism and skill, and artistic expression and creativity.”
And dance is simply fun for children and young people who enjoy the physical activity, the movement to music, and the new friends they meet on the dance floor in front of full-length mirrors. Students are already filling the classes, excited for the chance to add dance lessons to their after-school activities.
Dancer, performer, choreographer, and teacher Alex Blitstein is the founder and artistic director of The Dance House Walnut Creek, which recently opened in the Shadelands SportsMall.
Alex lives and breathes dance, and values the connections to people of all ages and cultures around the world that dance makes possible. He was raised in Walnut Creek, in the Woodlands, and at the age of three, took his first gymnastic class at Encore Gymnastics (in its previous Concord location), owned and operated by Tamera Gerlach and Virginia Kelley. He knew from his first tumble on the gym mat that he had found his passion and that gymnastics would be a part of his life forever.
Alex has taught and choreographed for professional companies, universities, Broadway Dance Center, and Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
An accomplished gymnast through his elementary and middle school years, Alex began dancing in high school, at Northgate, and found his second passion and his life’s career. He graduated college with a BFA in dance and science, and spent the next eight years traveling as an award-winning performer, choreographer, and dance educator, working on movie sets and stages, and in professional dance companies and universities around the world.
Alex has served as a judge in several national and international dance and gymnastics competitions.
His expertise even extends into the world of collegiate and professional sports, where he serves as a choreographer, judge, and talent evaluator for the NBA and NFL.
Now in his mid-thirties, Alex has chosen to take another step in the evolution of his dance career by opening dance studios and giving young children, teens, and adults opportunities to experience the joys of dance. He launched The Dance House Napa in 2018, and expanded his reach by returning to his hometown and opening The Dance House Walnut Creek last month.
Extending his studio footprint, Alex has opened The Dance House Walnut Creek, flanked here by teachers (l) Julianne Brandt and (r) Erica Pecho.
“I grew up with Encore — it was my first introduction to everything I do today, and is the root of my passion for dance and gymnastics,” said Alex. “I can’t think of a more serendipitous scenario than to be opening my own dance studio, in the Shadelands SportsMall, just footsteps from where my journey began with Tam and Virginia and the Encore organization.” For Alex, this is a full-circle dream come true.
The Dance House Walnut Creek is a non-competitive dance training facility for ages 18 months and up. As a performance track (recreational programming) studio, instructors can tailor their teaching to each student’s individual needs and learning style. Inclusivity and adaptive learning are key to the studio’s culture and community that Alex is building. Recitals and end of season showcases allow dancers to perform for family, friends, and neighbors at local community events, displaying their talents and enthusiasm on the dance floor.
The Dance House Walnut Creek offers dance trials (here led by (l) Julianne Brandt and (r) Erica Pecho), which are one-time introductory classes that allow girls and boys to sample different styles of dance, get a feel for the studio atmosphere, and learn a little bit about the teachers.
“My vision is that kids can love a sport and a performing art just for the fun of it. It’s the very act of dancing — while experiencing their own improvement — that feeds their love of dance, builds self-confidence, and enhances their sense of identity.”
Open six days a week, The Dance House Walnut Creek offers 30+ classes per week for all ages, in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary, as well as Leap, Twirl & Tumble and Dance Discovery for the very young.
“The Shadelands SportsMall is the perfect spot for The Dance House Walnut Creek. We’re surrounded by amazing businesses and sports programs, and coaches and young athletes who are thriving in these sports arenas. And we’re offering something to the community that has not previously been available: comprehensive, high-caliber, non-competitive dance training with an element of performance at public events.”
Teacher DJ Pecho leads a class of young girls in the fundamentals of hip hop.
“I believe a house becomes a home when you can dance, dream, and discover in it, which is why I named my studio The Dance House,” said Alex. “There’s a reason I’m expanding in Walnut Creek, in my hometown. There is something very special about this community, and my vision is to complement what’s already here by offering a sturdy, structured dance program that allows kids to feed their passion through something they already love — or in some cases, upon the discovery of finding something that they love, as I did gymnastics when I was three years old.”
“In sports and in the arts, people will eventually find their place where they feel their best. Dance is a vehicle for connecting with people and for finding self. You never know how far you might go with dance. Knowing that you’re a dancer can put you in a community of people you can already relate to no matter where you travel. Dance might become a student’s major or minor in college, or they might join a dance team or club. And maybe go professional. Or, as most people do, simply enjoy dancing for fun and good health for the rest of their lives. Dance offers creative outlets and avenues for staying active and connected with others. True dance passion never goes away.”
Enrollment is now open. Visit The Dance House Walnut Creek for information about dance classes and registration. You can read Alex Blitstein’s full bio here.
2650 Shadelands Drive, Suite H, Walnut Creek
Shadelands SportsMall
925.322.6566