The Dance Barns

In 2001, in an unprecedented move, the Santa Fe School Board voted to lease National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI-NM) 3.5 acres of school land for $1/year for 50 years with an option to purchase. In 2002, the NDI-NM Board of Directors met to discuss strategic planning for the future of our organization. At that meeting, the main concern was the lack of sufficient space to provide NDI-NM programs to the ever-increasing number of children in communities throughout the state that have expressed a need. With the extraordinary agreement with the Santa Fe Public Schools in place, NDI-NM embarked upon an ambitious capital campaign to construct a new facility and to establish an endowment to insure the future of NDI-NM.

Through the concerted efforts of Board members, staff and volunteers, Making the Move raised more than $7 million to build The Dance Barns and to start an Endowment. In May 2003, NDI-NM opened the doors of our new statewide headquarters in Santa Fe, The Dance Barns.

Our 33,000 square foot facility holds five spacious dance studios (two of which combine to form a 500-seat theatre), plus production space, costume shop, recording studio, storage, conference room, and administrative offices.

The Dance Barns provides a home and a launching pad for our statewide programs, as well as a vibrant, creative center for our staff, dancers, families and community members.


For rental information, please contact Nick Iapalucci, Theater Manager/Technical Director at (505) 983-7646 x 113 or cbyrd@ndi-nm.org.

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