For a small business founder like Tara Brown, the last thing you want to think about is shutting your doors to five years of community. But after her nonprofit dance studio, Boston Dance Studios, lost contracts, it was a possibility she had to face. It’s a financial hardship that Suffolk University is a part of.

In a social media video posted Sept. 30, Brown, the studio’s executive director, came to her “Boston Dance Studio family” for help raising the funds to keep the studio alive, approximately $40,000 by Oct. 28. In the video, Brown shared that Suffolk University’s decision to not re-enter a contract contributed to the financial wall the company had hit at present. 

With the caveat of the university’s own “budget cuts and restraints,” Brown and her staff of three were at an impasse unless something could be done quickly. She faced losing the studio that had a long history in the area, formerly being the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio, or coming to a network of dancers who had experienced all Boston Dance Studios had to offer.

“What you have seen on the campaign thus far is a testament to what has been built. This is not just a dance studio, it really has become a safe space, a safe haven, a community, a place of belonging from recreational through pre-professionals and professionals alike,” said Brown. “It’s become a safe space to be creative.”

Neither Brown nor Suffolk University disclosed an exact amount that was in the contract when asked, but Brown did say the portion was “a significant contributor to one month’s rent” which is $10,078.  Brown also said the Suffolk contract was a growing agreement, with the university renting more space and developing a larger financial contribution each in the last three years.

Boston Dance Studio houses 15 dance styles, with faculty from all walks of the professional path and is a second home to thousands of dancers who enter their studio right across from TD Garden. With professional to beginner level classes, pre-professional intensives and work study opportunities, the studio has a wide breadth of dancers new and old looking at a future without the studio in it. Similar to Suffolk, other local universities have been relying on the studio because they do not have a dedicated dance rehearsal space.

“We had a lot of developing partnerships with schools because they have student groups. At this point there have probably been hundreds of student groups at these universities, we’re talking Harvard, MIT, BU, all of these student groups, lacking in resources, coming to the studio,” said Brown. “Whether it’s administration themselves or students themselves unionizing to pool their money together to rent the space, that’s what we’ve been up against losing.”

Jessenia Velasquez, a teacher at the studio, trained at the location before Boston Dance Studios took over, and has worked to create a space for anyone to come and express themselves. She had been through the experience before with the studio space, which shuddered its lifespan as the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio before being revitalized by Brown.

“When I first heard about the financial difficulty, I immediately thought back to Jeannette Neill’s when I was here as an instructor back in the day,” said Velasquez. “It was a full circle moment, but granted I knew that God has Tara’s back.”

Both Velasquez and Brown have a long history in the studio, so when things hit the current financial point, the only question was what had to be done to survive.

“Whatever it takes, whether that’s classes, fundraising, whatever it may need to be, let’s get to it. I was on board just to volunteer and help,” said Velasquez.

The studio has been a crucial part of Ololade Robinson’s education. Part of the inaugural class of the commercial dance program at Boston Conservatory, she reaped the benefits of nearly every program Boston Dance Studios has to offer. As a workstudy student, a part of pre-professional programming, and now a staff member at the studio, the financial hardship was hard news to hear.

“When I got the email, and I saw what was happening my first thought was ‘okay this is going to be a wild ride,’” said Robinson. “But knowing Tara I knew that she wasn’t just going to let the studio close.”

The genius of the studio for Robinson is how it’s the first thing to come up when someone is searching for a Boston dance studio, which has made it so much more of a local draw, but an international one too.

“You have people coming in from Canada and Mexico, all these different places from around the world,” said Robinson. “Just to have that community, not just in Boston but around the world, it’s incredible.”

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Robinson is also one of many people who found a place to dive into a chosen Boston family.

“Without having this space to come and connect, I would not be as involved in the community,” said Robinson.

Beyond the space the studio, faculty who have been conducting classes to enrich community engagement and give people a space to come and express themselves are facing the reality that their impact on the community could be lost without such a centrally located space for creators.

The issue goes beyond the financial impact on Boston Dance Studios. By Suffolk cutting this resource for these creative teams on campus, there’s a barrier to adequate rehearsal resources for these student groups. For about two years, Suffolk has been renting space at the studio for Pasion Latina and hip-hop team W!CKED. Both teams now rehearse on campus, sometimes in carpeted classrooms.

W!CKED’s communications chair, Casey Wells, who is also a staff writer with The Suffolk Journal, described the team’s relationship with the studio as a very positive one that it has been disheartening to lose.

“We got word over the summer that there would be some changes in the Performing Arts Office with a major staff member leaving and huge budget cuts,” said Wells. “We had to leave Boston Dance Studios to save money and rehearse on campus.”

The financial solution has left the team making major adjustments to spaces that don’t measure up to the space used at Boston Dance Studios. The team uses the Stoll Room, equipped with mirrors for Sunday rehearsals, but that is the closest the team will get to a space made for dance, according to Wells.

“We are rolling with the punches and making it work, but not having Boston Dance Studios has been a significant loss for us as well,” said Wells.

As of Oct. 7, the studio has raised over $27,000 and has planned a month of fundraising events with the hopes of getting their story heard. From Oct. 17 to the 19, the studio is hosting a “Save the Studio Class Series,” with its faculty members. The classes are $20 and will contribute directly to the cause.

Boston Dance Studio’s story has been covered by WBZ-Radio and other local news outlets, Brown is hopeful that there will be a strong enough turnout to save the studio for many months beyond this rut. 

Though Brown is certain that they will meet their fundraising goal by the end of October, there is a focus on a longer term solution.

“I’m absolutely also focused on sustainability, because I want to go way beyond just a month or two,” said Brown. “So we’re exploring different options in regards to spaces, partnerships and just being more strategic with marketing and other business things that we want to implement.”