New Location Looks to Empower Local Dance Studio

DURHAM, NC—In the heart of Durham lies Empower Dance Studio, where dance studios are scarce. Empower Dance Studio holds a special place in its community. It was founded by Nicole Oxendine, whose background initially did not focus on dance professionally. 

Oxendine first started dancing at the age of eight in her church. She fell in love with ballet and lyrical movements, eventually dancing at Hillside High School in Durham. Dance was not a pursuit for Nicole at the time. Eventually, going off to college, she studied psychology with a minor in dance, as she couldn’t let dancing go.

Despite the great training she received in school, she was never truly seen. There weren’t as many performance opportunities for her, and she was the only person of color in those classes. This made her feel different from everyone else, which was a struggle for her.

Coming out of school an old teacher of Oxendine’s was about to leave Hillside and had asked Nicole to take her place and teach for a year, she did and it changed her life. Finding a new love in teaching and seeing how her students reflected her own struggles and experiences she created a positive environment for her students. 

Students felt comfortable enough to speak with Oxendine about personal issues at school, at home, and even mentally. She wanted to know how to help these students, eventually leading her to get a Master’s degree in Dance Therapy and Counseling. Upon this pursuit, Oxendine learned that she was doing the right things for her students and that dance therapy focuses on the need for movement or the way for it. 

Younger students would come to Nicole with excitement to take her classes in Hillside, with this she began to question if she was starting too late with these messages as she was mainly teaching high school students at the time. The goal was to start teaching younger students positive affirmations for themselves and who they are as dancers to keep in their minds for years. Thus Empower opens and Nicole expresses it was a flood of dancers pouring into the studio, Empower was a need for the community. Parents were seeking a positive and wholesome environment where children could grow and be comfortable. 

Empower Dance had outgrown its old studio space. As Oxendine explained, post-pandemic, the studio could only take seventy-five students. However, more than a hundred students were enrolled, along with the non-profit organization they operate, and it was a challenge to keep up in such a small space.

A flood occurred towards the end of May in the older building, and a summer recital happened in June. It just so happened that Empower’s new location was finished early in June. Since the flood was going on and the new building was finished, classes were closed for the week, and the old location was officially closed in May. Empower has been operating in this new location since July. 

This new location allows the staff, dancers, and parents to spread out more. There are more dance studios, where more classes can be held at the same time. Going from 15,000 sq ft to 9,000 sq ft, there is room for more than just dance studios.

This new space has an enrichment center that fulfills students’ academic needs, such as doing homework. Parents help volunteer and make connections with one another, and the students build friendships. What Empower stands for as a whole has grown, and this new space encompasses this. 

Oxendine’s goal with Empower is to make this space a hub for dancers, as acclaimed dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen had visited Empower herself. She was impressed with the studio programs and brought scholarships for dancers to go into her summer programs; thus, a relationship has been formed with Empower and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where dancers are sent to the academy for summer intensives. Oxendine would want dancers from Debbie Allen Dance Academy or Alvin Ailey to do workshops, bring anything to the community, and look at Empower’s location.

Extending something to children or sponsoring them is also crucial for Oxendine. Whether sponsoring children to take classes or even tutoring, Empower is more than dance. Possibly hosting dance conferences and showcasing what dance looks like in Durham, especially for people of color, to have Durham dancers recognized more as Durham isn’t known to be a threshold of art. Still, there are so many great artists and dancers. To showcase this would also be a welcome letter to other artists to come to Durham. 

Parents looking to enroll their child here can be assured that Empower is a safe space where your dancers can engage with themselves and other dancers.

To build friendships and parents to connect with people they have never seen but are possibly neighbors. Bringing in people new to Durham is vital because they may not know where to go if you are looking for a community, accommodations exist for students with disabilities.

In every sense of the word, Empower is welcoming to all. Oxendine and Empower believe money should not be an issue when enrolling in the arts. If there is anything Empower should know that could affect a dancer’s ability or time in class, they are open ears and willing to help. This is what makes Empower different from other studios in the Durham area. With these morals and qualities that Empower has to offer, the growth of this company will not stop anytime soon.

To learn more about Empower Dance Studio and its class schedule, visit their website at https://www.empowerdancestudio.com/.