Dance school moves to JCAL

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The Edge School of the Arts has relocated to a space inside the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. Photo courtesy of JCAL

The Edge School of the Arts has relocated to a space inside the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. Photo courtesy of JCAL

By Jacob Kaye

A Queens dance school that struggled to stay open during the pandemic has found a new home in Jamaica.

The Edge School of the Arts has relocated and will now offer dance classes to students from inside the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, the organizations announced.

The arts school, which was formerly located in Laurelton, was forced to close its doors in March 2020. The organization, which has been open for 25 years, survived by offering virtual classes and performances.

The school is run by sisters Kerri, Donna and Wendy Edge.

“We’ve had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with JCAL and its leaders for many, many years,” said Kerri Edge, the artistic director at ESOTA. “Joining forces to serve the Southeast Queens community makes perfect sense.”

The Edge sisters grew up attending the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center on Jamaica Avenue and now see the relocation to JCAL’s building at 161-04 Jamaica Ave., as a sort of return to the beginning.

“We basically lived at dancing school, and therefore spent our lives on ‘The Avenue’,” Donna Edge said. “The library, Blimpies, Margherita’s Pizza, The Colosseum, VIM, Gertz Mall were our stomping grounds. Downtown Jamaica holds great memories for us and we’re excited to be coming back home.”

The dance school will have office space, studio space and a space for its boutique in JCAL’s building.

“A legendary arts provider in Southeast Queens, ESOTA’s presence within our institution will raise the bar in the community for more than dance instruction, but through myriad other cultural opportunities that ESOTA can uniquely provide,” said JCAL Interim Executive Director Leonard Jacobs.

ESOTA began classes in its new home on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Registration for classes will be held each Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. until classes reach capacity, keeping in mind COVID-19 guidelines. Staff, students and visitors will be required to be vaccinated.