Battery Dance

Mar 2014

Great space for small and large classes. I meet a group here to fence and it's enough space for 12 people. It's a bit of a trek to get up there (on the 5th floor) but it's a good warm up. There's a good amount of natural light

Jan 2013

Battery has been around for years, and their studio space feels like a "downtown" dance staple. They've maintained pretty steady rates over time, and both spaces are well-sized as Manhattan rehearsal space goes (unless you're doing Broadway I guess). Their current studio manager is very prompt and organized booking space as well as responding to other inquiries. Sometimes the floors are dirty, and the endless stair climb to get there is usually more taxing than the 3-hour rehearsal to come but the space is otherwise dependable. Both studios can play CDs or Ipods, and I believe there is a TV/DVD player available if you ask ahead. There is not full-time reception staff, so you have to be the responsible key-carrying renter if you use the space outside office hours. They've recently installed a vending machine with a surprisingly healthy array of picky-dancer snacks (read: high protein non-junk food with plenty of options for every dietary restriction). I would caution anyone doing risque or scantily clad work here - both studios have huge windows looking out at a high-rise apartment building and the staff have offices on the far side of one space so they walk through both studios with a kind of "open-door" policy.