According to Toni Nagy, the Owner of SoBo Studio, it is a community dance center committed to keeping dance accessible, non-competitive, and a vital part of the health and growth of the local community. Participants of all levels and abilities are welcome! SoBo caters mostly to adults with a few additional options for children, and explores each participant’s inner creative spirit. Their goal is to bring out the love of dance for everyone, and provide a safe space to for their dancers to express themselves.
SoBo hosts daytime and evening classes with flexible payment options, affordable studio and venue rentals, and seasonal performances featuring local and regional artists. Also, they offer scholarships and work study opportunities and maintain a family friendly environment. Their playroom is always open for children to explore while parent’s dance, with free supervision provided during select classes.
SoBo is located within the vibrant arts community of the Cotton Mill building in the south part of Brattleboro, Vermont. Parking is always free and plentiful! SoBo instructors are warm, welcoming, and mindful of every student’s needs. Their diverse array of classes, from classical to contemporary, are affordable and conveniently scheduled to fit your busy lives. Whether you are interested in simply getting fit, learning to dance for the first time, getting back into dance after a break, or continuing to develop your dance technique, SoBo has classes to suit your needs!
Their dance class offerings include Latin Popular Dance, Ballet (Beginner Friendly) – Vaganova (Russian) style, Contemporary, Modern Dance, Tap, Jazz Tap, Hip Hop, Belly Dance, Dunham Technique, Journey Dance, Iyengar Yoga, Zumba kids, Zumba Basic, Zumba Gold, Belly Dance – Fitness, Fusion and Tribal Style, African Dances both West African and Cameroun, Bharata Natyam (South Indian Classical Dance), and more. Some of these dances are the more traditional dances we are all familiar with and some are less familiar. For further information on these dances, view their website at http://sobodance.com.
Sobo Studio also offers a “Composition and Devising: Creating Original Work” class, a “Historical Fencing for Kids” class and a “Dance with their Toddler” class which includes creative movement for 3 and 4 year olds.
In addition to the dance classes, Sobo also presents special events, i.e. a special Valentine’s Day event. The Thai Massage Valentine Workshop provides a dance for the senses for you and your partner followed by chocolate! Deepen your stretches with the help of a partner and experience gentle therapeutic AcroYoga (flying massage). Learn to give simple, relaxing Thai Massage.
Although their classes have very high-level professional teachers, the ethos of the studio is very welcoming. They offer childcare and have a space for children to frolic while they observe their parents. This way their dancers can experience their artistic pursuits, but also share their passion with their family. Sobo is very inclusive and their main goal is to support adults who have had an interest in dance throughout their lives.
Toni’s proudest moment has been being part of the audience for their shows. Their teachers are infinitely imaginative and have produced genius work to share with their community. They often work with their students as part of their choreography and observing how much people grow and develop as performers is deeply inspiring.
In Toni’s opinion, the biggest mistake she sees dancers make is pelvic alignment!!!!!!! She often sees dancers who are not fully dropping their tailbone, and are, therefore, compromising their lower back/hips. She thinks deep inner core work, as well as getting connected to their visceral sphere, is the best way to address this issue.
Sobo’s goal for this next year is to for more people to get involved! The more dancers the happier the community!
Toni was a dance major in college and lived in New York City for 12 years where she spent at least 20 hours a week dancing. It was such a huge part of her life, but when Toni moved to the country to start her family, there were less studios and less access. She became very depressed without a dance community. She then met her current manager Cyndal Ellis, who is an amazing belly dancer!! They partnered up and decided to take over a studio that was closing down. It has been the best decision of her life!
Toni believes that dance is not just something for the super young and flexible. We all have a dancer 
inside of us. For many who have dance training, but have pursued other career goals, the dance is still a part of who they are. Sobo gives people the place to not only take classes, but also perform their work. Toni plans on dancing as long as she has feet, and she is forever grateful for this space to allow for that to happen.
If you would like more information about Sobo Studio, visit their website at http://sobodance.com. You can also like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and connect with them on Instagram.
Whether you are curious about hosting an event in their studio, are looking for a class that they don’t advertise, or just have a comment or thought to share, send them a message on the form provided on their website and they will get back to you shortly.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Toni Nagy of SoBo Studio.
Written By Cyndi Marziani
Owner
BDancewear.com
