By Emmy Brightwell
Posted on May 10, 2024
When Junction Dance Collective staged its first outdoor performance on the Hartford Green in 2019, roughly 40 people showed up. Last September, the same annual event drew more than 400.
That tenfold growth mirrors a larger shift in White River Junction, Vermont. What was once a quiet railroad town has become an unlikely dance hub, with four independent studios now offering classes that range from classical ballet to street-style hip-hop. Together, they serve hundreds of students weekly and have helped anchor an arts district that local officials say has expanded by nearly 30 percent since 2018.
The Institutions Leading the Charge
While each studio operates independently, they collectively define what dance looks like in this community of roughly 2,300 residents.
White River Dance Academy
The oldest of the four, White River Dance Academy occupies a converted Victorian on Gates Street, where students practice at barres installed along original oak wainscoting. The academy is best known for its pre-professional ballet program, which requires six to twelve hours of weekly training for advanced students.
Director Margaret Chen, who founded the school in 2007, can point to at least one verifiable success story: alumna Sophia Durand, 24, who trained at the academy from ages 8 to 17 and now dances with the Richmond Ballet in Virginia. "She started in our creative movement class and had turnout issues we worked on for years," Chen said. "Having one dancer make it to a professional company validates what we're doing, but I get just as much satisfaction from the student who finds confidence here and applies it to medical school."
The academy enrolls approximately 120 students per semester. Children's classes start at $18 per session; the pre-professional track runs $340 monthly.
Junction Dance Collective
A ten-minute walk away, Junction Dance Collective operates out of a former textile mill with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the White River. Founded in 2015 by choreographer David Okonkwo, the collective emphasizes contemporary and improvisational dance, with explicit mission language welcoming dancers "regardless of body type, age, prior training, or gender identity."
On a recent Tuesday evening, Okonkwo led an intermediate class of fourteen adults through a phrase combining release technique with pedestrian gestures. "We had a 67-year-old retired engineer perform in our winter showcase last year," he said. "Dance training doesn't have to funnel toward a single idea of professionalism."
The collective offers drop-in classes at $22, with ten-class passes available for $180. Its annual Hartford Green performance is scheduled this year for September 21.
Tap Masters Studio
Rachel "Rae" Belmonte, 34, opened Tap Masters Studio in 2019 after touring for six years with a Boston-based rhythm company. Her studio, the smallest of the four, occupies a ground-floor space on Main Street where the floors were engineered specifically for tap acoustics.
Belmonte teaches roughly 45 students, with classes capped at twelve to preserve sound quality and individual attention. On a Thursday afternoon, a group of students ages 6 to 14 practiced paddle-and-rolls in unison, the mirrored studio resonating with synchronized rhythm.
"Tap is nerdy," Belmonte said. "It's math, it's music, it's history. I want kids to understand they're part of a lineage that includes Buster Brown and Dianne Walker." Belmonte also hosts a monthly adult jam session, open to drop-ins for $15.
Hip Hop Junction
The newest studio, Hip Hop Junction, opened in 2022 and caters primarily to dancers ages 8 to 18. Founder Marcus Delgado, a Bronx native who relocated to Vermont in 2020, teaches breaking, popping, and choreography influenced by current music video styles.
Delgado's classes frequently fill to capacity—currently 20 students per session—with a waitlist for his Saturday beginner breaking class. "These kids are hungry for something that feels present and real," he said. "Hip-hop lets them tell their own stories without a formal technique barrier."
Classes run $20 per session, with scholarship spots available for students who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch.
Student Voice: "I Found My People"
Lily Hartmann, 16, trains at both White River Dance Academy and Hip Hop Junction, splitting her week between classical technique and urban styles. The cross-training, she said, has changed how she thinks about movement.
"Ballet gives me the structure, but hip-hop gives me the freedom to actually enjoy it," Hartmann said. "I used to think I had to pick one. Now I know that's not how dance works here."
Challenges and Context
The growth has not been frictionless. All four directors cited the shortage of affordable rental space as a pressing concern, particularly
