Jefferson Park, California is one of the most densely populated areas in Los Angeles. While the area is only 1.42 square miles total, according to a Los Angeles Department of City Planning report, in 2008, there were 24,285 residents in the area. Therefore, there are approximately 16,3000 people per square mile, according to the L.A. Times.
Considering the area is so highly populated, one could come to the conclusion that the area would be home to many music venues or dance studios. In reality, the area’s representation of the arts is scarce. Church choirs and street art can be found throughout Jefferson Park, but with the closing of its only movie theatre, The Arlin, the lack of live music venues and the constant foreclosing of dance studios throughout the area’s history, Jefferson Park appears, at first glance, to be lacking in the arts. Programs, such as movie screenings and art classes, at the Vassie D. Wright Library have filled this missing piece and a few businesses are bringing music and dance to the masses, against all odds.
Two dance studios in particular, have grabbed the attention of locals and have survived against the odds stacked against them (this area is largely below the poverty line, businesses turn over often). Both are family run businesses, both serve Jefferson Park residents and the greater Los Angeles area, and both have their own specialty.
Sabor and Soul is a small studio that provides group dance classes for three dollars each. The classes require no prior experience and cover all dance styles. “It was just an idea of mine to start a dance studio, because as you can see, there’s not many here in the community,” said Virginia Chavez, who is a co-owner of the studio.
Lula Washington Dance Studio was founded to also fill an empty spot in the community. The theatre offers ballet and modern dance classes and also has a principle company, which is comprised of auditioned dancers. As the company rehearsed for a performance at a dance festival taking place this weekend, board member and choreographer Tamica Washington-Miller talked about the studio’s relationship with the surrounding communities, “For us it is critical that we are here in our community to serve in this space for creative expression, for artists to develop their skills as either dancers or choreographers or teachers or leaders in management.” What is unique about the studio is the fact that students not only receive an education in dance, but they are encouraged to network and grow as professionals through the programming. Former students often move up into the professional, touring dance company or become teachers within the program, “They have the foundation and they really know something. They’re not just shaking their butts.”
At the end of the day, Washington-Miller is proud of the studios longevity and the strength of her mother, “There are so many rewards. The fact that we are here for 36 years and are coming up on our 37 year anniversary, is absolutely amazing because by statistics, Lula should not have made it this far with her dance studio and dance company.” Although the studio is struggling to make ends meet at the moment, due to the fact that they are a non-profit organization and rely heavily on donations, Washington-Miller is confident that the studio will continue to be a staple in the community.
Although they are very different, both Sabor and Soul and Lula Washington Dance Studio fill a music and dance void in the Jefferson Park area. According to Washington-Miller, there are very few performance and dance spaces in the area. By providing this outlet for community members, both Chavez and Washington-Miller are positively impacting the neighborhood’s culture, “That opens up a whole new door and new avenue of opportunity for some folks.”