to north van, with love
CW: CHANGE & UNCERTAINTY
Dear North Van Lumi community,
IN SHORT: The North Van community is vital to Luminesque - and we sadly need to make changes to the schedule in face of challenges with space/enrollment. This Spring, we can only keep one course on the schedule. Fall is undecided, but we want to work with the community to rebuild and thrive, long term. RSVP to be part of that conversation.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Vanessa and I wish to start with a heartfelt thank you. As you all know, North Van dancers have been with us since before Luminesque was created, and you’re some of the most dedicated, heart-centred, and passionate community members here at Lumi. We’ve made it through tremendous hurdles together and we believe we can find our way through this challenging time.
Because you matter so much, we want to be honest with you about the difficulties we face, and the shifts we need to make. We acknowledge that this may feel like a loss, but we know that if we put our heads and hearts together, we can find solutions that will keep your community, friendships, and “you time” in tact. 💛
THE UPDATE
For the Spring term, we are only able to run one course in North Van, with all other courses being paused.
HOW YOU CAN KEEP DANCING THIS SPRING
If you want to continue with Luminesque, we would love to welcome you into our Vancouver courses. Many North Van dancers already train there, and we are brainstorming ways to make the commute feel easier and more community-oriented, such as carpools, buddy systems, and daytime/weekend class times. We know first hand what a burden commuting can be - especially in winter, at night - but we hope to work together to find options that ease some of that stress.
NOTE: If you’re planning on dancing in Vancouver, please sign up early - courses fill up faster there than you’re used to in North Van.
We completely respect what this shift means for each of you. You may find ways to train in Vancouver, and you may pause until we (hopefully) bring back a fuller North Van schedule in the future. Both choices are valid! No matter what you do, you are still always a part of Luminesque. 🤗
NOTE FOR LUMILIFERS
If you’re currently on a LumiLifer plan, and cannot dance in Vancouver or Squamish this term, please reach out to glow@luminesquedance.com and we’ll adjust for you.
WHY IT’S HAPPENING
Put simply - costs have skyrocketed, space availability/quality has lessened, and registration is at an all-time low.
Major factors are:
Renovations in the studio and expansion of their programming late into the evening have meant it is now a less private experience for the intimate work we do. While we’ve tried requesting window coverings and more sound proofing - we’ve heard that ultimately having the public, and especially children, in such close proximity has impacted the sense of safety in the space.
Renovations to the space have created significant sound transfer, which has made the the experience of teaching and taking class less accessible for those with neurodivergence, and just generally less enjoyable for everyone
Renovations have also adjusted the size and shape of the studio spaces, meaning in some cases needing to reduce class capacities, which impacts financial margins
Studio rental rates have increased significantly from when we first started, in alignment with their renovations and the rising cost of real estate in the lower mainland
Faculty (including Vanessa) have moved out of North Van, and the cost of bringing teachers from other areas in to teach in North Van has increased significantly
We are unwilling to increase the price of our programs any further, to accommodate for the rising costs
Registration numbers in North Van have been shrinking over the past four years, especially for new students (even for free offerings like Preview classes)
Together, these challenges make it unsustainable to offer a full schedule in the North Van space this term.
Making adjustments now, protects our long-term sustainability, and creates space for us to rebuild North Van thoughtfully.
THIS IS NOT THE END!
We want you to know: this is a moment to regroup, NOT the end of North Van as a Lumi location.
We are very open to rebuilding the North Vancouver community in a way that works for everyone, and want to find those solutions together.
HOW WE MOVE FORWARD
In March, we will be hosting a virtual community meeting to brainstorm together about:
What it would take to rebuild a strong North Van location in the future - including rallying new dancers, and possibly finding a more private, affordable and adults-first studio space.
How, we can make it accessible, easier, and community-building for North Van dancers to commute/train/perform together in Vancouver or Squamish courses (things like carpools, specific class times, buddy systems, etc.)
If you’d like to share thoughts sooner than March, please reach out to us via glow@luminesquedance.com, and we will respond as soon as we have the capacity to do so.
If you’d like to be part of this conversation about the future of North Van, please RSVP for the meeting via the link: https://momence.com/l/k8h9ajzn
In summary, here’s how you can help rebuild North Van:
Share your ideas. What does the North Van community need to feel good about crossing the harbour to dance in Vancouver? What would make it feel easier, safer, or more fun for you? Do you know of other more adults-first, affordable spaces in North Van?
Tell us how to keep this community thriving. Do you have ideas for outreach, carpools, new dancers we should meet, or spaces we should explore for the future? Do you have ideas for how we can facilitate special reunions of North Van dancers within larger community events?
Register early for Vancouver courses. Vancouver classes tend to fill faster than North Van did, and especially will now with the community cross-over. If you plan to dance this Spring, please register as early as you can, so you can secure a spot in the class that works best for you.
Thank you for being such a beaming example of everything Luminesque stands for - your courage, kindness, and fire are the heart of why we do this work.
We appreciate you sharing your ideas with us, and hope to dance with you for years to come - across the harbour, online, and hopefully back in North Vancouver soon.
With love and gratitude,
Vanessa and Emily
