Where do I begin?! 7 years ago, we didn’t know that a pandemic was about to happen, that we’d change locations multiple times or that only 3 short years after finding a lovely home we’d be not only wanting to move but needing to move… once again.

From the start, the vision was to provide for the professional Toronto dance community. We wanted to offer high-quality classes at affordable rates. Soon after, we realized that the real yearning was to actually be a part of a community, and when the time came for us to move and renovate 366, that community didn’t disappoint. From nothing, together we build what we now call home. Every little cent that was donated currently lives on our floors, mirrors and barres. 366 isn’t perfect, with her pillars that we all have come to love/hate/get used to, and her not so easy to find the actual, currently in use door to access. But I almost find that poetic, because not one of us is perfect, and it is, in fact, all the “imperfect” things that make us unique and special. And oh, she has been so sooo special; holding us through the past 3 years; sweat, tears, hopes, dreams and all.

When we found 366, it had a completely different layout, yet there was something about it (pillars and all) that drew me to it. I’m not sure if it was the brick walls or the fact that the building used to be a piano factory, but I could just smell the potential in the air. At the time, it all seemed like a huge risk, and it was hella scary… this would be the very first time we actually signed our own lease with all the landlords, contracts, lawyers and other very grown-up things. We didn’t know if we’d even have people coming to our classes or how we’d pay the rent, which was now triple the amount we’d ever paid before. Being the fool that I am, I had a dream and a vision, and I went for it.

Today, we not only serve the professional community, but our vision has also evolved. We want to not only support the Toronto dance community but also create infrastructure that is built for dance. It was in that first year, while we were all at home, that our most precious offering was born, our Beginner Adult Ballet Program. A program that welcomes adult, non-professional dancers into ballet and contemporary training at all levels, but most importantly, a dance program where we do not gatekeep the dance experience. We open it.

What we did not anticipate was how deeply this would resonate.

Very quickly, The Fifth Dance became a hub for what we lovingly think of as second-chancers—people returning to dance after decades, adults discovering ballet for the first time, individuals reclaiming artistry they thought they had aged out of. Our community grew rapidly, not because we marketed aggressively, but because our students felt seen, supported, and inspired. They told their friends; those friends told more friends. And now, we are just in need of more space.

Expanding is not just about offering more classes. Expanding is what allows us to fulfill our original mission.

With additional square footage and studio capacity, we can:

- Support more adult dancers in their dance journey

- Subsidize studio space for professional dancers, keeping rates accessible and below market.

- Create a stable, long-term home for Toronto’s dance artists to address the infrastructure gap in our city

- Support emerging companies, choreographers, and dance initiatives, strengthening Toronto’s cultural ecosystem.

Where we are currently at:

- We continue the search for a new space. One that has an open space (sans pillars) and high ceilings.

- Even though we haven’t found the perfect spot yet, it’s urgent! Once we find a place, we’ll need to act quickly and provide first and last months’ rent, and support extensive renovations to turn it into a usable dance space.

So here I am, once again asking for our beautiful community’s help. Yes, I might be a fool once again BUT what if it all comes true? What if we can make dance accessible for all? What if we can all have a space to be our best fools, frolic and lie on the ground???

Every cent helps, and we need all the help we can get. If you can give us the $5 you would normally spend on your daily latte, we would be honoured! No donation is too small.

We promise to continue making The Fifth a space for you and your dance dreams, whether it's day 1 or 1000 of your journey.

With much love and eternal gratitude,

Sarahí Cardenas

Director