In late 2015, as she was juggling multiple venues because her space wasn’t big enough, Thistle moved PAAM to a 6,000-square-foot space at 60 Belvedere Drive in Strawberry, just behind the Strawberry Village shopping center.
As PAAM’s student body and faculty continues to grow, so have Thistle’s ambitions. PAAM has been offering acro dance, an athletic style that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements. To accommodate her community’s interest in acro as well as tumbling and gymnastics, Thistle is launching Tumblespot, a 3,000-square-foot hub for kids ages 18 months to 10 years old.
Tumblespot opens Sept. 11 at 750 Redwood Hwy., Suite 1212, occupying half of the 6,000-square-foot former space of ideal stationers that closed in September 2014. Monthly membership is $100 (one child taking one weekly class), but Thistle is offering a special membership rate of $50 in September given the Sept. 11th opening date.
PAAM is in the final stages of renovating the sizable space, outfitting it with gymnastics and acro apparatus, as well as installing the same engineered dance floor as PAAM has at its 60 Belvedere.
Tumblespot’s curriculum for each age group and class incorporates foundations, coordination, strength, technique, agility and fun for young athletes and artists.
The program was created by Thistle, who serves as its artistic director, as well as Acro Director Samantha Sullivan, who brings decades of teaching and managing experience as well as her own training as an artistic gymnast, rhythmic gymnast and dancer. Sullivan is joined by Alicia Cardoza, KT Tesch and Elyse O’Donnell as instructors at Tumblespot.
Tumblespot will open with the following classes: “Supernovas: Parent & Me” for ages 18 months-2 years, “Tumble Stars (Ages 3-5), Mini Acro Stars (Ages 5-7) and Acro Stars (Ages 7-10).
The 411: Tumblespot opens Sept. 11 at 750 Redwood Hwy., Suite 1212. MORE INFO & SIGN UP.