Rioult Dance New York

AO worked with Rioult Dance New York to create their first NYC home. Located within a ne wmixed-use building, the dance center is recognizable by its distinct street lobby with a dramatic open stair. The center is comprised of sutios, a green room, dressing rooms, and offices for its professional dancers, staff, dance students, and community users. Working within tight physical conditions of the rentala space and a lean non-profit budget, this project allows Rioutl Dance to bring diverse artists, administrators, and community members together in an inspiring dance-centered destinaiton. Five daylit studios of various sizes are organized aroubdn generous passageways that serve as the dancers' warm-up areas. Each acoustically isolated studio has high ceilings and generous windows, and is equipped with sprung floors, bars, mirrors, and sound systems. The largest “company” studio is fitted with black-out shades, curtains, theatrical lighting, and retractable seating for over one hundred to become an intimate performance venue. The open circulation space finished with wood floors acts as a flexible warm up area for dancers by day and welcoming audience lobby for evening performances. The central reception station is wrapped in a custom metal and wood lattice detailed to express the bold character of Rioult’s dance and washed with light making it a dramatic feature both as experienced within the dance center and seen from the street.