West Falls Development Adds Two Arts Academies: Levine Music and CityDance
Boldly expanding its presence as an arts and culture hub in Northern Virginia, the City of Falls Church will soon see two more major arts organizations in the West Falls Development: Levine Music and CityDance.
In addition to Creative Cauldron’s dynamic theater offerings and summer outdoor concert series, the Falls Church Arts’s community visual arts showcase, the renowned Tinner Hill Music Festival, and numerous live music venues including the State Theatre, Clare & Don’s Beach Shack and Dogwood Tavern – not to mention the City’s Concert in the Park series – two well-established regional dance and music education organizations are slated to come to the West Falls Development by Jan. 2025.
Hoffman & Associates, the developer for the West Falls project, announced July 22 the addition of Levine Music and CityDance Studios to the growing West Falls neighborhood, the largest development in the history of Falls Church.
The 8,000-square-foot Levine Music location and the 5,000-square-foot CityDance Studios location will occupy the ground-floor retail space of The Oak condominiums at 255 West Falls Church Blvd.
Levine Music
"Levine Music has provided opportunities for musical discovery in the National Capital Region since 1976 and has been a cornerstone of exceptional private and group music instruction in Northern Virginia since 1997," a Hoffman & Associates press release said.
“Our mission is to inspire everyone in the National Capital Region to love music, offering opportunities to discover how music can provide purpose, elevate, and heal,” Levine Music says on their website. And their vision is “to provide everyone with opportunities for musical discovery.”
"As an All-Steinway School, Levine Music is dedicated to providing the highest-quality instruments for learning and performance. The campus also includes a cutting-edge recording studio, a digital piano lab for group learning, early childhood music education spaces and a versatile performance space for recitals and master classes," Hoffman & Associates said.
As the only community music school in Virginia accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Pre-collegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS), Levine Music "continues to uphold the highest standards of teaching, inspiring musicians of all ages and skill levels." Levine's existing campuses in Northern Virginia will be relocated to this new cultural hub at West Falls.
In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Washington City Paper recognized Levine Music’s children’s summer camp – Camp Levine – as the “Best in D.C.”
“Levine has been a musical home for children and adults in Northern Virginia for over 25 years. With the new West Falls campus, we're thrilled to provide a state-of-the-art facility where generations to come will discover the joys of learning and performing music,” said Jeffery Tribble, Jr., president and CEO of Levine Music. “We're so grateful to Hoffman & Associates for their partnership in this project and to our full Northern Virginia community for their support as we make this historic move.”
CityDance Studios
Joining Levine Music at West Falls, CityDance is a "leading nonprofit dance institution serving the National Capital Region since 1996 that trains young dancers for professional careers, nurtures talent and achievement through dance and works to advance the field of professional dance," Hoffman & Associates said.
CityDance’s mission is to “transform lives and communities through dance" and work towards "creating a world where everyone has access to the benefits of an arts education and where world-class dance is available to all.” On their website, CityDance says it seeks to “create opportunities that promote equitable access to dance education and performance. We build programming centered on the unique cultures, histories and voices of the communities, artists and students with whom we partner.”
CityDance Studios, a division of CityDance, offers high-quality, in-person classes for students ages 18 months to adults in various genres in D.C., Rockville and now Falls Church, the first location in Virginia. The newly-built facility will feature three studios where students can enjoy classes in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, tap, zumba and more taught by Studios' esteemed teaching faculty.
Classes for January 2025 enrollment at the West Falls location will open online this fall.
"CityDance Studios is very excited to expand into Northern Virginia with our upcoming West Falls location. We look forward to bringing our broad offering of dance classes for all ages and abilities to the Falls Church community,” said Ivy Chow, executive director of CityDance Studios.
Levine Music and CityDance Studios are located at the base of The Oak, a 174,000-square-foot, 11-story building offering 126 elevated condominium residences, inviting amenities, curated retail and community, arts and civic space. "The Oak will provide residents with modern, welcoming spaces filled with natural elements, connection to the dynamic West Falls community and the convenience of a location with unparalleled connectivity to the region," Hoffman & Associates said.
"Our team is pleased to announce the addition of Levine Music and CityDance Studios to our diverse community offerings at West Falls," said Maria Thompson, CEO of Hoffman & Associates. "Their presence enhances the community’s culture by complementing the array of dining, wellness, education and personal care offerings in the neighborhood. From music and dance to dining and beyond, West Falls seamlessly blends curated retail spaces with communal areas, creating a lively and engaged atmosphere for both residents and visitors. We look forward to welcoming Levine Music and CityDance Studios to the neighborhood as we continue to expand this vibrant community.”
What Else is Coming to the West Falls Development?
When completed later this year, West Falls will include 1.2 million square feet of development across nearly 10 acres, with 123,000 square feet of retail.
Recently announced concepts also opening this fall include Honoo Ramen and Bar, Ice Cream Jubilee, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, BurgerFi, SEOULSPICE, Perspire Sauna Studios, Casabella Salon, The Fresh Market and Tierra Encatada, the early education and preschool program. The West Falls neighborhood is also home to The Alder apartments, Home2 Suites by Hilton, The Wellness Center medical office building and The Reserve at Falls Church by Experience Senior Living.
"West Falls will serve as a gateway to the City of Falls Church," Hoffman & Associates said. "The neighborhood will be pedestrian-friendly and offer bike paths in addition to being conveniently located near the West Falls Church Metrorail Station as well as Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and Route 66, which are both key connectors of the DMV region. West Falls will feature The Commons, an outdoor community gathering space in the center of the neighborhood that will provide over 18,000 square-feet of open space for community use."
And a stroll through The Commons is sure to yield the sights and sounds of dedicated dance and music students circulating through the City's newest arts hotspots.
For more information on Levine Music, go to www.levinemusic.org. For CityDance Studios, go to citydance.net. For the West Falls Development, go to www.westfallsva.com.
By Christopher Jones
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