The Wooden Floor, based in Santa Ana, California, is currently home to 475 students, empowering them through the art of dance. Their motto, “From here, you can step anywhere,” is significant because it highlights how The Wooden Floor equips dancers with support and skills they can apply to further their education and careers. With the help of the Wooden Floor, dancers are able to find their passion in dance and in school. This diverse program offers academic, social and emotional support to students throughout all their years of attendance. But what goes into running this non-profit organization, and how do students benefit from it?

The Wooden Floor was founded in 1983 by Beth Burns, a sister with the order of St. Joseph of Orange. This organization was first founded under the name St. Joseph Ballet as a summer pilot dance program for at-risk youth. By 1989, the organization had expanded past summer months serving 150 students in a donated 4,000 square-foot space with one studio in downtown Santa Ana. Through the 1990s, student population and services grew. They extended to a 21,000 square foot space, housing three dance studios.

By the 2000s, they grew to serve 375 students. 2005 marked the first year that 100% of the graduates enrolled in college. Four years later, this organization was renamed to The Wooden Floor. In 2018 they expanded to serve an additional 100 students and their families at their second location, The Wooden Floor Depot. in Santa Ana. Since 2005, 100% of their seniors have graduated from high school on time and immediately enrolled in higher education.

Dance can be many things: an artistic expression, therapeutic practice representation of cultural heritage, and more. At The Wooden Floor, dancers enter the studio then let personal and inner feelings take over their movements. It is a space open to the multiple ideas and opinions of how a dancer chooses to move. This highly beneficial form of movement helps students express themselves.

Senior Denise Loaiza, student of The Wooden Floor, shares the role of dance in her life.

“Dance has been a form of communication, so instead of using words you use movement to express emotions, and then it’s also been a stress-reliever,” Loaiza said.

Whether practicing a ballet combination or creating choreography, dance uses movement as a form of non-verbal and abstract communication. At The Wooden Floor, modern, improvisation and composition dance classes are taught. From levels one to ten, all dancers enrolled are taught these different styles of dance. Each student performs differently depending on the style of dance. Some may prefer one style over another.

Senior Rosa Marcano, student of The Wooden Floor, talks about her favorite dance class.

“My favorite style of dance at The Wooden Floor is modern. I feel as if modern doesn’t have as many restraints as ballet does in movement qualities, and allows you to experiment a little more with choreography,” Marcano said.

Dance sets students for success in the studio and outside the studio. Dance is a big contribution to how students perform academically. Those who engage in dance  show better academic achievement compared to those who don’t. Dancing engages our brain because we are using nearly all of our brain while dancing, and we are building brain cells, which sets you up to learn outside of dance. 

The two locations of The Wooden Floor are open to support the dancers in any way possible. Tutoring, academic advising meetings, empowerment programs, therapy and so much more is available. They focus on ensuring the involvement in school of their students and strive to help send all of their graduating students to college.

Sophomore Christian Herrera-Gomez, student of The Wooden Floor, shares how the organization offers academic help.

“The Wooden Floor has free tutors and other advisors that help you. They make sure you have good grades and that you are succeeding. The academic advising meetings, which are mandatory by the way, just give some good tips and tricks, and are sometimes just a good break from life,”  Herrera-Gomez said.

Many of the programs are available thanks to the support from academic advisors, tutors and more. They ensure that the students of The Wooden Floor are thriving. Dancers also receive help from dance teachers and board members. Staff of The Wooden Floor are there to create a generational change in the lives of the students in Santa Ana. These staff members are passionate about altering the future of their students, through this non-profit organization.

Artistic director of The Wooden Floor, Jennifer Bonfil elaborates on an inside role of running this non-profit organization.

“As the artistic director I get to do a lot, I collaborate with the senior leadership team to make sure the organization as a whole is working collectively. I get to communicate with the board of directors about all the wonderful things we’re achieving within dance, education and production.The students here at The Wooden Floor are different. You are all a little more open to new things, and willing to try new things.There’s something about the way you come to class, the way you interact with people, and I think partly you’re learning those things here at The Wooden Floor, but there’s something about just all of our students here. I just really, really admire our students, and I’ve been so fortunate to learn so much from the students,” Bonfil said.

I have been a dancer at The Wooden Floor for five years. Joining this program has been one of the most rewarding decisions I could have ever made. I discovered my talent through the dance they teach us. In the beginning, I began unaware of my own ability to move around the studio. But with the help of the dance education staff I was able to move in unimaginable ways I couldn’t do before. 

Since sixth grade, I’ve had monthly meetings with an academic advisor. These meetings offer skills I now continue to use in school. This organization has presented me many opportunities and gifts throughout my time there. Through this program I have been charged with the beauty of movement, education and community. 

Since the 1980s, The Wooden Floor has grown to become a ten year program, offering three dance classes a week, four dance studios, tutoring, scholarship opportunities, annual concerts performed by students, family services, live music in class and more. Over the past 40 years they have impacted the lives of 95,000 current students and alumni. They are present in youths’ lives to create change in the city of Santa Ana.

Every year on the third Saturday of October, annual auditions are held at The Wooden Floor at the Main street location. Joining this program is a life changing opportunity that presents you with endless possibilities, beyond the art of dance. The Wooden Floor’s mission is “To inspire and transform the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education.