The Dance Center closes
after nearly six decades
Tim Spitzack
Editor
The Dance Center, a fixture in West St. Paul for 59 years, is no longer operating as a studio for aspiring dancers ages 2 and older. It held its last recital in early June and stopped offering group classes and performances in July. However, the lights are still on in their space at 2026 S. Robert St. Owner Jennifer Haider and her mother Corrine Martin, who founded the company, still use the space to teach private lessons, master classes and for choreography work they do with theater companies throughout Minnesota.
The mother-daughter duo has worked together for 30 years. Jennifer was classically trained in ballet from age 5 to 17, and after high school earned a degree in social work at the College of St. Benedict. She quickly discovered that her true passion was teaching dance and in 1994 joined her mother at the studio to teach ballet, jazz and other dance forms.
Martin, a native of West St. Paul and graduate of Two Rivers High School (then Henry Sibley), started the company in 1965 at age 19 in an addition her father built on his appliance store, Mike Thomas TV and Appliance, 925 S. Robert St. In 1988 she moved to the Doddway Shopping Center and ran it there until she built her own studio in 1996 at 1049 Dodd Rd., not far from the Doddway Center. Jennifer assumed control of the company in 2020, when Martin had serious health issues. Today, she proudly reports she is five years cancer-free. In the spring of 2020, they sold their building and moved to their current space on Robert Street, across the street from Cub Foods.
Martin, 79, is still active as ever and before the studio closed was teaching four days a week. She continues to teach private lessons and helps Jennifer choreograph a few shows each year.
“This has been a rewarding business and a rewarding career,” said Martin. “I’ve worked with so many great people. And I’ve taught the grandchildren of my early students.”
Although Martin now lives in Shoreview, her heart remains in her hometown.
“I love West St. Paul,” she said. “I was born and raised there. Being grand marshal of the West St. Paul Days parade [in 2015] was such an honor for me.”
Jennifer Haider, who lives in West St. Paul, also judges dance competitions and lends her choreography talents to local high school theater groups.
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