We believe that supporting the ecosystem of dance amongst our communities is essential for the evolution of the form and artists’ health. Our recent relocation to and operation of Q7 studios in 2021, has transformed us in fundamental ways: creatively and as a facilitator of dance and community development. This space allows us to provide game-changing support through residencies, artistic mentorships, career support programming, and community responsive programming that celebrates and champions diverse dancers, ways and reasons to dance, and creating a cross-pollination between MO students, our artistic activities, and perhaps most significantly, our community programming, connecting and creating new intersections between dance practices, people, and generations. 

Access to space is vital for a city’s cultural growth and OIS helps meet this need by opening Q7 free of charge and without the barriers of membership fees and applications, to a wide range of community partners that include artists, crews, and collectives, enabling them to gather in Q7 to create, practice, and teach.