BeatZone: Your all-around studio in Nieuw-West.
Sometimes you come across a venue where the possibilities of what to do with it, are endless. That’s the case with BeatZone.
To describe this venue, you have to be contradicting. The two midsize dance studios can easily be made into one big and bright studio with help of the removable wall. With the studios equipped with blackout curtains, you can transform the bright and airy studios into an intimate gathering.
What you want to do with this space is up to you, but one thing is for sure, with its cosy and bright reception, you’ll immediately feel at ease, stepping through the doors.
I had the pleasure to sit down with the owners of BeatZone, Maud Mulder & Gelvin Straal to learn more about the story of the space.
Why did you start BeatZone in Amsterdam? What motivated you to do this project?
Gelvin and I are partners in life and business. He’s a dancer, and I’m a singer. We decided to combine our passions, to develop talent and to guide children into their musical adventures. We opened our first studio 10 years ago, close to Vondelpark. It was very small, only one room.
One year ago, we got approached about this current space we’re in. It was one big empty space that we had the opportunity to turn into what it is today; two dance studios, one music room, and a cosy reception.
What do you think is one of the most exciting features of your venue that sets it apart from others?
Our space is very open, high ceilings and big windows make it extremely bright and light, it makes it a comfortable space that is open and big but still cosy and welcoming. Our space is also incredibly flexible. The wall between our two dance studios is removable, making it possible to turn two midsize studios into one big studio, this comes very handily when rehearsing for a dance show or when having choir practice.
Can you tell us a stand-out experience you’ve had related to BeatZone?
To get the removable wall in, hands down. That wall was the most time -and money consuming part of the whole renovation. The delivery of the wall kept on getting delayed and delayed and delayed. We were stressing out because of the opening of the venue was coming closer and closer. We ended up putting in the wall one or two days before the first activity started.
How do people currently find and book your space?
Mostly word of mouth, we have a big network in our local community. People who are already familiar with us are tipping other people who are doing yoga, meditation, business workshop etc.
What kind of events have you hosted so far? What kind of events you’d like to host that you haven’t done?
At this moment, our most common events are dance classes. Understandably, considering this is a dance studio. But the mirrors have curtains, making it possible to cover them for, for example, choir practice. In the weekends we sometimes host the Universal Voice Institute, they hold singing workshops here with groups from 10–30 people. They then rent the whole building, holding private sessions in the smaller room, the big group sessions in the big studio and they lunch in our entrance/reception.
Our space is perfect for group workshops. Renting the whole building and using the different rooms for the various sessions. We also have a beamer and chairs, so any kind of presentation is very much possible here as well.
Anything new or exciting that you are working on and you’d like to share with us?
We are currently working on our dance show, called HOME. We are developing it around immigration in the Netherlands. It’s a great project for kids, to learn, who’s in their society. Not only who’s their neighbor but who are living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and the world, and how we can get along better, get to understand each other better.
The show will be performed on the 26 of January 2020, at Podium Mozaïek.
Would you like to rent BeatZone for your next gatherings, workshops or presentations? Or would you like to collaborate on something amazing?
Check them out! Life is too short to be spent at boring locations!
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