BANGOR, Maine — For years, the stone church at 193 Union Street has been a historical landmark in Bangor. It stands elegantly on a busy corner -- and was empty until a type of resurrection this week.
Now, the cathedral where sermons once rang through the air is filled with the sound of twinkling ballet music -- and on the floor below, tap dancers clickety-clack their way through a room with a worn-out piano and a big vision for the future.
"We're just incredibly fortunate to have found this space," Cassie Pillsbury expressed to NEWS CENTER Maine in a shy but excited manner. She has been the owner of the Thomas School of Dance for six years and took on the responsibility of finding a new location when they lost their former studio space back in July.
After a hectic weekend of starting to get settled in, Pillsbury says she and her staff have a lot of work to do, but she is excited for the promises of this new space.
"We've had a big flow of traffic (already)," Pillsbury said, gesturing with her hands. "Our dancers and their folks have been in this studio, and it already feels like home."
It's a homecoming that has been long-awaited by her loyal students. The Thomas School of Dance has been a staple in Bangor for more than 90 years and was closed for about six months during the frantic search for a new space.
"I love it so much because it's such a welcoming environment," Sophia Wirta, a 16-year-old student at the studio, said about the company.
For her, years of practicing at the Thomas School of Dance -- these days, for five hours a night, multiple days a week -- have lead to a bigger dream. After high school, she says she wants to move to a big city like Boston or New York and pursue dance.
"It's one of the things that makes me the happiest and one of the things where I can feel like I can be myself the most."
That development is something mother Rachel Dobbs has noticed with her own daughter, now 13 years old, too. Dobbs credits the Thomas School of Dance with helping her daughter to open up at a young age and learn self-confidence and poise.
"They're a soft place to be able to kind of try things out and to kind of explore different things," Dobbs, who is also the owner of Paddy Murphys in the heart of Bangor's downtown, smiled. "I see so many of the kids benefit."
The transition from holy worship to self-expression wouldn't have been possible without the backing of the city of Bangor.
City councilor Ben Sprague says his own daughter takes classes at the Thomas School of Dance -- and he is grateful to the company for being such an important part of the arts in the Queen City.
"We want them to stay here. We want them to be successful," Sprague explained to NEWS CENTER Maine. That's why city staff went through quite an ordeal to change zoning laws in order to allow the company to move into its new, unique location.
"We want them to have a home in Bangor," Sprague added. "We also wanted this building to be occupied by something positive."
And if that was the case, then the Thomas School of Dance was a pretty fitting choice because of its special roots that go back nearly a century.
"I have parents come up to me saying, 'Oh, my daughter's so excited to dance here. I used to dance her 20 years ago,'" Wirta relayed. "It's really cool -- the whole community of it."
For Pillsbury, the studio has given her a sense of purpose.
"That's become my passion in life -- is helping other people find their passion for dance."
The Thomas School of Dance just opened its studio the week of January 6, so there is still time to register for classes! There are options available for people young and old, new and advanced.
You can visit Thomas School of Dance's website for more information.