Dance Dimensions, 645 E. Lincoln Highway, dance studio is under new ownership and is now offering adult classes to reach out to NIU and the surrounding community.

Owner Miranda Cordes took over the studio this summer after former owner Debbie Jones retired in June. Cordes has taken classes there since she was 8 years old.

“She had a fun, positive atmosphere for kids,” Cordes said. “She really focused on positive self-image and self-confidence.”

Cordes said she wishes to continue to inspire these traits. She is also reaching out to a larger community, offering adult classes for the first time.

“A lot of places don’t do adult classes,” Cordes said. “We have college students come in who aren’t dance majors, but they used to dance.”

Zoe Hamilton, sophomore dance major at NIU, helped Cordes over the summer with studio renovations, which included paint and creating a larger studio floor by knocking down one interior wall. She also takes classes whenever she has the time. Hamilton has danced with Cordes since before she attended NIU.

“Miranda and I have been friends since I was in high school,” Hamilton said. “She’s been my mentor through dance. She’s really, really experienced and definitely knows what she’s doing. I think she’s definitely done a good job with the studio in downtown DeKalb; we really needed a high-quality dance studio in the area.”

Even people from out of the area take classes there.

Lisa Young, of Marengo, has two daughters enrolled in Cordes’ classes.

“Miranda is a fabulous dance instructor,” Young said. “My daughters have been enrolled since this fall, and it’s been a really positive experience. It’s 45 minutes away, but the girls have loved it, and it’s worth every minute of the drive.”