Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Opens New Center for the Healing Arts in Five Points
DENVER, CO – The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Center for the Healing Arts has officially opened in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, marking the completion of a long-planned expansion adjacent to the organization’s historic home at Shorter AME Church.
Photo of Exterior of New Addition. Photo by Cleo Parker Robinson/Mortenson.
The new facility adds approximately 25,000 square feet across four levels and was designed to expand programming capacity while remaining physically and visually connected to the original church building. The project officially debuted with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community events tied to Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
Designed by Fentress Studios, a Populous company, and constructed by Mortenson, the expansion was built on a tight triangular site next to the historic church without physically attaching to it. Project leaders have described the connection between old and new as intentionally minimal in order to respect the landmark structure.
One of the building’s most visible features is its east-facing glass facade, which incorporates solar panels etched with choreography using Labanotation, a written movement notation system. The facade transcribes “Mary Don’t You Weep,” a work by Cleo Parker Robinson originally created as part of her Spiritual Suite.
Photo of Exterior of New Addition. Photo by Cleo Parker Robinson/Mortenson.
Inside, the building includes multiple purpose-built dance studios with layered, sprung flooring designed to accommodate a wide range of dance disciplines and reduce long-term physical strain on dancers. Each studio is acoustically isolated to prevent vibration transfer between spaces. Below grade, the facility includes a flexible 240-seat theater with retractable seating, allowing the space to function as both a performance venue and rehearsal hall. Additional spaces include administrative offices, support areas for dancers and staff, and shared community areas.
The approximately $25 million project was funded through a combination of grants, tax credits, individual donations, and foundation support. According to project representatives, the expansion is fully paid for and was completed after roughly 18 months of construction.
Founded in 1970, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance has operated out of the Shorter AME Church site since the late 1980s and has become a cornerstone of the Five Points arts community. The new Center for the Healing Arts allows the organization to significantly expand its educational, performance, and wellness programming while remaining rooted in the neighborhood where it began.
The new facility is now open and will host performances, classes, and community programming throughout the year.
Photo of Exterior of New Addition. Photo by Cleo Parker Robinson/Mortenson.
All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.
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All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.
3 minute read • The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Center for the Healing Arts has officially opened in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, completing a four-level expansion that adds new studios, performance space, and community-focused facilities alongside the organization’s historic home.