Dancing Wheels on the Move Following Sale of Masonic Temple

For close to 20 years, Dancing Wheels has called Cleveland's Masonic Temple home.  It's become comfortable for the acclaimed company after renovating the space for wheelchair accessiblity, putting in its own sprung floors and painting a mural of its logo inside the rehearsal space.

But earlier this year the Masonic was sold to an out-of-state company and now Dancing Wheels has been told to vacate the building. 

"I was crushed when I heard.  It's really been our home.  We've put in so much time and volunteerism to make it beautiful to help renovate it.  So it's very close to our hearts," said company founder, Mary Verdi-Fletcher.

Dancing Wheels is now looking for a new space in the downtown/midtown areas of Cleveland.

"There's not too many spaces that are large enough for studios and with unobstructed spaces.  To actually renovate is quite expensive as well.  So we have many, many challenges," said Verdi-Fletcher.

The Cleveland Arts Prize winner has begun raising funds for the move.

"We just were told by Cleveland Foundation that they have granted us 50-thousand dollars towards that move.  So we're very excited and very hopeful," said Verdi-Fletcher.

The company has been given until August 2018 to vacate the space.

Dancing Wheels next performs From NYC to CLE: The Past, Present and Future of Integrated Dance! at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Listen to the entire interview: