Marin Independent Journal, January 3, 1972
The Marin Civic Ballet Association has purchased the chapel building and Champagnat Hall dormitory at the St. Peter Chanel Marist Fathers Seminary San Rafael for use as the association's future headquarters and school.
The decision means that the association will drop its negotiations with the county board of supervisors for space to erect a building at the Marin Civic Center, according to Mrs. Paul Erickson, president.
Plans for remodeling the chapel building and razing the dormitory to replace it with landscaping and parking will be presented to the San Rafael Planning Commission January 25.
Purchase price of the facilities was not disclosed.
The building will be the first headquarters for the eight-year old ballet association, which up to now has used rented or borrowed space for its dance classes, rehearsals and preparations for such events as the annual "Nutcracker" presentation.
Phyllis Thelen, association booster, explained that when the association began negotiating with the county supervisors last July, the seminary building was not on the market. The association received a $350,000 grant from the S.H. Cowell Foundation and was hastening to prepare quarters to host the Pacific Regional Ballet Festival in May 1973.
"This is so much more building than we could have put up with the money," Mrs. Thelen said enthusiastically. She added that the chapel will house a large studio with stage, special lighting and videotape camera facilities.
"Dancing doesn't have a written score like music," said Leona Norman, who will be director of the future ballet center.
"With the videotape, we won't have to rely just on our memories," for the dance movements.
The ground floor of the two-story building, which now houses the seminary library, kitchen and dining rooms, will be converted into more studios, a board room, quarters for the Lori Meislin Memorial Dance Library, storage room and other facilities. Dressing rooms and smaller dance rooms will be upstairs, along with custodian quarters and the main studio.
The altar, confessionals and all religious objects will be removed from the high-vaulted chapel by the Marist Fathers, Mrs. Erickson said. A second-floor bridge linking the chapel to an adjoining building will be removed, and a main staircase built inside the building.
The association hopes to begin classes in the building as soon as city approval is obtained and even before remodeling is completed.
The chapel stands on the northwest corner of the seminary. No homes are adjoining.
The building will give the Marin Ballet Association "the most up-to-date center in Northern California" with facilities for touring dance companies to hold classes, small performances and many other dance-related activities, Mrs. Erickson said.
Photo caption:
Ballet headquarters: The two-story chapel building of the St. Peter Chanel Seminary in San Rafael has been purchased by the Marin Civic Ballet Association to become its headquarters and training studios. |
