NASHUA – If you live here, you’ve likely driven past the “Our Space” studio at 60 Kinsley St. at the intersection of Pine Street.

Nashua resident Jeff Jean-Philippe is the owner and founder of Our Space. Jean-Philippe himself is one of New England’s premier hip-hop dancers, educators and choreographers. Additionally, Jean-Philippe’s high energy and self-evolving teachings are grounded in acceptance and open discussions.

For those reasons, Our Space is a creative studio that deliberately defies any one singular definition.

Jean-Philippe opened Our Space in May and said it’s going “beautifully.”

“There’s been great progress and it’s growing quickly,” he said. “There have been a lot of people who found their way here at just the right time. It makes each person feel and say, ‘This is where I’m supposed to be.'”

The goal of Our Space is to be a conduit of minds and spirits not just in the neighborhood of Kinsley and Pine, but across the city, across labels and across boundaries.

Jean-Philippe said with so many people coming in with different backgrounds, he sees the space as a place where he should be as well.

“It makes me want to continue pushing,” he said. “I want to continue constructing and building this space so that everyone knows that have a home here. This is their space as well.”

As artistic director of his own company, “The Expressive Movement,” and as a board member for Nashua’s Positive Street Art, the Montreal, Quebec native Jean-Philippe is also an innovator of dance styles ranging from hip-hop and breakdancing to styles like Temphopical and Kimpada.

Jean-Philippe said the “ah-ha” moment for opening Our Space happened as he was getting a haircut.

“I was next door at Royal Escape and the woman that cuts my hair was talking about wanting to build a space and create something that would include arts and dance and things like that. ‘I said, ‘That’s what I do,’ and she allowed me to rent the space and we went from there.”

With his strong community drive, Jean-Philippe intended Our Space to be a communal space that offers services beyond dance, from youth programs to healing circles.

“I felt that the community didn’t have something like this,” he said. “I know we have dance but we don’t have dance in a way that’s more healing and provided for everybody. So I wanted to give that opportunity to everybody.”

Jean-Philippe wanted to be able to say to people in the city, “You have a space now.”

“We have a completely different dynamic than other dance studios,” he said. “I teach dance and the road that I’m taking when I teach is very different than traditional dance. It’s open and tailored to not just the youth, but also to adults.”

Healing is a big part of Jean-Philippe’s message, and he wanted to provide a place where people who have suffered trauma in their life can come and listen and learn and speak their minds.

“This is a chance for people to come and talk with one another and feel better,” he said. “I want people to learn to get rid of certain patterns and uplift each other as a community.”

With such a varied background, Jean-Philippe wanted to combine his talents and his energy and connect them to one place. He takes community impact to the full extent by hosting discussions and by addressing topics such as racism through public speaking.

“Rather than run around to different places for various reasons, I can do everything in this space,” he said. “And that’s the message I want to be able to extend to others.”

Jean-Philippe is connected to Nashua and said there’s nothing wrong about building here.

“We have it and we need it,” he said of Our Space. “We just had to – [stomps his feet] – do it. I’m a doer. And the worst thing that can happen is I fail and then I try something else.”

When Jean-Philippe isn’t teaching, he also judges dance competitions in New England and New York such as Step Up 2 Dance and Dance to Inspire. But beyond that, he saw a need for a creative space specifically in the part of town that houses Our Space.

“When I looked around, I thought this space was perfect,” he said. “Not just because of the foot traffic, but there’s a need here. I wanted to build something in this neighborhood that is positive as opposed to dysfunctional or destructive.”

Jean-Philippe believes in community and wants to bring this one together.

“I see the kids running by,” he said. “Or riding their bicycles or skating outside. And I think to myself, this space is perfect. When I see them, and they see a chalkboard inside, I want them to know this isn’t a space where they are told ‘no.’ Be creative. Be yourself.”

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