James Howell Studio in the Castro -- a block from Church and market MUNI -- offers a variety of movement and dance classes, in a traditional studio format as well as by donation. Teachers include Steve Savage, Kristie Dahlia Home, Sabine Kuehner, Tony Eason, and Jamie Lindsay, and there is space available for rent to new teachers. The studio itself is bright and airy, with skylights and beautiful brick walls fitted with ballet bars, and is fully equipped with Iyengar yoga props.

For information on space rental and becoming a teacher in this community, contact Carlos at cventuro@hotmail.com

James Howell was an early member of the Joffrey Ballet and choreographic assistant to Gerald Arpino. Howell entered the Joffrey Ballet studios in 1960 with little ballet training, but his intelligence and ability to interpret music quickly caught the attention of Joffrey choreographer Gerald Arpino, who asked Howell to assist him in the studio. Howell continued to work closely with Arpino on choreographic projects until leaving the company to move west in 1973.

In San Francisco, Howell studied physical therapy and taught class in his own studio on Sanchez Street in the Castro District. Shortly before he died from AIDS complications in 1982, Howell created the 45-minute ballet Ritual: The Journey of the Soul, which has been described by performance theorist David Román as possibly the first performance piece about AIDS. Howell left instructions in his will that video documentation of the piece be shown at his memorial service. This prompted the Bay Area Reporter to note: "Howell's gesture opens a new chapter on gays developing a style on how to die."