Page 13 - East Pikes Peak Avenue News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Leona Abdullah-Ward dreamed of having her own dance studio for more than a decade. She’d taught fitness classes at Hillside Community Center after retiring in 2000 from the Army, but she’d never had a place of her own.  In 2019, things came together. Abdullah-Ward acquired a space on East Pikes Peak Avenue, started teaching therapeutic dance and watched her clientele grow.  Then the pandemic hit, and COVID-19 restrictions forced Abdullah-Ward to close her doors suddenly in March 2020. Her space at the Park Hill Shopping Center would remain shuttered for six months.  In September, Abdullah-Ward was finally permitted to bring in clients, with safety precautions. She took temperatures, only had 15 clients at a time with proper social distancing, and cleaned every surface — but people were still worried about the virus. They didn’t show up the way they did before.  

United statesSharon rennertAnthony youngMelvin grierLeona abdullahPark hill shopping centerHillside community centerEmployment opportunity commission office of legal counselLeona abdullah wardEast pikes peak avenueColorado springsEqual employment opportunity commissionLegal counselDisabilities actBlack americansAfrican american