In the Temple Center's auditorium, the 42-member ballet will stage small, experimental productions. "We need a forum where we can take artistic risks without taking financial risks," executive director Rick Tallman told the Post.

The ballet, the eighth largest dance company in the U.S., has been looking for a new space since it tried unsuccessfully to buy the practice space it currently rents. This year, the ballet has performed in two local theaters while awaiting the completion of renovations to its main performance venue, the 2,400-seat Caulkins Opera Theater.

Tallman said he would soon launch a fundraising campaign for the new space, and estimated that renovations would cost between $500,000 and $3 million.