The blond wood of the dance studio floor stretches back to a wall-length mirror. Though sweat falls from their faces, members of a morning class move their bodies nonstop, and will continue to do so for the next hour.

The morning exercisers belong to a Jazzercise class at the Portsmouth Ballroom Dance Studio on Vaughn Mall in Portsmouth. This is the studio’s last month in its current location, where it has been for 12 years.

The studio was built in 1994 by owners Mandy Ball and her husband. After deciding to move on, they sold it to Douglass Bank. However, Bank also had another dance studio in Massachusetts, and became overwhelmed by managing both.

“He was going to close it,” said Peggi Elfe, current owner and manager. Elfe began as an instructor at the ballroom in 1995. Not wanting to see the space close, she decided to purchase the studio from Douglass in 2003.

Now with their lease about to expire in September, Elfe has made the decision to the Gableview building on Route 1 Bypass, just north of the traffic circle. Though she did not want to comment on the specifics, Elfe says that the reason for the move was cost. “The rent increase was too much,” she says.

The new studio is currently under construction, with a new the dance floor being installed this week. Elfe and her staff are getting plenty of help. “Lots of the students are helping with it,” she says.

Even with the help, the construction is taking longer than had been originally planned. “We had hoped to open Sept. 1 but it will probably be closer to the middle of the month.”

The dance studio currently offers a wide range of lessons with seven staff members, including salsa, waltz, swing, Argentine tango and more. Also offered are private lessons, Jazzercise, a monthly freeform community dance called Barefoot Boogie Portsmouth, Friday night seminars, dance socials and much more.

When asked if her customers will follow her to her new location, Elfe responds lightly. “I hope so!” she says with a laugh.