Dancing around the pandemic: Collage Dance Collective moves into new Binghampton facility
Memphis Business Journal
John Klyce
Because Collage Dance Collective’s students wear masks, Marcellus Harper and Kevin Thomas can see just one part of their faces: the eyes.
Yet, what the eyes exude pushes them forward.
“To see their eyes light up … to see them so filled with joy because they can be in a studio, it really grounds us,” Harper said of the students. “It puts some perspective on why we’ve been doing this work.”
Perspective is crucial these days, as Harper, Collage’s executive director, and Thomas, its artistic director, guide the Black ballet company and conservatory through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even before the virus swept across the globe, Collage was preparing for a hectic fall. It would revamp its programming and move into a newly constructed, 22,000 square foot facility in Binghampton at the intersection of Sam Cooper Boulevard and Tillman Street.
But, COVID-19, and its unwillingness to fade into the history books, has meant Collage must choreograph an intricate, original dance — one where they continue to grow, secure the last $1.7 million of an $11 million capital campaign, move into a building 10 times larger than the previous location, and safely bring back students ages two to 18 for in-person learning. And all while the virus has disproportionately affected the Black community.
“Basically, we’ve had to learn a new business model,” Harper said. “The idea of building a plane while you’re flying it is the mode we’ve been in for seven months. … It’s a completely new model for us.”
So far, Collage has managed to keep that plane in the air, thanks to rigid safety precautions and new offerings.
The nonprofit opened half the facility — the conservatory side, primarily occupied by students — several weeks ago, and began in-person classes again. The other portion, set to hold administrative offices and the professional dance company, is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving.
Since construction was underway during the pandemic, Collage was able to make COVID-friendly adjustments to the design. It added GPS ionizers to the HVAC systems to kill pathogens in the air; made restrooms and common areas as touchless as possible; and reconfigured workstations.
The new furniture also has surfaces that can be cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectant.
But, building changes alone won’t keep away the virus, which has proven it can slither its way into secure, strict spaces.
In consultation with health care professionals and members of the Memphis and Shelby County Joint COVID Task Force, Collage has implemented a long list of protocols for students and their parents.
The conservatory is using a hybrid model, with some learning virtually and others in-person. The face-to-face size of classes has been reduced, and students — who wear masks provided by the company Henry Mask — must stay six feet apart and within their own floor area.
“Teachers have to write down where the kids are standing,” Thomas said. “When dancers go across the floor, they go across the floor with the same group. The same four kids are always together. We’re really keeping track of where everyone is in the room.”
There are 15-minute intervals between each class to allow for cleaning, parents aren’t currently allowed in the building, and dressing rooms are closed. Students who come more than three times a week, meanwhile, must get tested for COVID.
Collage also has a series of tripwires. If a student travels, attends a large gathering, has a family member who isn’t feeling well, or has potentially been exposed, they’re asked to quarantine and temporarily use virtual classes, regardless of whether they have symptoms.
The precautions are necessary, Harper explained, given the continued spread of the virus, and the way it’s affected the Black community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black people are 2.6 times more likely than white people to catch the virus, 4.7 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 2.1 times more likely to die from it.
“We know we have an extra burden of responsibility to make sure we are operating in a safe fashion, because we know the numbers,” Harper said. “We know the impact. Folks in our community know people who have been impacted personally by this virus. It’s not something you’ve just heard about on Fox News, it’s actually something we know.”
Like the students, Collage’s company of professional dancers are working again, too, with even stricter protocols, as they can’t keep distance the way children do. When it comes to performances, staying six feet apart isn’t feasible.
“They have to at times be together; it’s just the reality of what we do,” Harper explained. “It’s like playing football without touching, it’s just not possible.”
The dancers are encouraged to stay distant outside of rehearsals and are required to be tested every two weeks. So far, Collage has managed to avoid incident. Recently, it wrapped a week of production at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, part of preparation for its first-ever fully virtual season.
Collage is starting a digital subscription service, where, for $11 a month, one can gain access that includes offerings such as performances, short films, and dancer spotlights. They’ll also get an early viewing of the season’s hallmark: a mainstage performance, filmed at the Cannon Center, that will air Dec. 14 in Memphis on WREG News Channel 3.
Featuring the second act of Swan Lake; an original holiday piece created by New York based choreographer Amy Hall Garner; and a work called Dream Medley — which Harper said showcases the “beauty and brilliance” of the male dancers — the program is intended to show how far Collage has come.
“We’re really trying to celebrate where we are, who we are, and how we’ve grown,” Harper said. “Ten years ago, we couldn’t have done this production. And we definitely couldn’t have done this production with more than half of the cast being from Memphis."
