COVID-19 Update from Dance Canvas, Inc.

Dance Canvas Inc.

Angela Harris

Executive Artistic Director

www.dancecanvas.com

“When the shutdowns began occurring, we were heading into the theater for our 2020 Performance Series at the Ferst Center for the Arts,” says Angela Harris, executive artistic director of Dance Canvas. “Our shows were put on hold, and we hit the ‘pause’ button. It was (and still is) hard to envision what our near future will look like. When will audiences feel comfortable coming back?”

It took Harris and company about a month to “shift focus from performance to resources we could provide to our artists.” Dance Canvas created an online interview series, “Choreo Chat,” highlighting the work of the company’s past choreographers. Youth summer programs were moved online. Dance Canvas provided eight weeks of online dance classes to students within the city of Atlanta’s Department of Recreation. Also, the company’s DC NEXT program was moved into a virtual session.

For the 2020-21 season, Dance Canvas, in partnership with Atlanta Contemporary, is introducing a Summer Choreographic Residency, which will support eight choreographers as they create work responding to social issues. The residency will conclude with streamed performances in August and September.

“We have adjusted our season with the understanding that many of our programs will be significantly altered or canceled,” says Harris. “Regardless, we are committed to providing our 2020 choreographers with a place to present their work in light of the cancelation of their performances in March. Our 2020 choreographers’ work will be premiered in March 2021.”