Dance Memphis initiative unites 9 arts orgs to elevate city's dance scene

Wendy Guzmán | Memphis Business Journal

Nine Memphis-area arts organizations are collaborating on a local dance initiative.

ARTSmemphis is bringing together the Dance Memphis initiative as a way to strengthen the local dance community.

“Dance Memphis is about more than performance, it’s about impact,” ARTSmemphis president and CEO Elizabeth Rouse said in a news release. “By working together, we can elevate the city’s dance culture and drive more engagement with dance across our community.”

To start, ARTSmemphis created a centralized calendar to showcase all local events in the dance scene.

The other organizations involved with the initiative are Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC); Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Orpheum Theatre Group; Collage Dance; New Ballet Ensemble & School; Ballet Memphis; Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s; and the University of Memphis Department of Theatre and Dance.

“I am delighted that Ballet Memphis is part of Dance Memphis,” Ballet Memphis artistic director Steven McMahon said in the release. “Our company looks forward to deepening our collaborative work with this committed and passionate group of Memphis dance companies and performing arts venues. Together, we are dedicated to uplifting and advocating for all of the exceptional dance experiences our incredible city has to offer.”

With this initiative, these groups aim to expand access to dance education and performances through a shared strategy and community engagement.

Upcoming events highlighted on the calendar include:

• Orpheum's Tablao Flamenco on Sept. 25

• Ballet Memphis’ Macbeth on Oct. 10

• Collage Dance’s Let It Fall on Oct. 10

“A rising tide lifts all boats, and Dance Memphis is that tide. Just as Memphis’ music has moved the world, our dance community has the power to do the same,” Collage Dance executive director Marcellus Harper said in the release. “By uniting, we not only strengthen each of our organizations, but also help affirm Memphis as the South's creative capital."