For 14 years, Collage Dance has worked to inspire the growth and diversity of ballet. Collage Dance is one of the only professional ballet companies in the world with a roster of BIPOC dancers and the Collage Ballet Conservatory trains more children of color in a classical art form than any other non-profit in the area. Co-Founders Kevin Thomas and Marcellus Harper created the company to increase access to outstanding ballet training, increase diversity on professional ballet stages and increase participation by people of color at ballet and other fine arts events.
Since its inception, Collage has trained over 5,000 students and awarded more than $450,000 in scholarships. The organization has grown tremendously since 2009 and is now one of the largest 50 ballet companies in the United States and was recently named a Southern Cultural Treasure by SouthArts and the Ford Foundation. Thanks to the company's work, Memphis' dance studios and dance audiences are more diverse than ever before.
