courtesy of Collage Dance Collective
On Friday, Nov. 14, the Midwest Trust Center welcomes Collage Dance Collective for a dynamic evening of contemporary dance featuring RISE and Their Eyes Were Watching God. Rooted in the heartland of Memphis, Tennessee, Collage Dance Collective embodies the greatness of American dance and is at the national forefront of inspiring the growth and diversity of ballet. Collage’s meteoric rise over the last decade is fueled by its dynamic programming, virtuosic company artists and its talent for presenting what the Albany Times Union called “ballet made utterly, gorgeously human.”
RISE Reimagines the Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. Through Dance
After visiting the National Civil Rights Museum, co-founder and Artistic Director Kevin Thomas was inspired to create a contemporary dance about the Civil Rights Movement and how its history is relevant today. The piece features Collage Dance Collective’s company performing alongside the audio recording of King’s speech “The Mountaintop,” conveying the messages of hope, light and possibility for the future.
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Inspired by Zora Neale Hurston Novel
The neoclassical ballet, co-choreographed by Thomas and Amy Hall Garner, was inspired by the Zora Neale Hurston novel of the same name, once heralded as “one of the 100 best novels” by TIME magazine. The story centers on Janie Crawford and her search for love and independence as a Black woman in the South during the early 20th century.
Additional Performances in the 2025-2026 Season Include:
Cirque Mechanics: Tilt! (Nov. 7)
Opus 76 Quartet with Alexander Markov, violin (Nov. 8)
Christmas in Killarney (Dec. 6)
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol (Dec. 11)
Jungle Book (Jan. 17-18)
The Barricade Boys Broadway Party (Jan. 30)
The Acting Company – Great Expectations and
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Feb. 14-15)
The Westerlies (Feb. 20)
Ranky Tanky (Feb. 22)
Tango After Dark (Feb. 26)
Winterlude Jazz Festival Featuring Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (March 7-8)
