Meet Kevin Thomas | Co Founding Artistic Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, how does your business help the community?
Through the growth of our arts education programming, the enthusiastic reception of our company performances, and our diversity advocacy, Memphis is now home to a thriving Black dance community. Collage Dance Collective is one of the largest Black-led performing arts organizations in the South and one of a few professional ballet companies in the world with a roster of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) dancers. Our expanding programming and new, state-of-the-art facility positions Collage to be an anchor cultural institution in Memphis and a wellspring for future generations of Southern performing artists and 21st century creative leaders.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We are a black lead professional ballet company of BIPOC dancers and conservatory in Memphis Tennessee. And yes, our conservatory is majority students of color. We began with one student in the basement of a church and now serve 1000 students a week and have a completed an eleven-million-dollar capital campaign which has allowed us to build a new state of the art dance facility. We have introduced students to classical arts through representation. That representation has been our professional company, teachers and leadership. Our young people need to see themselves represented in places where there has not been access before. We provide that access. This has not been easy, but we are celebrating 15 years. Our professional company of BIPOC dancers tour nationally and internationally being cultural ambassadors to Memphis and the Midsouth.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day 1. Start your evening with walking down Beale Street then dine at BB Kings Itta Bena restaurant
Day 2. Visit world famous National Civil Rights museum and then feast on Central BBQ
Day 3. Visit Stacks records and taste Gus’s world famous fried chicken
Day 4. Visit Shelby Farms, one of the largest green spaces in the USA feast at Coastal resaurant
Day 5. Visit the Memphis Zoo which is in the top ten USA Zoos and enjoy live bands at Lafayette Music Room
Day 6. Eat a Catherine and Mary’s and take in a beautiful dance performance with Collage Dance Collective at the Cannon Center

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
James R and Anita Horne Jenkins Family Foundation

Website: https://www.collagedance.org

Instagram: collagedance

Facebook: Collage Dance Collective

Image Credits
Andrew Parks
Raphael Baker
Tre’bor Jones