Family Event for In Motion IV Dance Showcase

The Cause

Our idea is to host Ballet Bodies YYC's 4th Annual Showcase, which focuses on inclusive ballet and contemporary dance performances that celebrate diversity in dancers and audiences. The event comprises four public performances at the DJD Dance Centre, with a special emphasis on affordability and accessibility. Two performances will offer tickets starting at $15, while an additional 100 tickets will be donated to low-income seniors, new Canadians, and artists through non-profits. A special Sunday matinee, tailored to families, will feature adjusted lighting, audio, and theatre etiquette (relaxed performance) to accommodate sensory sensitivities, making the event more accessible to diverse audiences. Additionally, there will be a free family event in the lobby, including face painting, a photo booth, and creative dance classes, encouraging community participation. The inclusion of a family-centric event is new to our offering. It will expand our reach into the community and reflect the dancers involved and the arts-goers in Calgary who have families. This aligns with our continual efforts to advance our mission to make ballet accessible and reflective of the community in which we exist.

Who Will it Benefit?

The project will benefit several groups within the Calgary community. Firstly, this project will benefit the audience members who are otherwise excluded from ballet and art performances due to financial inaccessibility. We will work with nonprofits in Calgary to provide 100 tickets to underserved populations. As this is our 4th showcase, we have developed close working relationships with several groups to provide this experience to those they serve. We work closely with groups serving low-income seniors, families, and newcomers to Canada.
This project will also support the arts industry in Calgary by providing paid opportunities for artists. Our showcase includes a total of 38 locally based-artists. This includes 30 professional dancers ranging in age, cultural background, and body type, five choreographers, one lighting designer, one costume designer, and one stage manager.
By expanding our usual showcase performances to a Sunday matinee for families, we will be able to benefit a new community. Along with the pre-show events, the performance will be relaxed and create an inclusive environment for families with children to experience ballet. It will be organized ‘for kids’ rather than ‘children allowed.’
Finally, there will be indirect community benefits. (1) Attending arts events has been continually proven to raise satisfaction and community connection. (2) It will add to the Calgary dance landscape, bolstering artistic recognition nationally. (3) There will be indirect economic benefits for the larger community related to spending on adjacent services, such as dining and parking.