Dance company moves — and brings technology along with it | Arts and Theater


Dance company moves — and brings technology along with it | Arts and Theater






Kanopy Center for Modern and Contemporary Dance co-artistic director Robert Cleary carries a piece of flooring designed to absorb weight and pressure inside the dance company’s new location at 329 W. Mifflin St. The special flooring for dancers was removed from Kanopy’s former studios on State Street. 




The technology piece is a lesson from the pandemic — one that many arts organizations explored over the past year as artists discovered how they can expand their outreach and innovate with online and streaming tools.

Architect James McFadden, whose projects include rehabilitation of the Machinery Row building on Williamson Street, has embraced that concept, by designing Kanopy’s main dance studio to be soundproof (there are apartments above), adding high-tech track lighting and, of course, large video monitors.






Kanopy Dance students on Zoom

Kanopy Dance students performed virtually during the pandemic. Technology will be a big piece of instruction and performance for Kanopy going forward. 




The $115,000 renovation is being supported by a $50,000 capital campaign, Voeltz said. Donors who give $450 or more at kanopydance.org/support will have their names displayed on a donor wall in the lobby.

Virtual doors

Kanopy plans to hold its summer dance workshops both in person and online, and hopes to return to the live stage in late 2021 with its “Winter Fantasia” (last year’s “Winter Fantasia” was presented online).

But currently, all of its classes are being taught virtually.






Exterior of new Kanopy Center

The new Kanopy Center for Modern and Contemporary Dance at 329 W. Mifflin St. is located next to the Madison Opera Center and close to the Overture Center for the Arts.




And that has opened the door to film projects, live online performances and long-distance collaborations with instructors — who didn’t have to travel to share their knowledge with Kanopy dancers.


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