Event Information

RISE is a homecoming - a selection of works that reclaim joy, tradition, and cultural legacy. In the heart of winter, Collage takes the stage with a powerful program that honors resilience and collective strength, featuring world premieres and Memphis debuts that speak to the richness of Black identity and the beauty of forward motion. At the center of the program is The Cotillion, a vibrant new ballet inspired by the enduring legacy of Black cotillions in the American South. Paired with the soul-stirring Flack, set to the music of Roberta Flack, and Thomas's neoclassical work Rise, set to Dr. King's Mountaintop speech and featuring students from the Collage Dance Conservatory, the program moves between ritual and resistance, celebration and conviction, our rich heritage and tomorrow's dance luminaries.