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The arts and COVID: Nonprofit performers raising funds, looking forward

While the coronavirus pandemic has kept performers from appearing in front of live audiences, nixing many large fundraisers, nonprofit groups are forging ahead raising money and looking forward as best they can.
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Amelie Rodriguez and Skyler Sysouthavongsa perform in their farewell performance for the Centennial State Ballet during the nonprofit's “2020 Garden Party and Senior Celebration” on Sunday. (Photo by Matt Hagerman)

Helen Ambrose and the four other seniors departing from the Centennial State Ballet offered farewells and a final performance during the “2020 Garden Party and Senior Celebration” on Sunday. While a good deal of Ambrose’s solo performance set to “Habanera” by Georges Bizet appeared timeless, the mask on her face during a virtual performance in an empty room was a reminder of what has been lost.

The “Garden Party” is now available to rent or own on vimeo and features nine performances by incoming and outgoing seniors from the local pre-professional company. Their season was canceled during rehearsals for their spring performance and both they, and other nonprofit performers in Longmont, are trying to find creative ways to raise funds. Despite the fact that the upcoming 2020-21 season might not include any live audiences, Centennial State Ballet is forging ahead with performances of “Die Puppenfee” (“The Fairy Doll”) scheduled for September.

“During this very novel time, many dance companies are simply shuttering and going into maintenance mode,” ballet director Kristin Kingsley said in the introduction to the 40-minute garden party. “While that would truly be the easiest and most economical path, in concert with Centennial State Ballet’s board of directors, I am steadfastly determined to give these fabulous young performers a venue to dance.”

Kingsley also pledged to present “Coppelia” in April and the annual Centennial State Ballet performance of “The Nutcracker” in December. Its 2020-21 season has optimistically been dubbed “A Time to Dance.”

 

2020_08_10_LL-centennial_state_ballet2Departing senior Kyli Diel performs during the Centennial State Ballet “2020 Garden Party and Senior Celebration” on Aug. 9, 2020. The event is now available on vimeo.(Photo by Matt Hagerman)

Another nonprofit, the Longmont Theatre Company, relies heavily on ticket sales to support its performances, and the canceled shows of this spring would have likely brought in the most revenue. A future lineup of fall movies at the adjacent Trojan Movie House also is in jeopardy.

“We need your help,” the theater company states on its website. “Quickly, everything changed. The theatre is quiet.”

The post further states that ticket sales support 75% of the 63-year-old theater’s operating costs and that most everyone involved at the theater are volunteers. 

The Longmont Chorale is even older than the theater company and offers singers of all skill levels the chance to perform in a non-auditioned community chorus. A more competitive outfit, the all-male Longs Peak Chorus, has placed high in recent regional competitions. The Longmont chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the chorus has performed continuously from 1948 until now.

“For many musicians, that act of making music in a community of players feeds their soul,” Gary Lloyd, director of the Longmont Concert Band, said via email. His all-volunteer outfit had grown to more than 70 players before the pandemic began this spring. Until the local high schools are available again, it doesn’t even have a space at which it can rehearse.

“I must admit that there are times that I grieve and get depressed at the thought of not being able to meet in person and make music like we used to and want to again,” Lloyd said. “It's because of this feeling of loss, that I believe all live music performance will be back, and that it will come back with a greater appreciation and passion for the performing arts!”

Dancer Mendel Boothby prior to his virtual performance Sunday in the Centennial State Ballet garden party said, “No matter what, we’ll always be just a great community. I’m excited to be dancing with this wonderful group of people.”

While Ambrose, Kyli Diel and Mikayla Zavattaro opted for solo acts in their final dance before becoming college freshmen, Amelie Rodriguez and Skyler Sysouthavongsa performed together. Red Frog Coffee provided its pavilion for the pas de deux.

The haunting melody of Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie No. 1 accompanied them as they drifted along into a gray future. Yet, near the end of their dance, the sun came bursting out from behind the clouds.