PBS For The Arts

The Cleveland Orchestra makes its long-awaited return to the stage of the Severance Music Center for the first time since March 2020. The streaming platform, Adella, launched during the early days of the pandemic, connected the orchestra with audiences, new and old, around the world. Live performances and digital programming are at the forefront of a new season at the company.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre sold thousands of virtual seats to its online performances during the past year. The dancers adapted to outdoor stages across Dallas and developed new audiences along the way. With its national reputation on the rise, the company earns a slot at the prestigious Jacob's Pillow dance festival.

Brian Jordan Alvarez is an actor who uses face filters on Instagram and Snapchat to showcase his collection of comedic characters. The prolific social media star posted short videos during the pandemic with characters who have taken on a life of their own. They cross paths, stir up drama, and are caught up in storylines that leave followers wanting more.

As museums and galleries limited visitors, El Museo del Barrio in New York presented virtual pieces from Latinx artists, including a recorded performance piece from Poncili Creación in Puerto Rico. In Miami, Locust Projects featured a large-scale video installation examining the Cuban migration experience by Juana Valdes.

To honor the 30th anniversary of "Paris is Burning," the seminal documentary about the New York drag ball scene, Works & Process commissions "New York Is Burning," produced by Omari Wiles, a legend within the ballroom community. With the premiere postponed due to the pandemic, Wiles and his company Les Ballet Afrik head to the Hudson Valley for bubble residencies to finish the work.