ABOUT US
Collective SC is a Charleston-based contemporary dance company dedicated to delivering fresh, innovative perspectives on contemporary dance under the artistic direction of Lacey Bates.
Collective SC’s mission is to foster the growth of the dance community in Charleston and the Southeast by producing high quality contemporary dance performances, offering pop up classes, and hosting our annual community event, Holy City Dance Festival. Our programming creates opportunities for local dancers to perform, train, and showcase their choreography.
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Collective SC is currently the artist-in-residence at Holy City Dance Center.
Collective SC is a sponsored artist with The Performance Zone Inc (dba The Field), a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization serving the arts community. Contributions to The Field earmarked for Collective SC are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information about The Field contact: The Field, 228 Park Ave S, Suite 97217, New York, NY 10003, phone: 212-691-6969. A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained from The Field or from the Office of Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
ARTISTS
Lacey Bates, Founder & Artistic Director
Lacey Bates is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator from Myrtle Beach, SC. She holds a BA in Dance and Arts Management from the College of Charleston and an MA in Education from Holy Names University. In Charleston, Lacey performed with Annex Dance Company and Dance Lab's Entertainment Company and shared the stage with Weird Al Yankovic and Beats Antique during their local tour stops. During her time in the San Francisco Bay Area, she worked with prominent companies such as PUSH Dance Company, Visceral Roots Dance Company, Printz Dance Project, and A Pulso Dance Project. She also served as Co-Artistic Director of The Collective SF, a collaborative dance company. Lacey has over ten years of teaching experience in public schools, non-profits, and renowned institutions like ODC and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. After five years in the Bay Area, she returned to Charleston, SC, where she continues to contribute to the dance community as a public school dance educator, a performer with Elevate Performance Company, and the Artistic Director of Collective SC.
Izzy Byers, Assistant Artistic Director
Izzy Byers, originally from Greenville, SC, has been living and dancing in Charleston for five years now. She received her BA in Dance as well as a BS in Accounting from the College of Charleston. At CofC, Izzy performed and presented choreography in main stage shows as well as the American College Dance Association’s annual conference. Following graduation, Izzy’s choreography was presented at Piccolo Spoleto Festival’s Alumni Concert. Currently, Izzy is a teacher, choreographer, and the Community Outreach director at Holy City Dance Center and is thrilled to be in her second season with Collective SC!
Grace Lewis, Company Member
& Marketing Assistant
Grace Lewis was born in Atlanta, Georgia and began her dance training at the age of 3. She was a competitive dancer for 10 years with the Centre Stage dance company. Grace attended Kennesaw State University where she studied dance for 3 years before leaving to pursue her dream of working at Walt Disney World. Grace is currently a dance teacher and choreographer. She is so happy to be a part of Collective SC!
Dylan Horwitz, Company Member
Dylan Horwitz grew up in North Carolina and then Connecticut where she danced and trained locally. Dylan’s passion for dance began at the age of 3 and her love of dance; performing and choreographing has only grown over the years. She began her dancing years at CC & Co in North Carolina and continued after moving to CT at Westport’s Academy of Dance. At the age of 11, Dylan spent her first summer in Stratton, Vermont attending American Dance Training Camps. After being a “camper” for 5 years, she became a junior counselor and began choreographing for the campers below her. Dylan is formally trained in Jazz, contemporary, tap, modern, ballet, musical theatre and hip hop. Currently, she lives in Charleston, SC where she attends the College of Charleston and is working towards her BA in dance. In search of more dance opportunities, Dylan found The Dance Space and Collective SC. Both companies have given her the opportunity to continue to grow as a performer and choreographer.
Sidney Shanahan, Company Member
Sidney Shanahan started dance at the age of 13, training at the competitive and pre-professional level at Thrive: The Essence of Dance in Connecticut. She quickly developed a passion for dance, immersing herself into the artistic scene of Charleston since 2020, and even more so with her current role as Event Planner for the City of Charleston. She is a recent Honors College graduate from the College of Charleston, where she pursued a B.A. in Dance (concentration in performance and choreography) and a B.S. in Business Administration with a Spanish minor. She has developed her choreography and performance skills through the creation of dance films, appearances in CofC's dance concerts, involvement in local companies, and exposure to various artists such as Rudy Abreu, Clarence Brooks, Courtney Schwartz, and more.She is excited to grow artistically through Collective SC and pursue the company's mission of bringing more dance to Charleston!
Erika Keller, Company Member
Erika Keller grew up in a military family and began her ballet training in Germany, where she earned a scholarship and studied the RAD syllabus, before continuing her training with a focus on classical ballet. She joined Columbia City Ballet and attended the University of South Carolina, majoring in Fashion Merchandising. After moving to New York City, Erika built a successful career in the fashion industry, while also performing as a freelance artist with companies including Ballet for Young Audiences, Albano Ballet, Jersey City Ballet, and Dances Patrelle. After years of freelancing, Erika transitioned into choreography, creating repertoire for American Liberty Ballet, where she also performed as a principal artist for several years. Her choreographic work has been presented at renowned venues such as New York Live Arts, Abrons Arts Center, Peridance, Arts on Site, and Madison Square Park. In 2023, she was commissioned by composer Alex Wakim to choreograph for his ambitious, multimedia production Dust and Ions at Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, a highlight of her choreographic career. Erika moved to the Charleston area in February 2024 and is excited to debut her work and share the stage with Collective SC for the first time.
