Chromadiverse Inc

ChromaDiverse, Inc. a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit performing arts service organization was founded by Judy Tyrus with the purpose of supporting those underserved organizations that lack the resources to maintain their archives. We hope to create active digital archives for these companies to benefit the performing arts community at large. Ms. Tyrus began this work as the archivist and curator at Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she was a principal dancer for 22 years. During her time as the company’s archivist, she became increasingly aware that concerted effort is necessary to preserve the histories of performing arts organizations, whose archives are often at risk. This is particularly worrying for companies that emphasize the works of dancers of color or other marginalized artists; when information and artifacts are not preserved, the important cultural work of these organizations’ risks being erased.

Dance companies that have online archives or an archivist on their staff are extremely fortunate. Few do; many do not. By bringing attention to the history and archives of multicultural dance companies, ChromaDiverse will guarantee the survival of the underserved dance company’s history and prevent cultural erasure.
Theatrical performances happen in the moment, then quickly disappear into the past. Dance communities deserve accessible records of their artistic accomplishments, and future generations will benefit from better understanding the histories of these organizations.

Dance is an underrepresented part of America’s cultural history that deserves preservation. Living digital archives, which are described as such because they can be continuously updated, offer scholars untapped resources that will add to the critical discourse surrounding American performance and dance studies. The archives, especially those of underserved and marginalized communities, offer evidence of an ongoing legacy of community participation in the arts. It is an achievement in and of itself for even a renowned ballet institution to have strong relationships with its location, its neighbors, and its student constituents. An accessible archive will enhance these connections indefinitely.

Archives keep history alive by reaching audiences ready to engage with the material, and digital tools can further that reach. Archived materials can be used for digital mediums such as films, exhibitions, interactive games, virtual reality, virtual performances, and online education, all of which have become increasingly ubiquitous in recent years.

ChromaDiverse, Inc. specializes in creating digital archives for performing arts institutions using a widely used commercial cloud-based digital asset management (DAM) system, NetXTM, that we have customized and optimized for performing arts organizations. ChromaDiverse is a partner of NetXTM. We call this digital asset management system the CD DigitalVault™.

The use of the CD DigitalVault™ for historical archives will allow professional dance artists, marketing staff, teachers, choreographers, balletomanes, and others worldwide to access these important materials. The ChromaDiverse DigitalVault™ will preserve everything from photos and documents to videos and programs and will give the public the opportunity to learn about and experience a company’s history.

ChromaDiverse with Microsoft Partner MNP Digital developed CD SmartCapture™ to accelerate metadata creation and management. The first step of the process is to digitize the Playbills™ and performance programs. Once they are digitized, CD SmartCapture™, using AI (artificial intelligence), will identify and capture the key information in the programs to be used as metadata. The date of the performance, venue, name of the ballet, choreographer, principal dancers, set/lighting/costume designers, and donors will be identified and captured automatically. Final quality control by trained staff will make any corrections.
The captured metadata becomes the chronology or historical backbone of the performing arts organization. An accurate chronology makes researching and linking associated digital audio and video recordings to one another easier.
Our CD SmartCapture™ technology captures data 20 times faster than a human, reducing labor and increasing accuracy. CD SmartCapture™ is built on the Microsoft AzureTM platform and incorporates best-of-breed AI via Azure CognitiveTM services.