COVID-19 outbreak forces cancellation of remaining performances of DJD's Family of Jazz
COVID-19 outbreak forces cancellation of remaining performances of DJD's Family of Jazz

COVID-19 might be on the back burner for many Albertans, but it continues to produce challenges for Calgary's performing arts community.
Wednesday afternoon, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks artistic director Kimberley Cooper announced the cancellation of the remaining performances of Family of Jazz, the company's first performance for live audiences since the pandemic started in 2020.
"It is with such a heavy heart that we are announcing the cancellation of the last week of performances of Family of Jazz due to COVID-19," Cooper wrote on Instagram. "Despite all of our efforts to keep our bubbles tiny and constantly test, we have three dancers down and the show can’t go on.
"This news is all so fresh, yet we are already working on how we can (hopefully) postpone the last few performances until late September. Please give us a few days to create a plan and offer a proper proposal to those of you with tickets (our box office manager is also currently isolating with symptoms). Of course we will be happy to refund tickets if that is your preference."
Ironically, the same day Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping said the most recent trend shows COVID-19 dropping across the province, including Calgary, where numbers had remained stubbornly high.
"This downward trend indicates that transmission is slowing," Copping said.
The number of Albertans in hospital with COVID-19 decreased to 1,225, including the 37 patients in intensive care.
"I'm pleased to report that hospitalizations decreased over the last week including patients in ICU with COVID-19," Copping added. "It looks like the peak in hospitalizations was April 26, around two weeks ago."
Seventy COVID-19 deaths were added last week, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said.
With files from CTV Edmonton
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