Miami City Ballet’s Costume Department Making Protective Masks for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

While cultural institutions are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the costume department of the Miami City Ballet based in Miami Beach is putting its talents to use sewing protective masks for the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. 

MCB and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital have collaborated “on various dance medicine-related initiatives for a few months,” according to an announcement about the latest effort. “The hospital provides Miami City Ballet School and its Community Engagement programs with nutrition, injury prevention and dance sports medicine information services.”

Though Nicklaus Children’s notes it has been able to keep a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), “like many hospitals across the nation, there is a risk of running low on these resources,” the announcement states. The masks will be used for patients, families and staff.

Eleanor Wolfe, MCB Costume Director (in photo above) said, “It has never been lost on me that sewing is a valuable skill. That it would become a lifesaving one is humbling at least and motivating at best! I am not surprised to see that all over the country people are pulling out their sewing machines to fulfill a need industry cannot meet.”

Dr. Chad Perlyn, Pediatric Surgeon and Director of Operating Rooms at Nicklaus Children's said, “There is a great expression that says, ‘dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.’ We are so touched by the outpouring of love and support from the entire staff at Miami City Ballet. Their efforts to turn their costume shop into a mask factory is a dance from the heart.”

Miami City Ballet is in its 35th anniversary season. MCB and the Miami City Ballet School are based in Miami Beach. The company performs in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach with tours to major cities domestically and internationally including recent visits to New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles and Paris.

Photo courtesy Miami City Ballet and Alexander Iziliaev