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Her career started in Dance Theatre of Harlem, and was the youngest dancer there. She then joined the Dutch National Ballet, though at the time she is the only dancer of African origin. She is now a soloist at the company. [13] Michaela has left the Dutch National Ballet, and has joined the Boston Ballet in 2021 as a second soloist. [14]
Thelma "Mother" Hill (1924–1977) was an African-American dancer and dance educator from Brooklyn, New York. A groundbreaking artist considering the limited opportunities for black dancers at the time, Hill would co-found the New York Negro Ballet Company and teach dance at the university level before her accidental death in 1977.
Misty Danielle Copeland (born September 10, 1982) [1] is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. [2] On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African American woman to be promoted to a principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history.
Similarly, the establishment of Black ballet companies was essential for professional dancers to choreograph and perform. Katherine Dunham was a significant contributor to the involvement of Black women in ballet. In 1931, Dunham helped establish Ballet Négre, which was one of the first Black ballet companies in the United States. [9]
Arthur Mitchell (March 27, 1934 – September 19, 2018) [1] was an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and founder and director of ballet companies.In 1955, he was the first African-American dancer with the New York City Ballet, where he was promoted to principal dancer the following year and danced in major roles until 1966.
Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of Black-American culture in the 1920s. Baker went on to become one of the most popular music ...
Monica Stephenson was used to being the only Black student in her ballet classes. She grew accustomed to straightening her natural hair, slicking it into a tight bun and wearing pink leotards that ...
Janet Collins' dance reputation today resides primarily in her role in breaking the colour barrier; the constraints on Black classical dancers were too strong for her to have a vibrant performing career. [14] In some Southern cities, race laws kept her off the stage, and her parts were played by understudies.