Blacks in Ballet

The idea of leaving a legacy behind is something associated with greatness, acts of valor, or making a lasting impact in a community. This idea has been the center of literature, film, art as whole and even in day to day life. A lot of the times, these people who leave a legacy behind don’t even know that they are doing it. This thought process, this curation of greatness and power of achievement is something that the black community in dance has collectively done.

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This legacy spans over numerous decades and is a vital part of the ballet tradition as a whole. So, we dedicated our September 2020 issue of A Ballet Magazine to all of these amazing contributors who have not only solidified a place in ballet history, but have created a legacy to inspire so many more generations to come. As ballet and the world evolves we hope it moves towards the direction of making all legacies known. Here is a short and incomplete list from the past and present of black creatives in ballet. For more information and a larger list, Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet.

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

Michaela DePrince, Dutch National Ballet | Precious Adams, English National Ballet | Anne Benna Sims, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens | Arthur Mitchell, New York City Ballet, Founder of Dance Theatre of Harlem | Virginia Johnson, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem
Karen Brown, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Artistic Director of Oakland Ballet | Alicia Graf Mack, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Director of Dance Division at Juilliard | Chrystyn Fentroy. Boston Ballet Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet | Rasta Thomas, Bad Boys of Ballet | Francesca Harper, Ballet Frankfurt, Artistic Director of the Francesca Harper Project | Katlyn Addison, Ballet West | Ginabel Peterson, Ballet West | Jazz Bynum, Ballet West | Kaelie Ware, Ballet West | Alexandra Terry, Ballet West Joshua Whitehead, Ballet West | Gabrielle Salvatto, Tanz Company Innsbruck | Jose Alves, Ballet Black | Isabela Coracy, Ballet Black | Marie Astrid Mence, Ballet Black | Mthuthuzeli November, Ballet Black | Cira Robinson, Ballet Black | Ebony Thomas, Ballet Black | Alexander Fadayiro, Ballet Black | Nardia Boodoo, The Washington Ballet | Rachael Parini, Ballet Met | Amanda Morgan, Pacific Northwest Ballet | Erica Lall, American Ballet Theatre | Courtney Lavine, American Ballet Theatre | Calvin Royal III, American Ballet Theatre | Joan Miller, Choreographer | Claudia Schreier, Choreographer | Amy Hall Garner, Choreographer Duncan Cooper, Choreographer | Nikisha Fogo, San Francisco Ballet | Daniel Deivison-Oliveira Miranda Silveira, San Francisco Ballet | Swane Messaoudi, San Francisco Ballet | Kimberly Marie Olivier, San Francisco Ballet | Pemberley Ann Olson, San Francisco Ballet | Dara Holmes, The Joffrey Ballet | Rachel Hutsell, New York City Ballet | Silas Farley, New York City Ballet | Albert Evans, New York City Ballet | Craig Hall, New York City Ballet | LaJeromeny Brown, New York City Ballet | India Bradley, New York City Ballet | Olivia Boisson, New York City Ballet | Preston Chamblee, New York City Ballet | Jasmine Perry, Los Angeles Ballet | Francesca Hayward, The Royal Ballet | Awa Joannais, Paris Opera Ballet | Nicole Zadra, Hong Kong Ballet | Ingrid Silva, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Stephanie Rae Williams, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Amanda Smith, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Crystal Serrano, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Dylan Santos, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Anthony Santos, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Sanford Placide, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Christopher Charles McDaniel, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Daphne Lee, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Dustin James, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Alexandra Hutchinson, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Alicia Mae Holloway, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Lindsey Donnell, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Kouadio Davis, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Derek Brockington, Dance Theatre of Harlem | Jermel Johnson, Pennsylvania Ballet | Lydia McRae, Nashville Ballet | Kayla Rowser Taxzik, Nashville Ballet 

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