by Julia Guiheen | Aug 30, 2017 | Profiles, TBT
Lauren Anderson, a former star of Houston Ballet, broke down barriers when she became the company’s first African American principal ballerina in 1990. It was with enormous strength, personality and passion that she earned this elusive rank, as well as critical...
by Caroline Hamilton | Aug 8, 2017 | Career
When artistic director Kevin Thomas and executive director Marcellus D. Harper founded Collage Dance Collective in 2006 in New York City, they sought to push the boundaries of classical ballet and foster and promote the talents of artists of color. In 2007, the...
by Pointe Magazine | Jun 28, 2017 | Profiles, Viral Videos
At Dance Theatre of Harlem, the dancers hand-dye their pink pointe shoes to match their skin color. Here, DTH’s Ingrid Silva, our June/July cover star, shows us how she does it.
by Amy Brandt | Apr 4, 2017 | Profiles, Views
When I was a teenager, Lauren Anderson was my generation’s Misty Copeland. The former Houston Ballet star made history as the company’s first African American principal ballerina in 1990, and her partnership with Carlos Acosta thrilled audiences before he...
by Amy Brandt | Jul 26, 2016 | Company Life
For the past few months, a new ballet collaborative called the Black Iris Project has steadily gained momentum. Founded by choreographer Jeremy McQueen, the project brings together dancers of color from different companies to perform original works about the black...
by Amy Brandt | Nov 22, 2015 | Company Life
The Joffrey Ballet’s Dara Holmes. Photo by Quinn Wharton for Pointe. The International Association of Blacks in Dance has announced that it is hosting its first annual ballet audition for women of color. On January 24, 2016, women ages 15 and older will have the...
by Joseph Carman | May 20, 2014 | Features, Inside PT, Profiles
Ballet has a lily-white reputation. The great “ballet blanc” works glorify white swans, white shades, white wilis and white sylphs. Still, in 2014, balletgoers might expect some progress in racial diversity onstage, especially in the U.S., where...