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Since the first development of Ballet in the 1500s with the Italian renaissance or the first traveling company with Sergei Diaghilev the levels of diversity in ballet and well known dance companies/productions [modern day] have been extremely low and have completely lack in producing a more diverse ballet company. Misty Copeland is one of the very first African-American/Black ballet dancer at the American ballet dance company, said in her interview with CNN, The ballet world doesn’t really celebrate or have women of color, (South China Morning Post) . The quote signifies the under the surface highlighted racism that can still occur in the prima ballerina profession. Misty Copeland talks more about her [ interview with CNN] that there would be times companies and teachers would judge her verbally and/or through communicative gestures that she did not simply fit . Some of theses comments that were made here were she did not have the right body type and even that some of her certain features did not match the tone of a professional ballerina. In a more symbolic way theses all mask a level of hidden racism and expectation still in some of the ballet schools and companies.
In 1990 Lauren Anderson, A famous dancer for the Huston Ballet, was among one of the very first African-American/Black principal Ballerina. Lauren Anderson is known especially for her role in the dance/choreography of Cleopatra, which Lauren Anderson got high recognition, Lauren has also worked with George Balanchine, a famous choreographer. The most important part of lauren career in ballet is the first african american/black prima ballerina, she also got to be the lead in a lot of the performances at this ballet company. Another really influential prima ballerina is Raven Wilkinson (also is misty copeland’s mentor). Back in the 1950s Raven was The very first black woman to dance [as a soloist] in the biggest classical ballet companies, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Dutch National ballet. Raven Wilkinson faced many obstacles as a ballerina, She would often be looked down upon many ballet goers because had already a depicted opinion of what African Americans are labeled as, poor speech, not well dressed, too poor to participate in certain activities (like ballet). Raven Wilkinson was often was told to say she was of spanish background since she was a lighter skin black/african american but, raven constantly expressed that she never wants to hide her identity because it is apart of her and is should not get in the way of her doing ballet. Raven Wilkinson and Lauren Anderson were some of the most influential and noteworthy women of color to affect the ballet community by being the first to join a racial controversial sport like ballet and influence many other women and men to join ballet.
In Pointe Magazine they write about the drastic differences between the demographics from ballet dancers from a white/european background and other minority surrounding backgrounds (african american/black, Hispanic/latino, Pacific Islander, Middle eastern, Native American, and Asian background), Racial demographics in the U.S. have changed dramatically in the past three decades. Hispanics, who made up just 6.45 percent of the population in 1980, made up 16.3 percent by 2010. The African-American population has increased from 11.52 percent to 12.6 percent; whites are expected to no longer make up a majority by 2043. Dorothy Gunther Pugh, the artistic director of Ballet Memphis, Of Ballet Memphis’ 19 dancers, 4 are black, 2 are Asian, 11 are white and 2 are Hispanic. Diversity in ballet is not only a big issue for african american background dancers but for many other dancers in other backgrounds (Carman, Joseph). This quote is especially important because It gives a visual and statistical representation of how demographics in dance companies do not have an even or closely distributed amount of diversity in their dancers.
There are many factors that contribute to why modern day dance companies are still not as quite diverse. It contributes racial barriers, Income status social hierarchs, and other ridiculous factors that can inhibit people of color. In an article by USA Today a highly influential organization helps influence diversity in ballet companies, Since many dances who are minorities are thrown into the dancing world with very few role models and helpful tools in the dance world many few company directors have gone lengths to influence a higher level diversity [in ballet] by attending auditions, reaching out to smaller and bigger dance schools, and much more. A lot of this coordination is developed by the (IABD) The International Association of Blacks in Dance.
Ways to minimize the lack of diversity in ballet is for the ballet community (companies and schools) to have a complete rethink and reinvention of what ballet should mean to each community, There should be a bigger diversity training in ballet schools, especially for today’s youth which can later on add an updated all version of ballet. Minorities today should know if they want to participate and make it in ballet, you need to find something in it that mean a lot to you, not have to focus or setbacks and the thought of never been done before or the impossible . Ballet is an extremely influential art, It has been and impact in history across the world, and should be looked at for its art and many forms of dance taken from culture/traditions and even life situations and not by who of what racial background has a better look to fit. I personally believe, just like Eric underwood, a professional ballet dancer, believes that the world of ballet can not change in diversity overnight or just by one person.
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