The world of competition and convention dance has always had its share of supporters and naysayers, folks who laud the circuit for providing up-and-coming dancers opportunities to perform, and others who argue that the comp/con world encourages tricks and acrobatics above artistry. But amidst these important conversations, one question rarely gets its due coverage: Are […]
To honor the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, online dance platform CLI Studios is hosting a free, virtual event that will get you moving. This Friday, April 16, starting at 2 pm Pacific, CLI Studios presents the livestream of “Movement Speaks,” five classes featuring prominent artists from the AAPI community. Tune in via YouTube […]
Implicit bias and racial stereotyping are rampant in the dance world . That’s a fact dancers of color have always known. But the anti-racism protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd—protests whose effects have reverberated through a myriad of industries—are bringing new attention to the problem. Though dance has been heavily influenced by Black […]
Updated on June 12, 2020 Last year, in a segment on “The Today Show” on diverse shades of pointe shoes, Dance Theatre of Harlem artistic director Virginia Johnson reflected on the groundbreaking 1970’s-era performance, when DTH founder Arthur Mitchell had the company dance in dyed shoes for the first time. “When the curtain went up […]
Reconciling one’s dance and racial identities can be a complicated, emotional process, especially since the dance world is so slow to embrace change. But as the overdue push for diversity in dance becomes stronger, many dancers are embracing their racial and ethnic backgrounds in ways that were previously frowned upon—from wearing tights that match their […]
If you’re a ballet person, your feeds are probably full of gorgeous previews of Justin Peck’s new work for New York City Ballet, set to premiere tomorrow night. Excited as we are about that, though, we’re almost more excited that Peck’s The Times Are Racing—which NYCB debuted in January—is returning to the stage this fall. […]
The groundwork for Erin Carpenter’s company, Nude Barre, began when she was a teenager. At 16, she earned a spot in the residency program at The Kennedy Center in partnership with Dance Theatre of Harlem. “We were required to wear nude—as in, our actual skin tone—tights and shoes,” she remembers. Carpenter brought her “sun tan” […]
We all know that “nude” colored leos, technique shoes and tights have a woefully limited definition of “nude.” Dancers with darker skin tones are hard pressed to find something that works for them, since regularly available colors only work for people with light, pink-toned skin. Everyone remembers Michaela DePrince‘s mom in First Position, talking about […]