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Many people think Misty Copeland, who became a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre in 2015, was American's first Black ballerina. This is incorrect. In 1969, African American danseur Arthur Mitchell founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), a company that featured Black ballet dancers.
Misty Copeland
Arthur Mitchell
For many years, it was 'common knowledge' that Black dancers belonged in modern dance, not classical ballet. Mitchell explains, "I said to hell with that; I wasn't raised speaking Swahili or doing native dances. Why not classical ballet?" So Mitchell became a danseur in George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, and later founded DTH.
Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell instructing a ballerina
Dance Theatre of Harlem
DTH's five pioneer ballerinas were well known in their time, but subsequently faded from memory. Author Karen Valby, who's White, thought it was time to restore these women - whom she calls the Swans of Harlem - to their place in history. In an interview, Valby said, "Fundamentally, I consider this book a gift to my [adopted] daughters — young Black girls who are dancers themselves. They deserve to know about the Swans, and to feel surrounded by the power of example. Writing in this case felt like an act of mothering.”
DTH's first group of ballerinas were Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, all of whom shared a calling to the classical stage. Valby writes about the ballerinas' lives and careers, then describes how, during the Covid pandemic, the women formed the '152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council.' Valby writes, "They had all been knocked off balance by the anointing of Misty Copeland, by what felt like a deliberate scrubbing of their groundbreaking history." The (now golden age) dancers would gather online once a week to "throw out an anchor to one another from their scattered perches across the country." This provides a platform for discussing the women's lives after they left DTH, and their stories are inspiring and touching.
I'll say a few words about each pioneering Black ballerina, to introduce these talented women. (There's much much more in the book, of course.)
Lydia Abarca: Abarca, who grew up in a working class family in Harlem, loved to dance. Lydia dreamed of being a celebrity, with limousines, red carpets, and enough money to buy her parents a house. Lydia's passion drew her to Mitchell's studio, where her talent soon made her a star. As for Lydia's dream, Valby notes, "For a flash of time, a decade of her youth, [Abarca] had a taste of all that, as Mitchell's muse and Dance Theatre of Harlem's first prima ballerina.
Lydia Abarca and danseur Paul Russell
Gayle McKinney-Griffith: McKinney-Griffith was raised in Connecticut, and as a young girl, learned ballet from former Bolshoi dancers. Later, at Julliard, Gayle's instructors pointed her toward modern dance, even though Gayle was a ballerina. Gayle persisted, however, and became the only Black dancer in Juilliard's ballet classes. Gayle became frustrated at Julliard, and when she heard Arthur Mitchell was auditioning for an all-Black ballet company, Gayle tried out.....and the rest is history.
Gayle McKinney-Griffith
Sheila Rohan: Rohan was raised in Staten Island, had asthma, and contracted polio as a child. Sheila's doctor prescribed exercise to strengthen her polio ravaged body, and Sheila was enrolled in tap and ballet classes - where her talent shone. By the time Sheila joined DTH, she was a 28-year-old wife and mother, which made things difficult. However, Sheila was determined, and she recalls, "You know how they talk about planting seeds? Arthur Mitchell planted a seed in me, and [the other ballerinas] helped to nurture that seed and make it grow."
Sheila Rohan
Karlya Shelton: Shelton's family lived in Denver, Colorado and Karlya took ballet lessons in the local dance shop. When Karlya was seventeen, she saw a picture of Lydia Abarca on the cover of 'Dance Magazine' and was amazed to see the visage of a Black dancer and a story about DTH. Karlya's parents helped her move to New York City, where she joined DTH, and in time (after many trials and tribulations and a strict diet) Mitchell made Karlya a full company member.
Lydia Abarca on the cover of Dance Magazine
Karlya Shelton
Marcia Sells: Sells was raised in Cincinnati, where she started ballet classes at the age of four. When Marcia was ten, DTH performed in her home town, and Marcia was amazed to see a Black ballerina perform. Marcia would imagine herself dancing in productions like the 'Sugar Plum Fairy' and Balanchine's 'Serenade' and 'Concerto Barocco' and she "daydreamed about greeting her fans backstage, her arms heavy with roses." When Marcia met Mitchell - and he examined her feet - Mitchell insisted the girl move to New York City, live with a local family, and train at DTH. Young Marcia didn't move right away, but eventually joined Mitchell's company.
Marcia Sells as a young dancer and as Harvard's Law Dean
Arthur Mitchell was a perfectionist and a VERY hard taskmaster. Mitchell was relentless about practice; insisted the ballerinas be rail thin; had rules about ALWAYS looking perfect in public; and so on. Mitchell would rage and shout if he was confronted (even a drop), and the troupe had to walk on eggshells around him. Still, Mitchell was an amazing talent who gave unprecedented opportunities to people of color.
In a sad section, Valby writes about the horrible toll of AIDS on the ballet world. Take out your tissues for these chapters.
At it's height, DTH toured Europe and America; performed for presidents, royalty, and celebrities; and was feted and wined and dined. It's hard to imagine how the ground-breaking DTH dancers were forgotten by history. Valby's book should help right that wrong.
Aficionados of ballet will enjoy all the talk about pirouettes, relevés, pas de deux, pas de trois, arabesques, échappés, etc; and mentions of ballets such as 'Afternoon of a Faun', 'Swan Lake', 'Holberg Suite', and more. I'd like to emphasize, though, that one needn't be knowledgeable about ballet to enjoy the book, which is excellent. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Valby, and Pantheon for a copy of the book.
Rating: 5 stars
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