at the Vincent Astor Gallery Dance Theatre of Harlem 40th Anniversary Exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts - curated by dth alumni judy tyrus 40 Years of Firsts: Dance Theatre of Harlem, a True American Classic In 1969, writing about Dance Theatre of Harlem, Clive Barnes, dance critic for The New York Times, began his article, “Black is beautiful, classic ballet is beautiful, so why are the two so rarely found together?” That changed when Arthur Mitchell, accomplished artistic director, astute educator, talented choreographer and extraordinary dancer, co-founded Dance Theatre of Harlem with his mentor, the renowned ballet teacher, the late Karel Shook. Inspired by the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Arthur Mitchell wanted to make a difference; by doing what he knew best, which was the focus and discipline of dance, he brought the art form of ballet to Harlem. Together, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Shook dispelled the myth that blacks could not do classical ballet because it was foreign to black culture and their bodies were not physically
built for it. In launching the only primarily African-American ballet company in the world, Mitchell understood people would “see something they had never seen before.” Yet, he says when
you watch Dance Theatre of Harlem perform, you don’t think of the dancers as black, white, green or red. He insists the magic is when his dancers hit the stage, for within the passion, power
and perfection is a great love for the art of dance.
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