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Revolutionary Dance
Colombian-born dancer and choreographer Eleo Pomare has been remembered for the social messages embedded in his creation of performances. Pomare landed in Harlem, and like many other dancers of his time and beyond,…
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Our Modern Prima Ballerina
Having just retired, Misty Copeland has achieved recognition through her diligent and graceful stage presence, albeit beginning her studies at thirteen (late for ballet dancers). She danced with the American Ballet Theatre for…
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A Generational Leap
The first Black dancer in the New York City Ballet (1955), and first Black principal dancer (the next year), Arthur Mitchell just shy of fifteen years later would found the Dance Theatre of…
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In Vogue
Elegance was the name of the game for Crystal La Beija. She took her poise and prowess from beauty contests to beginning a community that supported other members of the trans community, the…
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Heavy Footed Rhythm
Continuing a long legacy of tap dancing and the developments thereof, Savion Glover knew even as a boy that he enjoyed expressing himself to the clear beats of a rhythm. He continues to…
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Art in Community
Recent Kennedy Center honoree (2017) Carmen de Lavallade brought Creole culture, graceful movement, and strong collaborations into her work. An artist of many forms, she also worked alongside her husband Geoffrey Holder (pictured…
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Crazy Vibes
Another early hip-hop dancer, known for breaking, who has been involved for decades teaching and bringing the dance style, is Richard Colón, better known as “Crazy Legs.” An original Rock Steady Crew member,…
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High-Speed Grace
By her own account, Dada Masilo wanted to be just a dancer, not a choreographer: “…because no choreographers in Johannesburg were doing the kind of work I wanted to do, I just had…
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Revelatory Movement
Translating the mundane, ritualistic, and connected qualities of life into movement, Alvin Ailey remains known largely through the dance company he established. Through choreography that communicated elevated stories of the everyday and of…
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Pearls of Wisdom
True to her name, Pearl Primus promoted the beauty of history, culture, tradition, art, creativity, and a people forged in suffering and belittlement through her dance. Although she studied medicine and earned her…