Ballet was popularized in the 1600s in France and spread across the world. Traditional ballet, neoclassical, and contemporary can be found in many different countries across the world.
The Dance Theater of Harlem was founded 1969 by Arthur Mitchell, the first black dancer to be selected by the New York City Ballet. The DTH enables youth of color from across the globe to hone their craft of classical ballet and provide outreach to the community on arts education. One of the great unique things about the DTH is that the women's tights and shoes are dyed to closely match their skin tone. Traditional ballet attire consists of pink tights and shoes for women.
The City of Columbia was dazzled by the performance of the DTH with several pieces that incorporated traditional ballet as well as a few contemporary pieces. There was variety of scores that accompanied each piece drawing the viewers in with every move. One of the things I love about dancing is the lack of words used. You can feel the meaning of each piece solely by watching the movement and feeling the music as the dancers infuse their own body with the sound.
This was a great family event that members from young and old could enjoy. The entire night was narrated by the current director. He gave a brief overview of the beginnings of ballet, the origins of the DTH and walked the audience through how a typical practice session would unfold back in Harlem. There was a section of the program dedicated to questions and answers from the audience by the dancers. Audience members were also invitied on stage for a quick partnering lesson with members of the troupe. The dancers both male and female, hailed for various states in the U.S. as well as different countries from around the globe such as Brasil and Cuba.
This was a delightful evening that was enjoyed by everyone who attended. If the Dance Theater of Harlem comes to a town near you, make sure you check them out for yourself!
Images Courtesy of Google Images
