Senior Thesis: 5-6 Pages - Dance - Barnard College

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dance field makes it no surprise that many blacks still struggle with the notion that blacks can dance ballet. Although blacks continue to question the presence of black dancers in ballet, education and performance opportunities have significantly changed since the 1930s. The presence of black dancers performing ballet will minimize the old prejudices. For instance, the popular television competition show, So You Think You Can Dance contributes to the American awareness of black dancers’ capabilities. The winner of the show during its third season was Sabra Johnson, a black dancer who performed a variety of styles including ballet or related forms, such as lyrical. Her skin color did not bother the American audience: she was voted America’s Favorite Dancer that year. In addition, the sociopolitical climate of America today prevents blatant discrimination based on skin color. Unfortunately, socioeconomic disadvantages continue to halt the dreams of black dancers who desire to pursue a recreational or professional career in ballet. My proposed solution is to incorporate the performing arts in public education. Minorities who cannot afford extra technique classes can be exposed the art form in public classrooms, which will help remove ballet’s elitist identity. Most importantly, as history has proven, time will facilitate progress, which leads me to believe that more and more black dancers will pursue formal training in ballet and create a more fair representation of black dancers in ballerinas in America. Bibliography Anderson, Jack. “Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.” International Encyclopedia of Dance. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. 21
Ballets Russes. Dir. Danya Goldfine, Dan Gellar, Robert Hawk, and Douglas B. Turbaugh. Zeitgeist Films/Zeitgeist Video, 2006. Barzel, Ann, et al. "United States of America: An Overview." The International Encyclopedia of Dance. New York: Oxford University Press 1998. Bean, Annemarie, ed. A Sourcebook on African-American Performance : Plays, People, Movements. New York: Routledge, 1999. Bremser, Martha, ed. International Dictionary of Ballet. Vol. 1-2. Detroit: St. James, 1993. Brown II, Christopher, ed. Still Not Equal: Expanding Educational Opportunity in Society. New York: Peter Lang, 2007. Chappel1, Kevin. “50 Years After Little Rock.” Ebony Magazine, October 2007, PAGE II. Clark, v A. “Dunham, Katherine.” The International Encyclopedia of Dance. New York: Oxford University Press 1998. Creole Giselle. Dir. Thomas Grimm. Prod. Yanna K. Brandt. Kultur, 1988. Videocassette. Dance Theatre of Harlem. Dir. Thomas Grimm. Home Vision, 1989. Videocassette. Deans, Ed. Joselli D. "Black Ballerinas Dancing On The Edge: An Analysis of The Cultural Politics in Delores Browne's and Raven Wilkinson's Careers, 1954— 1985." Diss. Temple University, 2001. Dunning, Jennifer. "But First a School”: The First Fifty Years of the School of American Ballet. New York: Viking, 1985. Garafola, Lynn. “A Conversation with Virginia Johnson.” Ballet Review. Vol. 33. 2005. New Gotthschild, Brenda D. The Black Dancing Body: A Geography From Coon to Cool. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Green Jr., Robert P., ed. Equal Protection and the African American Constitutional Experience : A Documentary History. Westport: Greenwood, 2000. Hartmann, Chester. Poverty & Race in America: The Emerging Agendas. Maryland: Lexington Books, 2006. I'll Make Me a World. The Dream Keepers. Dir. Tracy H. Strain. Blackside Inc. in association with Thirteen/WNET, 1999. 22
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Senior Thesis: 5-6 Pages - Dance - Barnard College

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