Arthur (the Man, the Myth, the Legend) Mitchell
In 1969, Arthur Mitchell, along with Karel Shook, created Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) in New York City, after making history in 1955 as the first black principal dancer at New York City Ballet. He also was the famed protégé of George Balanchine—the Russian-born dancer, choreographer and co-founder of the School of American Ballet. Mitchell’s impulse to start Dance Theatre of Harlem is said to have been spurred by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968.
Dancing Through Barriers ®
DTH’s Dancing Through Barriers ® provides young people and adults of all ages an opportunity to discover the strength of their character by exploring what it means to be part of a positive inclusive community that supports inclusion, tolerance, equity and diversity. The programs foster self-determination, teamwork, community building and leadership to instill in the participants a desire to become citizens who make positive contribution to society.
Challenging Constructs
Through the 1990s, Dance Theatre of Harlem continued to break racial and political boundaries, to worldwide acclaim. They were the first American ballet company to perform in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, and in 1992, they made an international statement on their tour to South Africa at the tail end of apartheid. The company performed to a mixed crowd and brought their outreach principles to the townships throughout the land. This remains an excellent example of the impact a predominantly Black and Brown ballet company could make on international politics, challenging antiquated racist constructs through the simple act of practicing and sharing their art.
Keeping up With the Johnsons
After 25 years as a principal dancer with the company – and known for her stunning turns in works as diverse as Giselle, A Streetcar Named Desire and Fall River Legend – prima ballerina Virginia Johnson returned to DTH to fill Mitchell’s shoes as the company’s artistic director in 2013. Johnson was instrumental in helping usher the company into a new era while maintaining the old legacy. She retired following the 2022-2023 season.
To Every Thing There is a Season
Each spring, DTH has a regular season at New York’s City Center. The 2024 season (April 11-14) celebrates the company’s 55th anniversary as well as newly named Artistic Director Robert Garland and the 90th birthday of company founder Arthur Mitchell. The repertoire for the season includes William Forsythe’s Blake Works IV (The Barre Project), Garland’s Return the New York premiere of Robert Bondara’s Take Me With You, a contemporary pas de deux set to the music of Radiohead and the company debut of George Balanchine’s Pas de Dix.
In addition to their Jan. 23 stop at the Straz Center in Tampa, the company can been seen throughout the country in 2024 with tour stops in Milwaukee, Wisc., South Bend, Ind., Norfolk, Va. And Davis, Calif., among others.
Inspiration and many of the words for this entry of Caught in the Act have been borrowed lovingly from www.dancetheatreofharlem.org and from Our History: Raising the Barre Since 1969 by Djassi DaCosta Johnson.