RIP Arthur Mitchell – Balanchine to Dance Theater of Harlem
Arthur Mitchell passed away at 84.
Dancer broke barriers for African Americans in the 1950s in leading roles with the New York City Ballet
George Balanchine with Suzanne Farrell and Arthur Mitchell working on ‘Slaughter on Tenth Avenue’ in 1968.
Photo by Martha Swope from the collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
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George Balanchine and Arhtur Mitchell
Mitchell shares interesting stories about Balanchine. (youtube) or why Pad de deux was so controversial (youtube)
Arthur Mitchell is an African-American dancer and choreographer who created a training school and the first African-American classical ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem.
In 1955 Mitchell made his debut as the first African American with the New York City Ballet
Mitchell was the only African-American dancer with the NY City Ballet until 1970. Choreographer and director of the NYCB George Balanchine created the pas de deux in Agon especially for Mitchell and the white ballerina Diana Adams. Although Mitchell danced this role with white partners throughout the world, he could not perform it on commercial television in the United States before 1965, because states in the South refused to carry it.
Slim dragon-fly
too rapid for the eye
to cage,contagious gem of virtuosity
make visible, mentality.
Your jewels of mobilityreveal
and veil
a peacock-tail.— by Marianne Moore