BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2021
We seek to honor the work of those who paved the way for Black dancers in Ballet. We’d like to introduce you to the Black artists who made history at Charlotte Ballet. Check back here as we add to our list throughout the month.
We invite you to delve deeper into these extraordinary lives with our suggestions for further reading.
Dr. Mel A. Tomlinson
Mel Tomlinson began his professional dance training at Agnes de Mille Heritage Dance Theater, founded at North Carolina School of the Arts where Charlotte Ballet was also established. He graduated with a degree in dance in only three years and moved to NYC to perform with Dance Theatre of Harlem. He later became a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Ballet, Charlotte Ballet under the direction of Salvatore Aiello, and Boston Ballet. Often, Mel was the first or only African-American dancer in the company. He found a second career as a ballet teacher, as well as earning his Master’s Degree and Doctorate in Christian Counseling. He was diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-1990’s, but made a slow recovery and lived an additional 20 years, teaching ballet to the next generation. Mel passed away on February 5, 2019, but his legacy lives on. He is a shining light in the history of dance and an inspiration to many young dancers. We are grateful for the impact he made at Charlotte Ballet.
Jeffery Bullock
Principal dancer and soloist, choreographer, and faculty member, Jeffery Bullock is a renowned member of the dance world. He attended UNC School of the Arts and began his professional dance career with North Carolina Dance Theatre, now Charlotte Ballet. He later performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Sharir + Bustamante DanceWorks. His choreography has earned accolades. Jeffery serves as a mentor to aspiring dancers in his work with schools and festivals nationally and internationally. He earned his M.F.A. in choreography from the University of Iowa and has taught at several renowned universities. Jeffery currently serves at Hollins University as associate professor, chair of Hollins’ dance program, and director of the M.F.A. program. His influence at Charlotte Ballet continues through the work of Sarah Ingel, choreographer and production staff member, and Audrey Baran, choreographer and Academy instructor, who both attended Hollins and received instruction from him. Sarah says, “Jeffery Bullock has been influential in my journey as an artist! As a teacher, he encourages his students to push the boundaries of how we see and experience ballet as an art form. From teaching excerpts of Balanchine to leading challenging and inspiring discussions, I have so much respect for his knowledge, curiosity, and generosity. Thank you for your artistry, Jeffery!” On how Jeffery influences her work, Audrey says, “The hard work and accomplishments that bolstered Jeffery throughout his career definitely come through in his teaching and mentorship. He challenged all of us to constantly re-emerge as the best artist, maker, collaborator, and researcher possible through stern encouragement and underlying compassion. In my experience, Jeffery works tirelessly to actively shape a dance world where equity, representation, and innovation are not the exception, but the standard.”
Photo from Over The Waves – Stowell/Pacific Northwest Ballet (1987). Photo courtesy of Jeffery Bullock.
Arthur Mitchell
A trailblazer in the dance world, Arthur Mitchell was born in Harlem, NY, in 1934. He was accepted to the High School of Performing Arts and began working toward a career in ballet. He then attended the School of American Ballet and became the first Black principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, as well as a protégé of George Balanchine. In 1969, in the midst of the civil rights movement, Arthur founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem, where several Charlotte Ballet dancers trained, including current artist Raven Barkley. Arthur once said, “There were always black classical dancers in America—they just never got on stage!” Now his legacy is carried on in dancers and companies around the world. We are grateful for his impact at Charlotte Ballet.
Photo taken after a performance of Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes at President Kennedy’s Birthday celebration. From left to right: Arthur Mitchell, Gloria Govrin, Allegra Kent, George Balanchine, Charlotte Ballet’s Patricia McBride, and Edward Villella. Photo by Martha Swope.
FOR FURTHER READING:
Essie Marie Dorsey
Born in Greensboro, NC, in 1893, Essie Marie Dorsey is best known for opening one of the first ballet schools for Black students in Philadelphia in 1926. As a child, she moved to New York and began to practice dance. Often, she had to pass as white or Latina just to be let in the door. Essie continued her training with several prominent instructors and performed in Mikhail Mordkin’s American company, Mordkin Ballet. She was not considered a full member, however, and did not publicly perform. She left the company to begin her teaching career in Philadelphia, and opened the first studio in her home, later moving into a space situated on Broad Street. Essie taught ballet, tap, ballroom dance, and acrobatics. Many of her students, including Sydney King, Marion Cuyjet, John Hines, and Joan Myers Brown, became professional ballerinas, instructors, and directors. Her legacy is widespread throughout the dance world. William Dollar, renowned dancer, choreographer, and ballet master, said, “Essie Marie Dorsey deserves a place in history as a pioneer spirit for the advancement of the Black dancer in American ballet.”
Photo courtesy of Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet.
