Brown Ballerinas: Inside the Dance Theatre of Harlem | Mashable Docs

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[@zephielovet]

I love this, my mother always told me I could never be a dancer, and that I'd look like Henrietta hippo in class. but dance has always been my passion, and I love seeing this because they're not average dancers, they're beautiful, and they bring a beautiful new edge to ballet. I wish I could have known about this when I was younger, then maybe I would have been able to take classes sooner and I'd probably be really good at it. I take dance classes now but as an adult I don't have the opportunities I would have had if I started when I originally wanted to...i probably would have even tried out for Harlem at some point...

[@stylecollective-qt9um]

I saw Virginia Johnson in her height of performance career with Dance Theatre of Harlem as Creole Giselle, she was absolutely STUNNING and I remember her having the audience practically holding our collective breath as she danced the Mad Scene. The ovations she received at performance's end still gives me chills today when I look back on it, and solidified my love for ballet.

[@honeegrrl]

I find it interesting that there are trolls commenting, if you don't like the video then just leave. Why bring your negativity here?

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

As a kid I was discouraged from doing ballet by white people who didn't want me in their schools and black people who said ballet was only for white people, Harlem gave me hope. I never did ballet but now I show these videos to my son who is interested in ballet and dance to show him that men can and should do ballet and black people definitely can, should and ARE doing ballet. Keep it up Harlem the world is watching. :-)

[@sylviassuccess]

I love this place. Its been over 20 years since I've been there, but it feels like yesterday that I would go there for summer camps. Praying for DTH

[@mindmeld3638]

I am proud to have danced with this Company for seven years of my life and have absolutely no regrets, Richard Witter.

[@jenifersmith3603]

It’s about time everyone embraces this! I was an ice skater growing up. I’m white and used to wonder why I only saw other white ice skaters on the ice competing. It was great to see Debbie Thomas and Suray Bonaly win championships and titles. You guys are beautiful and so talented. Looking forward to seeing more videos !!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@bigh7972]

I found this video uplifting. Thanks for sharing your magic with the world. I don't care if your hair is in a bun or if you have a more muscular body. The bottom line is can your dance inspire the audience and leave them in awe? Art is supposed to lift us above small mindedness so lets try to be positive here in our comments. I come from a very different culture and was totally impressed by what was represented here. I only wish I lived closer to the company so I could take in a performance.

[@leonardu6094]

absolutely beautiful

[@lingkejiang9244]

I think blacks have the best physique in the world.

[@krhodes02]

Lingke Jiang Really?? “Blacks”??

[@BronzeSista]

Inspiring, but to the biracial young lady, you can work hard, and your race will still matters, its called the real world we live in. She's not the first mixed race person in the Dance Theatre of Harlem and will not be the last.

[@kathymyers7279]

Rae Neumann Bullshit. You need your mind rewired.

[@IM1OFTHE99PERCENT]

Rae Neuman

[@mariaalexandropoulou2845]

Extraordinary dancers 💕

[@ro992]

*Beautiful! Thanks for sharing* !

[@rachsharon4179]

Stunning!

[@kristinastewart3849]

Beautiful.

[@isis334909]

Love this! And Fentroy looks like the actress from Anne with An E..

[@christinahope4996]

Wonderful 👍🏼

[@embraceoblivion436]

talented yes. also your muscular definition is fine, both okay=fine and damn=fine.

[@viviankankam9704]

wonderful wonderful magnificent! 💃

[@stevie8763]

I would love to see a live performance, wouldn't that be something special.

[@theettabell153]

Unbelievable when I see this that I actually Took classes there Rememer pulling ,popping my calf muscle. But never Happened again😉

[@rawberriemilkfake3920]

art is for everyone. i would rather be blown away by the skill of a rainbow ballet than watch a bunch of matching girls be out of sync.

[@user-df2lh5qv2m]

I think the first part of the title of this video is very effective. (Brown Ballerinas) are we going to continue being classified as something we aren't? The colour of our skin is brown not black and there is nothing wrong with being black, white, pink or blue but it's not our colour. Even the darkest skin shade is still brown. I did a survey in my school of how people felt about the title of their skin (even "white" people) most people said that it is the way they were brought up, to be seen as that but it is uncomfortable for them to be seen as something they aren't and one person said "Its as if we are seen as the colour of paper." It might be normal for you but this is our future generations thoughts. Humans like me and you. Maybe it's time for change. We are supposed to be 400+ years out of racism and into a place where race isn't the subject all the time but that starts with everyone realising who they are. It's not that hard to accept someone.

[@Ms2real4ya]

🔥🔥🔥

[@faisalaqdas7967]

whenever i attach my adsense with my channel the channel suddenly suspended ? what can i do?????? plzzzz plzzzz plzzzzzz tell me

[@Hasinah1987]

Good...

[@paytonjingle8570]

Guys this is actually True tho at my dance studio there is one black person and the rest of us are white

[@douglasjay7787]

Misty Copeland!

[@kathymyers7279]

Who care what color you Are? Just be a GOOD DANCER.

[@laurenjamieson8411]

"purple swan" no, I'm sorry. Swans are white and they will always be WHITE. Ballet was crafted and mastered by Europeans. It is part of European culture. These dancers are excellent.

[@emilyolson6660]

Have you ever seen Swan Lake? There is literally a black swan in the ballet in addition to a white one 😂😂

[@adonaris1]

I am Russian. Isn't it obvious that black is not built for ballet.. give me a break, please... and don't fight the nature, you will lose.

[@redsunentertainment318]

России Русскую Власть This video alone proves that you are completely wrong. I'm sorry that you are suffering with such ignorance.

[@honeegrrl]

России Русскую Власть Why come here, go watch Russian Ballet dancers and leave is alone.

[@mariaalexandropoulou2845]

России Русскую Власть movement has nothing to do with colour. The exact opposite actually, black people have sometimes stronger physical structure and strength than white people and those dancers just proved how elegant they are. And I will always prefer watching them over Russian skinny and unhealthy dancers at the bolshoi theatre (except from Osipova who's not dancing there anymore). My apologies to black dancers and future dancing stars, not all white people think like that.

[@yvonnelastra4962]

Russian ballet is beautiful but boring to watch. I enjoy a more diverse cast.

[@user-df2lh5qv2m]

Maria Alexandropoulou Definitely! Not all white people are like this. Some just choose to make the wrong decisions, we all do even though it's not right to say such things. Us brown people (I don't like using the term Black) are different in some ways but this is 2018. Come on everyone, why is it taking over 400 years to accept each other? Dance is dance and just as much as one white dancer is different to another white dancer in some ways, so is a brown dancer not forgetting we all have feeling.