Debra Austin America's 1st "Black" Prima Ballerina to be a Principal with an American Co.

[@tinamccann8968]

With the hype the media has put on Misty Copeland one would think she was fist and the only woman of color to dance principal roles. Like Mr Clifford mentioned, Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem put to rest that question. Thank you, for posting this --- a pleasure to watch this graceful and beautiful ballerina!

[@AvalonMorley]

+Bettina McCann And even before DTH, dancers like Raven Wilkinson were shining in classic roles (as I probably don't need to tell you). I'm so glad to get to see this video of Debra Austin, as I only ever got to see her in the corps at NYCB, before she began getting solo roles.

[@lazarocedeno5270]

The artistic purity and expression are unparalleled. Such mastery of the art form. Her ballon is magical. Her feet. She is a living dancing Goddess.❤

[@charcollings486]

All dancers learn the same technique. It is how a dancer expresses what they've learned. Like speaking, it is a conversation, unique to the individual. Dancing beautifully expressed is moving, stunning and outstanding from a trove of dancers with technical precision (though she has that as well!). Debra's movements are expansive and seamless, fluid and light-as-air delightful! Debra Austin tells beautiful stories! And thank you John, for reminding us of such a truly talented ballet dancer. I remember her to be the first principal and from my town of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Ballet where I studied dance for several years. She was a inspiration!

[@simaraft7373]

Thank you so much for this feast. She is a gorgeous and delightful ballerina. There is an internal integrity to her movements and musicality that is quite rare. There is never the slightest break in line or phrasing. And except for "color" she has nothing in common with Misty. How wonderful to see this!

[@janholder2286]

I'm new to watching ballet, this makes me very proud. She's lovely, beautiful and graceful. Thank you for posting this.

[@claireschweizer4765]

She makes dancing seem like breathing. ..🥺🥺🤩😍💕💕💕

[@msbcheet6041]

So light on her feet, graceful, and very beautiful

[@jillgooner]

never seen that before, absolutely lovely. wonderful arms

[@AvalonMorley]

Perfectly lovely, with such excellent style! I'm so glad to learn that Ms. Austin went on to do principal roles and garner more acclaim. I only ever saw her dancing in the corps of NYCB, so it's nice to see how things proceeded for her. A beautiful dancer!

[@selenite1]

Thank you for posting proof that American ballet has a more Colorful history than some may think.

[@LaLaJonesG]

She’s exquisite!

[@sanniepstein4835]

Yes! A real dancer, a real artist.

[@chiyunlulu]

Beautiful stylish ballerina.... Stunning jump! One of the best jumpers I have ever seen...

[@Lilka20061990]

I know nothing of ballet other that it's beautiful and so much hard work like blood and tears but this is absolutely beautiful, she's amazing

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Bella questa fabula d'infusione dello spirito del ballo nell'inerzia che sparisce dopo aver bevuto alla fonte cava DELLE mani della ballerina. Idea semplice ma efficace per la bravura anche d'enfatizzazione commediale dei protagonisti in proscenio. MOLTO BRAVI. BIGHIN GIULIO RENZO

[@claireschweizer4765]

Her feet are so short and dainty and she's soooo light she's like an actual fairy asffjeg😍😍😍🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧✨✨✨✨✨✨

[@victoriasaper1625]

Thank you John Clifford for posting this video. I am so tired of all the hype around Misty Copeland. From the moment that she was labeled as the first black ballerina to dance with a major American Ballet Co. I was annoyed on so many levels, and your video very clearly disproves all the whoo haw around MC. I am not denying her skill, but most dancers don't have a well oiled production/marketing team behind them. I seem to recall some principal dancers with Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey among others. And please people stop calling everyone who dances a ballerina. This is not addressed to anyone here specially, but today I have seen the term ballerina used so incorrectly I just had to say something.

[@alazjaw.8968]

and how is that misty’s fault ? maybe if ballet wasn’t so racist to begin with it wouldn’t be like this.

[@victoriasaper1625]

I never said that the racism, which permeates the ballet world is the fault of MC. I merely commented about the hype surrounding her, and calling her the first Black Principal. There is no doubt she has technique, I just happen to think that all the hype is way too much. The ballet world has always been very Eurocentric and xenophobic. There is a definite American school, an English school and of course the Russian school. For me it’s not about being able to be in a 180 position, it’s about the artistry combined with technique.

[@alazjaw.8968]

@@victoriasaper1625 still. I just think to call her overhype only in comparison to another black dancer is wrong. she didn’t have a choice in that and there’s a reason she IS considered overhyped now and that can’t go unstated even if I do understand what you’re saying in the first half.

[@victoriasaper1625]

@alazja w. I think you still don’t get what I am saying. Not once have I said anything derogatory about Misty. I have criticized all the hype around her. I did not say she caused the hype. That said, by doing advertising, she does add to all the hoopla. Brava to Misty for getting where she is. The gist of all my comments is there are other dancers, who are not white , and have struggled to gain access to dance, but have been overlooked because they were Black or Asian and didn’t fit into the Eurocentric mould of what a dancer should look like. Misty is light skinned and I doubt if she were very dark skinned that she would have had access to being a soloist or principal dancer. Sadly the world has a vision of what the dancers should look like. And most people do not want the corps de ballet of say Swan Lake or Giselle to be anything, but a line of white dancers with white tutus. I have heard people comment that anything other than white is a distraction. Women’s skating operates in the same way. Again there is an almost intractable belief that skaters should fit a certain mould. It will be many decades before people accept a multi-hued group of dancers. In Russia, young dancers are measured in every possible way to see if they fit the look. Misty has gained acceptance and I applaud her tenacity in overcoming all the extra hurdles she has had. I just wish that media would stop saying she is the first woman of color to become a a principal or étoile. I think by continuous use of that tag line denigrates the ballerinas of color who came before her.

[@victoriasaper1625]

@@alazjaw.8968 again Iread what I wrote, I never compared the hype over her to another Black dancer. I have repeatedly said that she is not the first American Black dancer. That there were others who went before her who are overlooked. It is the overlooking of other great dancers of color, who came well before Misty, which I object to, regardless of the media attention they received.

[@cindychristian1700]

Wow.! Just lovely. Really!💐❤👏

[@aharper12]

Thanks for sharing she got overshadowed by Lauren Anderson and now Misty Copeland

[@avasgranb1]

And there is Precious Adams, who is an extraordinarily wonderful young dancer

[@jillgooner]

precious is wonderful, like you too much hype over misty. Im rather ashamed ive not come across this before. She is so light and arms are lovely.

[@stephaniecruvant9130]

Debra Austin is such a delightful Sylph; expressive, graceful, playful. Lauren Anderson was promoted to Principal / Prima with the Houston Ballet in 1990; Carlos Acosta came to the Houston & partnered with her before moving on to the Royal. Ms. Copeland is far from "the first".

[@benindermaur5693]

Misty Copeland is celebrated as the first African-American female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre; not first black female principal everywhere.

[@jillgooner]

Im certainly going to watch more of Debra. She is beautiful and I am now fascinated by her flowing arms and wonderful expressions. Shes much more my cup of tea than Misty as is Precious but we all like different dancers for different reasons.

[@jillgooner]

remember Raven Wilkinson she was long before misty.

[@jcliff26]

Yes. But Debra was 1st black ballerina to dance GISELLE, LA SYLPHIDE, SWAN LAKE leads with a predominantly white American company.

[@jillgooner]

@@jcliff26 Evidentaly raven was her mentor.

[@jcliff26]

@@jillgooner Really. I just knew her from NYCB and when she danced a lead in one of my ballets there. Made the papers as first classical African American ballerina to dance a lead in NYCB.

[@michelboudot2882]

And before Janet There was raven wilkinson the first one ballet russe de Monte carlo

[@michelboudot2882]

Before Debra Was Janet Collins principal dancer at the met. 1950

[@jcliff26]

Of course, but the Met wasn’t a separate full time top ballet company like ABT or NYCB.

[@louiselins]

Bravo, bravo bravo! I refuse myself to powder me in white to perform. A shame we still have color as an issue.

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Her glissando are even better than Alicia Alonso.

[@kevalev12]

I remember seeing that tape of Ballo and being shocked because I didn't realize NYCB had any black ballerinas until the 90's.She could get away with wearing pink tights.

[@lillebird]

Maria Talchief....Native American

[@jcliff26]

elaine buchsbaum Yes I know. But this is different.

[@lillebird]

I forget why I mentioned this but in any event I had a Chinese friend who dancer for Boston Ballet, beautiful technique but was never give major rolls because she was Asian....It had always been difficult for any dancer not white. Arther Mitchel had limited roles because of his color...pity

[@jcliff26]

elaine buchsbaum Actually you are very wrong here. An Asian ballerina danced all the classic roles with both Boston and San Francisco Ballet and Arthur Mitchell danced many purely classical roles under Balanchine.

[@michelboudot2882]

Sono osato....sorry for thé spelling

[@craigwilliams1573]

Why was the male variation omitted?

[@jcliff26]

Because I put this together to just celebrate Debra Austin, not as a record of any ballet.

[@michelboudot2882]

And before raven. Sono isotopic Japanese in original ballet russes in the thirties

[@juliettepeers5226]

think you mean Sono Osato ... Japanese Canadian American ballerina ... who had to perform as Sono Fitzpatrick after 1941

[@avasgranb1]

It seems as if Ms. Copland has a very good press agent. I’ve only seen her on KZbin, but she is not prima material.

[@rosalierox247]

Why is black in quotes...?

[@jcliff26]

khajya thomas Because I hate using that term.

[@volitionspark2686]

I prefer to be called an African American, but I know and understand the origins and usage of the word Black for my people. Some of my people prefer to not be called any term. I do not want people to Ignore the fact that I am Black but to not associate it solely with things that are negative.

[@kathymyers7279]

khajya thomas BECAUSE WE'RE ALL REALLY SECRETLY RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kathymyers7279]

khajya thomas give me a break.

[@jcliff26]

khajya thomas Because "black" is not actually a color. There are varying shades of African Americans and I personally don't like the label "black."

[@42abyz]

In actual fact, there are no white and no black human beings. Everyone born of a female and a male has a recognizable amount of color in his/her skin. The adjectives black and white are symbols at best, misnomers at worse. Neither has a basis in Biology. Both of these adjectives still carry profound meaning in American culture because they, tragically, determine our core social identity and our human worth. Every person that I have ever seen on Planet Mother Earth has a recognizable skin tone that locates on a spectrum of hues ranging from melanin-negative to melanin-positive. Before I became a terpsichorean athlete (charter member of Dance Theater of Harlem, subsequently worked with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater/Boston Repertory Ballet/Hartford Ballet/Capitol Ballet), I was a graphic artist. I could not use only the black pigment when I painted a so-called black person, nor could I use only the white pigment when I painted a so-called white person. I had to mix at least three pigments in both instances before what I saw on the canvas looked like any human being that I had seen in society! Moreover, the English language, relatively speaking, is more precise conceptually than many other languages, especially the Romance languages. Why not use terms that accurately describe who we Americans are? The race and gender category that each of us was put into, following the moment of our birth, were determined by our perceived skin color and the configuration of our genitalia only. However, the person was/is within; unseen by the eye. Each and every word/label/category in the dictionary is a symbol of our actual flesh and blood and bone reality. None of those nouns are we, the people. Our core identity, therefore, as I understand it, is that which animates us: Spirit/atman/soul. Accordingly, we all are Spirit manifesting as male and female human beings. Or, put differently, we are Mother Spirit’s/God’s/Buddha’s/Brahman’s/Allah’s handiwork. This immature and self-centered fixation on one’s perceived skin color is arbitrary and culturally based. We are multi-colored, incongruously varied in character/talent/intellect/imagination human beings, a family of sisters and brothers that was conceived, carried to term, and then birthed into this world by the same age-old method (s). And, if you cannot take it from there, you cannot take it at all.

[@jcliff26]

Clover Mathis I agree with you totally.

[@jcliff26]

Clover Mathis And that's why I put "black" in quotes.

[@42abyz]

Thank you, John Clifford. I remember seeing you in Dances At A Gathering with NYCB in the early Seventies. You executed eight pirouettes. Those were the good old days! Also, thanks for posting these wonderful videos. I spent all of one week watching NYCB. I watched Ballo Della Regina just last evening. Debra Austin is singularly thrilling.

[@jcliff26]

Clover Mathis Thanks. Eight? Must have been "on" that night. BTW I gave Debra her first principal role at NYCB in my last ballet for the company. BARTOK #3. Got a lot of press at the time. 1973...years before Misty Copeland.

[@jewelmarkess]

True. I am Russian-Jewish, and while I have fairly light skin, my second cousin looks very dark. He has very black hair in small curls. Everyone uses "Caucasian" to indicate white race, but some people from Caucasus mountains have a fairly dark skin, and in Russia many use "black" to refer to people from Caucasus mountains e.g. Armenians, Georgians, Azerbajanis, etc.. In various places in Africa below Sahara desert, there are people with lighter shaded skin. In general, I don't believe there are any references to "black" and "white" as a reference to race before the times of slavery in the US. The whole concept of race is social, there is no such a concept in biology, it's like look at Siamese cats different from Persian cats or maybe tabby cats vs calico cats. I don't believe that the concept of "race" existed before slavery either. Oh, and to my admittedly non-expert eyes Debra Dustin appears to have a perfect "ballet body" as do Precious Adams and Michaela DePrince. In reality, there aren't that many people with "ballet bodies" among whites either.