News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in May and June 2020

Here are the latest promotions and appointments, plus notable awards and accomplishments from the last two months. Comings & Goings Ma Cong has been named associate artistic director at Richmond Ballet. He will serve in an adjunct capacity before joining full-time in 2022. New Zealand Dance Company has appointed Victoria Colombus and James O’Hara co-artistic […]

Should We Be Having Auditions Specifically for Dancers of Color?

Since they were first offered in 2016, the International Association of Blacks in Dance‘s ballet auditions for dancers of color have sparked much debate within the dance community. Some believe these auditions create valuable opportunities for dancers of color while others disagree, even going so far as calling them slightly racist. Still, there’s no debating […]

Why IABD, DTH and Dance/USA Teamed Up for The Equity Project

A newly launched initiative hopes to change the face of ballet, both onstage and behind the scenes. Called “The Equity Project: Increasing the Presence of Blacks in Ballet,” the three-year initiative, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, is a partnership between Dance Theatre of Harlem, the International Association of Blacks in Dance and Dance/USA. […]

These 21 Organizations Are Banding Together to Increase the Presence of Black Dancers in Ballet

Twenty-one ballet organizations have come together to support the advancement of racial equity in professional ballet. They’re all part of The Equity Project: Increasing the Presence of Blacks in Ballet, a new effort being led by Dance Theatre of Harlem, The International Association of Blacks in Dance and Dance/USA. Continuing What Arthur Mitchell Started While […]

Inside IABD's Audition for Women of Color

When we first announced in December that the International Association of Blacks in Dance was hosting its inaugural ballet audition for women of color, the reactions were mixed. Readers took to social media and beyond to dialogue with the dance community. Some praised IABD’s initiative. Others concluded that, unfortunately, auditions of this kind were necessary […]