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Hello Funny Face.Thanks for that inspirational story.It is still a sad but true fact that there are so few "Brown skinned"women of color in classical ballet and perhaps your theories are true.I have actually heard stories fo black children who want to pursue ballet,but face resistance from their parents because the parents have seen the reality and don't want their children "hurt". If you think about it,this race thing is such a viscious circle.People all around see that there is inequaliyt,but nobody is strong enough to really make that difference.It was enough 15 years ago for a company to boast one black dancer.A tolken if you will,but why stop there? I am not saying we need 52 Dance theatre of Harlems( and even they are diverse..)But in my opinion,if you have more that one type of dancer,they won't stand out so much.The last time I saw American ballet theatre, I counted at least 4 or 5 dancers of color,so after a while,I didn't noitce the color difference.I think there are many companies who could follow suit...in reference to Boston Ballet,there are at least 5 Asians,and an equal number of Latinos to round out the ethnic quotient,but only one African American,so it is noticable when she is not onstage.If Mikko were to hire at least two more,it wouldn't seem so odd that there was just that one...I mean,what if that one leaves the company? Who will the little City Dance students look to emulate?I know...Nobody said this was a fair profession,but it would be wonderful in my lietime to see some real changes...Perhaps I shpould find someone really well off and form my own dance troups open to all races....Naahh...I am sure many would be directors start out the same way...So I say this...it is tough being a Brownskinned black ballerina,but to be honest,I wouldn't trade it for the world.If things were too easy,one might not appreciate the gifts they are given.If one has to struggle,they take that with them and know that they actually did their best and people just weren't ready for them...As for body types.in this instance,the dancer in Boston ballet isn't flat chested,like most ballerinas,but she still has long legs and nice feet.but sometimes it is something as small as your chest size to make people look the other way,,,,Oh well.....And as for "the Mom",I think I know who your daughter is.You said you had a son as well,so I crossed referenced in Nutcracker programs....Trust me,you all have nothing to worry about.Your daughter is a beautiful dancer and she seems to have the qualities that will lead her far in Boston or anywhere she chooses to go.Best of luck to both of your children.

Thank you "mom" and Mel for your input on the topic.Perhaps you're right and it is an issue of "old" versus "New" .My question is now this...What happens when a new AD comes into a company and cleans house so to speak,but assures dancers who have been there a while and that have been re-hired , that they are in his/her vision,and then doesn't follow through?If a new artistic director is appointed to a company and presumably gets rid of everyone they don't want,then why not use people you supposedly want?This question is not pointed at only the minorities,but the rest of the people who aren't used...As for the "vision" Boston Ballet will not be a company to represent the city of Boston if it does not use "Noticably" black dancers onstage. I say this because they have their outreach program and many of the children stay because they find someone who looks like them onstage.What happens when the little darkskinned girl looks up to see nobody that looks like her?To the best of my knowledge,there is only one African American person in the company and she is not used.The company seems to be doing ok with Asians and the new Latinos...a couple of Russians,but what about the black people?Are there no good Black dancers in the states who would want to work in Boston?There hasn't been a black man in the company since the late 90's .The man in question was again grossly underused and went to Beja'rt...SO maybe it is this...if you are black and look it,there might not be a future for you,but if you blend in enough,the skys' the limit...I don't want to seem biased,but I guess I am.Lauren Anderson of Houston Ballet is the reason I am such an advocate.She was to my knowledge the only noticably African American Principal dancer in the united States(outside of Dance Theatre of Harlem) and it worries me that it will not continue.If I seemed harsh in my earlier post it was more out of confusion than anything.I know Boston Ballet and what it once was and I worry that it will not continue on the path that Bruce Marks and even E. Virginia Williams before him,chose...Racial tension and inequality have always been high in Boston.I am just waiting for the director who will throw that all out the window and really look at their dancers for their differences , not only their similarities.If I have offended anyone,I am sorry.As I said earlier,I am just trying to figure some things out.This does bring to mind earlier questions about the departures of the Black women at NYCB.You can't deny the similarities..How can a director who supposedly hired them,not have anything in mind for their futures???And then they leave out of frustration....I just want to know if someone has an answer...

Yes,there are alot of Asians in the company and they are very well used.The newer "latino" dancers are also being used,but the older ones aren't so much and the only African American the company has, is not used ..Yes,she is used for basic corps roles in Nutcracker,but she is capable of doing much more and has, under the previous directors...As have a few other dancers there...There is a great degree of Diversity in the school and fortunately Nutcracker gives them all a chance to perform. I don't see a huge difference in ablilty amongst the dancers in the company,so it puzzles me that the same ones are left out.If it truely is a question of ability,were Bruce Marks and AnnaMarie Holmes wrong all of those years?I am just really trying to figure something out .Perhaps I am missing something,so if anyone can help me figure this out,I'd appreciate it.

Hi there.It has been a while since I have posted on this topic and I feel the need to do so now. I have been observing Boston Ballet lately and I wonder what happened... There used to be a time when the obvious minorities were used in that company and now they aren't. Is it really possible that every choreographer or stager that comes to set pieces in the company doesn't envision black or hispanic dancers in their ballets?There are a couple of hispanics who are used,btu not the ones who have been in the company a while.. When Bruce marks and AnnaMarie Holmes were the directors,you saw every dancer they had in some capacity.In the past year or so the same few dancers have performed.Not to belittle their talent,because they are all great,but I worry that Mikko and Valerie are missing the Big Picture. Boston Ballet has billed itself as a diverse company for many years.Diversity includes acceptance of everything ,including Race,Age and Sexual Orientation.A large portion of the city of Bostons' population is either African American or Latino and yet they aren't fully represented onstage. What message is that really sending to the minority community?or to the hundreds of students who go to their school looking for a chance? There are some minority dancers who have been in the company for a number of years..They aren't any less talented than the other dancers, but they are older... I wonder if it is a coincidence that the minority dancers who aren't used ,are also the same minority dancers who have been there for a while... That would be a shame...I mean,if they are good dancers,use them.So what if someone has never invisioned them in a role.The year is 2004.Ballet is an Artform.It doesn't have to be true to life..Use your imaginations... I feel a change in the air for the company and it worries me that some more familiar faces will not be returning to the company next year :shrug: and that the little black and Latino students might have to look elsewhere for inspiration...

Hello there......I happen to be a minoity and a ballerina and I have to tell you,it's tough to be in this profession.First of all,in reference to the ballet teachers' comment at the beginning of the thread, I hope that she was truely unaware of the impact of her words.I grew up in a situation where I was one of maybe two African Americans in my ballet class and school and neighborhood and I didn't really know I was "different" until I got older.I suddenly had people telling me I had to be a better dancer than, and a more intelligent person than all of my friends in order to get anywhere and I didn't know why.I didn't know why I wasn't a party child in the nutcracker when all of my friends were....Fortunately for me,I listened to the advice and have had a rewarding career....However, As much as some companies have advanced with minorities, most of them still have a way to go.I have to commend Boston Ballet for never leaving their minority dancers out of Swan Lake or Giselle,or for never asking them to make themselves look less than black.I suppose Bruce Marks is to thank for that.His goals for the company had always included diversity....While the company still doesn't have any "ranking" black dancers,there are several Latino dancers in the upper ranks and a handful of up and coming Asians....And a good thing about the minorities is that you can tell they look different from others.I think that is a good thing.As long as a dancer can do the steps with the same quality as the rest of the people around him or her,it shouldn't matter at all what their ethnic origin is......