Dance Theatre of Harlem's tights of another color

Every little girl likes to go to ballet class dressed in pink tights and slippers.

Isn’t that right?

But what if you’re a girl of color and your skin isn’t pink?  And so your ballet tights, rather than mirroring your skin tone and elongating the line of your leg, well, they just jar?

This mundane problem became symbolic for pioneering black ballet star Arthur Mitchell when he launched Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1969. Under Mitchell’s instruction, the ballet company’s costumers dyed lycra tights and spray-painted pointe shoes with hues of brown, honey and cinnamon, dyeing the satin ribbons too.

Out marched a parade of leggy ballerinas garbed for the real world. Now a common practice, this “reality” skin tone trend began at DTH.

Tights and shoes occupy only one small corner of a comprehensive historic exhibit, “Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts,” on view until July 4 at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park. The show, a must-see for dance lovers, tours the vibrant troupe’s artistic history, which showcased the work of the most important American choreographers of the 20th century. This tour of DTH’s deep footprint spurs hopes that the company, dismantled in 2004, may soon be revitalized.

At an exhibit-related colloquium on Saturday eight DTH alumni dancers shared their personal histories dancing with the company. Read about it here. 

-- Debra Levine

Photo: Tights and shoes on exhibit at “Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts.” Credit: Gene Ogami

 

Comments

[KYSB]

What an wonderful opportunity to see and hear the Dance Theatre of Harlem exhibit and the DTH Alumni at this beautifully done exhibit at the CAAM. A brief history and journey of a pioneering group of artists and what became an incredible international ballet company. The panel discussion was insightful and emotional. The company is so important to the world of dance and to artists young and old everywhere. It was a joy to participate and I can't wait for the company to return! Thanks!

[Karen Goodman]

In 1972, The Gloria Newman Dance Theater performed at the ANTA Theater on Broadway, sharing three programs with Dance Theatre of Harlem. Gloria Newman, a major figure in S. CA dance in the 60's - 80's (at least), had been Arthur Mitchell's teacher and mentor at NY's High School of the Performing Arts before moving to LA. In autumn of '72, the ANTA was home to a multi-week long dance festival that featured a major dance co. for a week. That company would share the show with two other companies who would alternate performances, so we had three performances there. Mr. Mitchell had specifically asked for Gloria's company to share the program.

It was a wonderful experience. Mr. Mitchell was incredibly gracious to not only us, but to everyone. I remember taking note of the color of the tights and shoes and thinking how great that was. The dancers were talented and on fire.
You couldn't help but think how important this venture was.

Dancing at that theater was a true Broadway experience, with dressing rooms up 3 and 4 floors above the stage and windows kept slightly open, even though it was a cold October, because the radiators were blasting heat. Because smoking was pervasive in those days, the backstage crew smoked backstage ... during the show! While waiting in the wings stage left to enter, I noticed one of them smoking a cigar stage right and watched as great puffs of smoke wafted onto the stage. After my exit stage right, I demanded he put out his cigar. After a pause and a dirty look, he did. Later, I found out I was wrong in having not gone through channels to have my superior tell his superior.

Time moves so fast, and we forget our foundations so rapidly, but I want to take this moment to remember Gloria Newman. She was a great teacher and choreographer who along with Bella Lewitzky, taught, inspired, cajoled, browbeat and gave an incredibly strong foundation to a generation of LA dancers.

[Clara]

I loved watching Dance Theatre of Harlem and was deeply saddened by the company's demise. Let's hope it will be reborn.

About the tights/shoe color thing, however - I have a different opinion. The darker tones which DTH dancers wore made it harder to see the dancers legs and feet especially in dimly lit settings such as Act II Giselle (or Creole Giselle).

As a white dancer - my skin isn't pink - and doesn't come near to matching the usual pink tights and shoes that I wear. The same is probably true for those dancers who come from Hispanic countries or the Far East.