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Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet (MoBBallet.org)

Is a digital archive dedicated to the presentation, promotion, and preservation of the contributions of Black artists in ballet — illuminating muted voices and uplifting lesser-known histories and legacies while cultivating new ones.

Through storytelling, education, and community building, MoBBallet engages the entire dance ecosystem — connecting current leaders, educators, and writers while cultivating and nurturing the next generation of ballet artists.

We are dedicated to developing models that reimagine the field and shift its values and culture to make it healthier, more inclusive, more productive, and safer for all. By doing so, MoBBallet drafts a new blueprint for ballet and beyond, ensuring that the art form’s future is as rich, diverse, and dynamic as its untold past.

We are only as strong as our stories; therefore, they must be told, preserved, and shared.

 

Exibition Hall

ROLL CALL

Roll Call is MoBBallet’s living registry honoring Black ballet artists, celebrating their contributions, and serving as a vital resource for the dance community.

TIMELINE

The Timeline tracks the significant milestones of Black presence in ballet, charting the evolution of dancers, premieres, institutions, and historical shifts over time.

THE CONSTELLATION PROJECT

The Constellation Project maps the “Dark Stars of Ballet”, showcasing key Black dancers and visualizing their connections with peers, institutions, and allies across time.

AND STILL THEY ROSE

A vivid ancestry map of Black Philadelphians in ballet, illuminating the teachers, students, and institutions whose dedication has upheld and extended their cultural legacy.

DANCING DIVERSITY: Celebrating the History of the Black Ballet Artists of the Dutch National Ballet

Celebrates Black ballet artists shaping the Dutch National Ballet’s legacy.

REFRAMING THE NARRATIVE: Blacks in Ballet | A Kennedy Center Digital Stage Original

Honors the mentors guiding Black ballet artists, shaping their journeys, and strengthening the legacy of future generations.

 

Services

THE OASIS DANCE JOURNAL

The Oasis Dance Journal presents bold, culturally attuned writing on dance, offering
fresh critiques, commentary, and perspectives that challenge the field to evolve.

CONSULTATION SERVICES

We help organizations move from intention to action, partnering with leaders to assess culture, craft strategic DEI roadmaps, and implement sustainable change rooted in equity and inclusion.

EDUCATION

Education at MoBBallet offers curated programs that illuminate ballet’s diverse history, providing students and educators with tools to expand knowledge, foster inclusion, and learn.

 

PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

MoBBallet Symposium

The MoBBallet Symposium on the Hill offers:

• High caliber dance training and 1:1 mentoring of Black ballet dancers by faculty and mentors that look like them.

• Personal Development for students, choreographers, dance educators, studio owners, and scholars led by industry professionals.

• Pathways to Performance Choreographic Program to support the development of Black ballet choreographers.

• A platform for cohort learning space for dance educators and scholars to present their work, and engage in continuing education and discourse.

• Programming that addresses and interrogates the state of the arts, offering opportunities for the dance community to liaise with ballet leadership.

To learn more, use the button below.

Invest in the Future of Blacks in Ballet, support the MoBBallet Scholarship Fund

To make a donation, use the button below. 

Pathways to Performance is not just a program—but a launchpad

Pathways to Performance Choreographic Program (PTP) cultivates and mentors Black choreographers (and those of color) who work specifically in the ballet idiom. PTP also supports contemporary choreographers interested in exploring ballet, while assisting established—but often overlooked—creators in breaking through the glass ceilings that have hindered their advancement in the dance world. Through this program, choreographers are given tangible opportunities to create and present their work on prominent stages.

Show your support

We are only as strong as our stories, and your donation ensures that MOBBallet can continue to preserve and present them.

Donations collected through unique projects Inc. 501(c)(3)

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