Helen Taitt, a native of British Guyana, trained at the School of American Ballet and was a member of the New York Negro Ballet. Taitt was described as looking “old-fashioned” and “Pavlova-like.” She choreographed a ballet for the company, which was performed in 1959.

She additionally performed on Broadway in Four Saints in Three Acts in 1952.

Taitt was “Guyana’s best known, most accomplished and acclaimed professional dancer” and established the School of Guyana Ballet and the National School of Dance in Dominica. She also helped in setting up the Taitt Dance Theatre, Berlin Art Circle, and Barbados Art Circle.

In addition to being a dancer, choreographer, instructor, pianist, manager, and director, she was a writer, and her career is well documented in her autobiography My Life My Country.

Sources:

Dancing Many Drums: Excavations In African American Dance, Thomas F. Defrantz
Helen Taitt, Playbill
Women in History: Helen Taitt – An Accomplished Choreographer and Professional Dancer, Guyanese Girls Rock
Al Creighton’s Arts on Sunday, Stabroek News
Guyanese Red Ladies in the Spotlight, Guyanese Online

See also:

Ward Flemying founds Ballet Americana/New York Negro Ballet, MoBBallet