Zeni Perez’s Reviews > The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History > Status Update

Mitchell kissing his muse & continuing the narrative of skinny is desired in ballet was a turn… you’d think he was gay

To think if Marcia didn’t see the Dance theater of Harlem she might’ve stopped pursuing ballet is so sad but is also why representation matters. They get told it’s not for them until they see proof it is. Glad her mother gave her so many examples to follow.

Lectures to little ones is honestly genius marketing in that day

Mitchell’s mindset to grind down his dancer’s ego to dust before someone outside their community does is the kind of teacher you want. He was right, you do have to work 10x harder than someone with privilege just to be credited.

“Always walk on stage like you are somebody” aww Mitchell really poured into Tania 🥹 appreciated the pianist. Being able to see other POC in a predominantly white art allows one to just focus on the craft & get to excellence. “We never had to justify to each other our right to ballet” 🙌