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Black History Year

This Black Ballerina Was Told To Paint Her Face White To Perform

Black History Year

PushBlack

History

4.62.2K Ratings

🗓️ 10 October 2024

⏱️ 3 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

She’d been practicing for years just for this moment. She floated onto the stage with a poise that had their mouths on the floor. As she’d hoped, the company wanted her as their star ballerina – but only on one racist condition.








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2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.




The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer."

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Transcript

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0:26.7

She'd been practicing for years just for this moment.

0:31.1

She floated onto the stage with a poise that had their mouths on the floor.

0:36.4

As she'd hoped, the company wanted her as their star ballerina, but only on one racist condition.

0:45.3

This is Two-Minute Black History, What You Didn't Learn in School. She danced her way onto the audition stage with Grace, and a hush fell over the room of white judges.

1:06.3

They stood stunned in disbelief that a black ballerina as good as Janet Collins existed.

1:14.6

She was accepted into the ballet company, but only on one racist condition.

1:21.6

She had to paint her face white.

1:25.6

The company wanted her to disguise her blackness to perform with them. But

1:30.3

despite being only 15 years old, Collins refused to stoop so low. Instead, she pivoted

1:37.3

and ultimately made some big moves.

1:50.8

Collins performed in vaudeville shows and theater troops and eventually performed her own choreography during her 1949 New York debut.

1:55.5

She kept grinding, and soon her star power was undeniable.

2:00.4

She danced her way into the top spot as the first black dance. And soon her star power was undeniable.

2:10.1

She danced her way into the top spot as the first black prima ballerina with the ultra-prosageous metropolitan opera house.

2:15.6

Jim Crow Law still kept her off the stage when the company toured in southern states.

2:23.3

Despite this, Collins never gave up on her dreams, never danced in white face, and later taught dance to other underrepresented dancers.

...

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