About Dance Theatre of Harlem, Inc.
For the past 49 years, Dance Theatre of Harlem has occupied a distinguished position at the forefront of American cultural achievement, training generations of young dancers and reaching millions of audiences around the world. Established in New York in 1969 out of the turmoil of the Civil Rights era and the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded in Harlem as a community school for the allied arts by the late Karel Shook and by Arthur Mitchell, the first African American to become a principal dancer with a major U.S. ballet company (New York City Ballet).
The impact of African American culture is as critical to Dance Theatre of Harlem today as it was when the organization was founded. Inspired by a dream to make the arts accessible for all, Dance Theatre of Harlem was quickly recognized as “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times, 1971).
Today, Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading American dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim whose mission is to:
- Maintain a world-class school that trains young people in classical ballet and the allied arts;
- Present a ballet company of African
...American and other racially diverse artists who perform the most demanding repertory at the highest level of quality; and
- Provide arts education, community outreach programs and positive role models for all.
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