MoBBallet: Empowering Blacks in Ballet | Art Loft
Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet, or MoBBallet, seeks to preserve, present, and promote the contributions of Blacks in Ballet internationally. A symposium hosted in Miami brings together legends of the dance world, students, early career dancers, acclaimed mentors, scholars, and educators to forge the future of Black ballet. Learn how a combination of high caliber dance education and mentorship are helping to empower the next generation.
Ballet Intensive for Intermediate and Advanced Dancers
Our intermediate and advanced ballet intensive centers Blackness both in our students and faculty. Participants will not only have the opportunity to learn from our elite and diverse faculty, but also to truly connect with them as they learn about (Black) ballet history, discuss body image and aesthetics, and discuss training and higher education. Our Advanced track is designed to support dancers on the cusp of entering the professional realm by pairing them with a personal mentor who will provide individualized coaching, feedback, and mentorship, both in and outside of the studio.
1:1 Mentoring
Originally designed as a preparatory program for advanced students on the cusp of beginning their professional careers in addition to those in second companies, apprentices or in their first year of corps de ballet, MoBBallet Symposium 1:1 mentoring makes our program unique. All advanced dancers are intentionally paired with a personal mentor and coach for the week. Mentors are assigned based on their goals, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses shared on their applications.
Ageless Intermediate Dancers
Our levels are determined by skill not age, and since we know that some dancers come to dance, and specifically ballet later we don’t think age should be a barrier, therefore there is no cut age cut off for our intermediate level. We have found that by creating an environment that sees value and potential in all participants, and honors the process, and respects the desire to learn allows for a broader wider range of dance students to share in the experience and contribute whether through movement or by sharing their perspectives in our personal development sessions. Additionally it creates a beautiful environment of support and caring within the cohort Our intermediate dancers receive group mentorship to support where they are in their dance training.
Intermediate dancers receive group mentoring along with personal development classes
Dance Faculty and Mentors To DATE:
Anjali Austin
Caroline Rocher Barnes
Troy Brown
Donald Byrd
Kai Davis
Erica Edwards
Lydia McRae
Ramon Flowers
Meredith Rainey
Ballet Course Classes:
- Technique
- Pointe
- Allegro
- Variations
- Corps de Ballet
- Contemporary
- Corps de ballet
- Repertory (advanced)
- Body maintenance
Studio Culture:
At MoBBallet Symposium not only are focused on providing high caliber training we are equally concerned about how we do that. MoBBallet Symposium is curated as a learning space for all: participants, faculty, mentors and staff. We are all committed to creating the dance culture we want to see. Hence there is great attention to the language we use in speaking or evaluating the body, the way we offer critique and feedback, the aspect of mentoring encourages students to use their voices, while allowing faculty to get us to hear them. We are actively investigating the boundaries of flattening the hierarchy of communication which allows for dancers to express and contribute, while maintaining respect for expertise and authority for the front of the room. Conversely faculty and leaders are investigating how to work collaboratively, make space for those voices, receive suggestions and feedback while managing the room. All of this learning garnered during our time together will be carried back to each person’s dance home, effectively pollinating our field with these concepts and ways of being.
Mentoring:
Originally designed as a preparatory program for advanced students on the cusp of beginning their professional careers in addition to those in second companies, apprentices or in their first year of corps de ballet. Each advanced dancer is paired with a personal mentor for the week who will provide individualized coaching, feedback, and mentorship, both in and outside of the studio.
Our levels are determined by skill not age, therefore there is no cut age cut off for our intermediate level. We have found that by creating an environment that sees value and potential in all participants, and honors the process, and respects the desire to learn allows for a broader wider range of dance students to share in the experience and contribute whether through movement or by sharing their perspectives in our personal development sessions. Additionally it creates a beautiful environment of support and caring within the cohort Our intermediate dancers receive group mentorship to support where they are in their dance training.
Centering Humanity
MoBBallet sees every dancer as a leader of tomorrow, hence we see the highest potential in each participant in all areas: dance, intellect, teamsmanship, leadership and pour into them. All participants engage in the MoBBallet Personal Development Curriculum encourages them to examine ballet and their position encouraging agency by prompting them to think critically about dance and beyond. Deep dive group conversations help develop a sense of voice, and agency while promoting critical thinking.
Personal Development Programming:
- Icon Talks
- Dance history
- Body image workshop
- Nutrition and cooking class
- Screenings of films
- Pointe shoe workshop
- Ballet and Higher Education
- Exercising your Agency ...and more
Dance Classes
- Technique
- Pointe
- Allegro
- Variations
- Contemporary
- Corps de ballet
- Repertory (advanced)
- Body maintenance
Personal Development
- 1:1 Mentoring
- Icon Talks
- Dance history
- Body image workshop
- Nutrition and cooking class
- Screenings of films
- Pointe shoe workshop
- Physical therapy workshops ...and more
Repertory
Advanced dancers have an opportunity to be in a creative process with out Pathways to Performance choreographic Fellows, and learn the A,B,Cs of best studio practices in our Corps de Ballet class.
Intermediate students have a repertory workshops lead by our faculty, in addition to our Introduction to Corps de Ballet class.
Pathways To Performance Choreographic Program
In keeping with MoBBallet's 360˚ approach to transforming the field of ballet, the Pathways to Performance Choreographic Program (PTP) cultivates and mentors Black choreographers (and those of color) who specifically work in the ballet idiom. Additionally, PTP supports Black contemporary choreographers (and those of color) who are interested in exploring the ballet idiom, while also assisting established but overlooked creators in breaking through the glass ceilings that have hindered their advancement in the dance world. PTP provides them with concrete opportunities to create and present their work on prominent stages.
The lack of Black ballet choreographers mirrors the lack of Black professional ballet dancers. This shortage is reflected in other roles within the field, such as rehearsal directors, choreographers, artistic directors, and production directors/backstage crew. Consequently, it is reasonable to expect that as the ballet world begins to embrace and commission Black choreographers, they may primarily seek talent from the "low hanging fruit" of the modern and contemporary genres, resulting in an overexploited pool. This leads to the oversight of exceptional talents working in all genres due to the insular culture of the dance world.
MoBBallet's Pathways to Performance aims to break through this exclusive bubble by nurturing Black ballet choreographic talent and elevating established but under-recognized artists. It supports them in advancing their careers by showcasing their work on high-profile platforms.
Our mission is to ensure that the ballet field does not pigeonhole Black choreographers into subcategories like "modern" and "contemporary." Therefore, PTP is specifically designed to nurture and develop choreographers whose primary language is ballet and who create work en pointe.
*PATHWAYS TO PERFORMANCE CURRICULUM
Choreographic Analysis
Building Structure
Studio Management
Development of Movement Vocabulary
Negotiation of Contracts
Building a Team of Collaborators
Building a Network
Music: collaboration and licensing
Dramaturgy
*designed by Theresa Ruth Howard
COHORT LEARNING &
MENTORING
PTP creates a collaborative cohort of Black identified makers who together will learn and work with and on one another to investigate the process of choreography. Donald Byrd will as at mentor to the cohort along side facilitator Christian von Howard
CHOREOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to PTP fellows having the opportunity to work on our advanced students during the week. PTP has resulted in concrete choreographic commissions for participants.
In July 2024 Pathways to Performance made its performance debut at the Kennedy Center (July 2-3) and Jacob’s Pillow (July 10-11) which will feature two of our first class PTP fellows
HOST WALNUT HILL MAKES US AT HOME
The 2025 Symposium on the Hill is being hosted by Boston Ballet School and Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and takes place on the beautiful Walnut Hill campus in Natick, MA, just outside of Boston. MoBBallet (Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet) will have access to their state-of-the-art facilities, which includes 3 large studios, blackbox theaters, a gym, generous grounds, and we are now able to offer both a daily meal plan as well as dormitory lodging.
Come Board With Us....
Walnut Hill has opened their dormitory and dining facilities to the MoBBallet Symposium. Participants can choose from double or quad rooms, in Bishop Hall. Each room is furnished with a desk and desk chair, a bookshelf, a bureau and a bed for each occupant. All dorms have common spaces for gathering. The dining hall will provide 3 meals a day for all participants.
Pathways to Perfromanace 2024 Debut Season
Our debut performances featured commissioned and new works by five Black ballet choreographers. This dynamic group of makers illustrates the diversity within our ranks as they range from established, emerging,
Jennifer Archibald, Donald Byrd, Kyion Ross along with two Pathways 2022 fellows Portia Adams and Meredith Raineyand evolving makers.