It was a pointed comment about her Afro-braided hair that spurred Ruth Essel to carve out what she calls a safe space for Black dancers. The founder of Pointe Black Ballet School in London said when she was a child, teachers and assistants all but punished her for not fitting the traditional ballerina mould, as if she was using her race as some kind of rebellion. Those challenges inspired Essel, a deputy programme manager at a unit of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, to establish Pointe Black in 2020 at the age of 26.
Reporting and writing by Muvija MIt was a pointed comment about her Afro-braided hair that spurred Ruth Essel to carve out what she calls a safe space for Black dancers.
Passport pictures of Essel as a child are seen on the wall of her bedroom in south London, Britain, July 16, 2023. REUTERS/Alishia Abodunde Those challenges inspired Essel, a deputy programme manager at a unit of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, to establish Pointe Black in 2020 at the age of 26. The iconic image of a ballet dancer remains light-skinned, even though the artform - which originated in the Italian Renaissance as court entertainment - has expanded globally with stars from Asia, South America and Cuba. And classical ballet companies strive for a uniform look especially in works like “Swan Lake,” making it harder for dancers of colour to get hired or promoted.
Kioni, Keturah and Maya practice ballet at the barre during their class at Pointe Black Ballet School in south London, Britain, January 21, 2023. REUTERS/Alishia Abodunde Maya Beale-Springer, a 10-year-old student at Pointe Black and another ballet school, enjoys exploring various styles. “When I was 15, I wanted to apply to dance colleges, but I was discouraged because I was told that the ballet world just wasn’t really ready for someone who looked like me,” Essel recalled.Essel wears Pointe Black merchandise as she takes part in an Instagram live from her flat in south London, Britain, July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Alishia Abodunde
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