Dance Theatre of Harlem

Culture and Media, Education
Dance Theatre of Harlem

Geography: United States

Founded: 1969

Address:

466 West 152nd Street
New York, NY 10031

About the Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading 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
  • To provide arts education, community outreach programs and positive role models for all
  • To present a ballet company of African-American and other racially diverse artists who perform the most demanding repertory at the highest level of quality

Dance Theatre of Harlem encompasses a performing Ensemble, a leading arts education center and Dancing Through Barriers®, a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts.

History

Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem was considered “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times, 1971). Shortly after the assassination of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children — especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born — the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its fourth decade, Dance Theatre of Harlem has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continues to set standards in the performing arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem has achieved unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country and around the world.