Black ballet magic!!
A group of Texas ballerinas are making a bold statement for Black History Month with their new photo shoot.
The dance company was inspired by trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland, and wanted to do something in honor of all the Black ballerinas to commemorate Black History Month, ABC News reports. What came of that was a powerful photo shoot that’s making its rounds on the internet.
The iRule Dance Studio in Beaumont, Texas is home for these pint sized dancers. The photo shoot was initially meant to just be a fun bonding moment for the girls but they quickly realized the significance of the moment after seeing the shoot.
Angela Malonson, one of the parents of the dancers said, “These girls work so hard, and although they don’t complain about it, sometimes we like to do something fun. It just so happened to be February and what better month to do in honor of Black History Month.”
Copeland has most certainly blazed a ballet trail for a new generation of Black ballerinas, including 11-year-old Charlotte Nebres, who recently made history as the first Black lead in the Nutcracker. But Copeland was not the first, with a line of Black ballerinas coming before her including pioneering ballerina Raven Wilkinson, the first African American woman to dance full time with a major ballet company.
With so many following in their footsteps, these photos by Bee Photography makes us so proud. It’s so good the minis who will be making their own history soon.
Photo Courtesy of Bee Photography