Sat 2/25 @ 6-8PM
Even little black girls dream of being ballerinas, and certainly, American Ballet Theatre star Misty Copeland — its first African-American principal dancer — has given them reason to believe they can succeed. Cleveland Inner City Ballet offers classes and performance opportunities to kids of any race who might otherwise be cut off from them, along with exposure to all the arts.
The group will present an evening of what it calls “socially conscious” short ballets featuring its professional company in “Hoodie,” ‘Black Butterfly,” “Nobody But Me” and “March.” Students in its education program will also be showcased.
“Cleveland Inner City Ballet has always been committed to presenting classically themed ballets through our education and performance programs,” says founding artistic director Chandra Ford-White. “However, we believe it is equally important to develop ballets that explore current issues affecting our communities. We feel very strongly about promoting dialogue and using ballet as a medium to do so. The ballet ‘Hoodie’, for example, is a complex piece which explores issues of racial profiling and police brutality.”
The program, which takes place at Cleveland State University’s Main Classroom Auditorium is free and open to the public.
2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115
2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115