Black Dance Legacy Mural Dedication

The Black Dance Legacy Mural celebrates the history of Black dancers in Philadelphia, who broke barriers and cultivated a lineage of excellence that continues to influence the dance world today. Featuring live dance performances, music, and refreshments, the dedication will also be a chance to hear from living legends Philadanco Founder Joan Myers Brown and Karen Warrington, a former ballerina and dance historian who helped steward the mural project.

Philadelphia Black Dance Mural Project by artist Bernard Collins Jr. highlights three generations of Black dancers, beginning with Essie Marie Dorsey, who overcame centuries of racial discrimination to teach Black ballerinas from her home studio beginning in 1926. Also honored are three of Dorsey’s students, Joan Myers Brown, Sydney King, and Marian Cuyjet, who went on to become trailblazing instructors in their own right, combining Caribbean dance with classical techniques; Alvin Ailey’s Judith Jamison; and Philadelphia-trained ballet star Michaela DePrince.