Debbie Allen
Deborah Kaye Allen is a woman of many talents, spending the better part of her 70 years gracing our stage and screen with her creativity. Best known for playing Lydia Grant in the television series FAME and choreographing for the series, Debbie went on to produce, direct and star in many successful television productions. Miss Debbie Allen holds honorary doctorates from Howard University and University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts, she was a serving member on the President’s committee for arts and humanities and is forever immortalised with her own star on the Hollywood walk of fame. The Debbie Allen Dance Academy is a highly respected non for profit institution that has been delivering arts education to students, regardless of their financial status for almost 20 years.
Harper Watters
Harper Watters graces the worlds stage not only in his role as a soloist with the Houston Ballet but through his social media platforms, performing unapologetically in towering heels, beautiful fashion and with authentic energy we could only hope to achieve. Described as a “dancer for today’s generation”, Harpers viral videos and youtube channel “The Pre-Show” inspire dancers all over the world to be their true selves.
Carlos Yunior Acosta Quesada is a Cuban ballet dancer. He has danced with many companies including the English National Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Houston Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. He was a permanent member of The Royal Ballet between 1998 and 2015. In 2003, he was promoted to Principal Guest Artist, a rank which reduced his commitment, enabling him to concentrate on a growing schedule of international guest appearances and tours. He celebrated his farewell after 17 years at The Royal Ballet, dancing his last performance in November 2015 in Carmen, which he both choreographed and starred in
In January 2020, Carlos Acosta was appointed as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, succeeding David Bintley. In February, he announced the plans for his inaugural season, including a 'Curated by Carlos' festival, and special performances with renowned ballet dancer Alessandra Ferri.
Virginia Johnson
At thirteen years old Virginia Johnson received a scholarship to train at The Washington School Of Ballet where she was the only African American student. After graduation she attended New York University as a dance major where she met Arthur Mitchell who invited her to help him start a ballet company. Virginia became a founding member of the Dance Theatre Of Harlem, dancing with them for 28 years as a principal. Since retirement has been editor in chief of pointe magazine and is currently artistic director of the Dance Theatre Of Harlem.
Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell was an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and founder and director of ballet companies. In 1955, he was the first African-American dancer with the New York City Ballet, where he was promoted to principal dancer the following year and danced in major roles until 1966. He then founded ballet companies in Spoleto, Washington, D.C., and Brazil. In 1969, he founded a training school and the first African-American classical ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem. Among other awards, Mitchell was recognised as a MacArthur Fellow, inducted into the National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, and received the United States National Medal of Arts and a Fletcher Foundation fellowship.