American Ballet Theater has launched a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and regional ballet companies across the country aimed at increasing the meager number of minority dancers, the troupe announced on Friday. The program, titled Project Plié, will offer scholarships to talented young dancers of color and train dance teachers who work in underrepresented communities.
The face of the new initiative, which was reported by The Wall Street Journal, is Misty Copeland, the 31-year-old African-American soloist, whose appearances in a Diet Dr. Pepper commercial and in magazines have drawn fans outside of the ballet world. Ultimately the company hopes not only to attract more dancers from minority groups, but also more minority-group audience members as well. Rachel Moore, the troupe’s executive director, said, “In launching Project Plié, American Ballet Theater aims to take an important step toward helping the classical ballet profession better reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of our country’s population.â€
