Dance Trailblazer Strikes a Pose

Ballet dance pioneer Arthur Mitchell leaps across the stage in a 1985 Dance Theatre of Harlem production.

February 2, 2024

"I believe that dance, and the arts more broadly, can be used as a catalyst for social change — that is why I started the Dance Theatre of Harlem," said pioneering ballet dancer, artistic director, and choreographer Arthur Mitchell (1934–2018). Columbia has a wealth of online resources detailing the breadth of the African American experience. This Black History Month, learn more about some of these great Columbians, including Arthur Mitchell, who you can see dance in this video, and whose archive is housed at Columbia's Rare Book & Manuscript Library.


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