The Swans of Harlem

Harlem, 1969: Arthur Mitchell founds the Dance Theatre of Harlem. As a principal dancer, Mitchell understands the inequities of being a Black performer in the world of ballet. His mission: to form a dance troupe to prove that a person's skin colour should be no barrier to their relationship to classical dance. From its beginnings in a church basement come dancers answering Mitchell's call: Lydia Arbaca, a Black prima ballerina who becomes the face of Revlon; Sheila Rohan, a mother and activist; Gayle McKinney-Griffith, tired of being old she can only perform modern dance; Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton, two young women who are inspired to dance professionally after watching the Dance Theatre of Harlem perform. From dyeing their shoes to match their skin colour to performing for the Queen and dancing in the West End, this is a story of glamour and grit but above all of a sisterhood that has endured over fifty years. Now, these Swans of Harlem have come together to tell their truth and to celebrate their legacy as pioneers of dance, changing the way ballet is perceived forever.