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and joined the Dunham
Company. A turning point in her dance career came in November 1948, when she performed in a one-night program at the Las Palmas Theater in Los Angeles. She earned excellent notices. In 1948, she moved to New York and got the chance to dance her own choreography on a shared
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Janet
Collins' dance reputation today resides primarily in her role in breaking the colour barrier; the constraints on Black classical dancers were too strong for her to have a vibrant performing career. In some Southern cities, race laws kept her off the stage, and her parts were played by
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understudies. After a performance in
Toronto, Dance Magazine reported some years ago, she and a colleague approached the door of an obviously crowded restaurant only to be turned away with the curt statement that the establishment was closed.
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In failing health, she moved to Fort Worth from
Seattle in 2000 to be closer to her brother, Ernest Patrick Collins, who survives her, as does her sister, Betty Wilkerson of Pasadena, Calif. Janet Collins died in 2003 at the age of 86, in
45:, choreographer, and teacher. She performed on Broadway, in films, and appeared frequently on television. She was among the pioneers of black ballet dancing, one of the few classically trained Black dancers of her generation.
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88:, but as she was required to paint her face and skin white in order to be able to perform, she did not join the company. In the 1940s, Collins collaborated with well-known dancer
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349:"Cinematic "Pas de Deux": The Dialogue between Maya Deren's Experimental Filmmaking and Talley Beatty's Black Ballet Dancer in A Study in Choreography for Camera (1945)"
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in New York City from 1951 until 1972. In 1974, Collins retired from performing and teaching, devoting herself to her
Catholic religion and finding comfort as an
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in 1951 which she joined the next year and performed at until 1955. In later life
Collins taught modern dance at
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In 1949, Collins earned glowing reviews in a variety of performances, including the
Broadway production of
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in 1951. It was in that role that she was noticed by
Zachary Solov, then the ballet master of the Met.
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in 1989. In 2007, in recognition of
Collins' great work and dedication, her renowned cousin
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established the Janet
Collins Fellowship to honor aspiring talented ballet dancers.
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In 1974, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater paid homage to her and
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In 1932, aged 16, Collins auditioned with success for the prestigious
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631:"The Carmen De Lavallade Awards for Dance: Janet Collins Fellowship"
227:"Janet Collins, 86: Ballerina Was First Black Artist at Met Opera"
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for which she received the Donaldson Award for best dancer on
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324:"The Dancer Who Made History 64 Years Before Misty Copeland"
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as pioneering black women in dance. Collins received a
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41:(March 7, 1917 – May 28, 2003) was an African American
548:"Celebrating Black History Month: Spotlight on Janet…"
143:, and was the first Black ballerina to perform at the
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Melville Digital Development, L. L. C. (2018-02-23).
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American prima ballerina, choreographer and teacher
117:Janet Collins receiving a kiss from ballet master
57:, and at the age of four moved with her family to
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296:Lewin, Yaël Tamar; Collins, Janet (2011-09-13).
640:, New York Institute of Dance & Education.
302:. Wesleyan University Press. pp. 62–63.
65:community center. She studied primarily with
610:"CANDACE AWARD RECIPIENTS 1982-1990, Page 2"
578:"Janet Collins, 86; Broke Ballet Color Line"
401:"Janet Collins, 86; Broke Ballet Color Line"
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250:"Janet Faye Collins (1917-2003) • BlackPast"
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534:Night's Dancer, The Life of Janet Collins
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171:. She was also an accomplished painter.
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723:20th-century American ballet dancers
703:Marymount Manhattan College faculty
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19:For the soap opera character, see
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708:School of American Ballet faculty
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536:, Wesleyan University Press, 2011
93:program at the 92nd Street YMHA.
653:"Janet Collins, American dancer"
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248:Glenn, Aszemar (3 March 2014).
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522:"Marymount Manhattan History"
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576:Thurber, Jon (2003-06-02).
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353:Journal of American Studies
347:Durkin, Hannah (May 2013).
161:Marymount Manhattan College
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728:African-American Catholics
512:′s Guide to Black History.
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659:′s Guide to Black History
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153:School of American Ballet
121:after her performance in
718:Dancers from California
693:People from New Orleans
657:Encyclopædia Britannica
510:Encyclopædia Britannica
59:Los Angeles, California
698:Dancers from Louisiana
432:Pocantico Hills School
278:Janet Collins obituary
131:She also performed in
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30:Janet Collins in 1951
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21:Janet Bergman Collins
673:American ballerinas
225:Dunning, Jennifer.
205:Carmen De Lavallade
636:2016-07-10 at the
620:on March 14, 2003.
532:Yael Tamar Lewin,
437:2013-05-24 at the
232:The New York Times
145:Metropolitan Opera
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405:Los Angeles Times
309:978-0-8195-7115-1
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100:'s musical
98:Cole Porter
75:Adolph Bolm
55:New Orleans
667:Categories
595:2018-04-09
562:2020-10-09
491:30 October
461:30 October
418:2018-04-08
333:2019-05-01
259:30 October
211:References
149:Balanchine
590:0458-3035
413:0458-3035
381:144363190
373:0021-8758
254:BlackPast
199:from the
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49:Biography
634:Archived
435:Archived
108:Broadway
63:Catholic
167:in the
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183:Legacy
165:oblate
140:Carmen
73:, and
377:S2CID
39:OblSB
586:ISSN
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328:Time
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