Dance Theatre of Harlem
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Dance Theatre of Harlem is a ballet company founded in Harlem, New York City, USA in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook.
In the 1920’s a movement called Harlem Renaissance came and opened the world’s eyes to arts of African Americans. This is still continuing today with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. This school could not be what it is today with out the help of two men, Karl Shook and Arthur Mitchell.
Karl Shook is a talented man and started his career in the arts at an early age. He was a child actor and at the age of thirteen received a scholarship to Cornish School of Allied Arts and became the special protégé of its founder, Nellie Cornish. In 1959 he became the first teacher and ballet master of the Dutch National Ballet, where he then came back to the United States and became the co-director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Arthur Mitchell won a scholarship to the School of American Ballet and made history as being the first African American male dancer to become a permanent member of a major ballet company. He continued in ballet and dance and became a very well known dancer. After hearing of Dr. Martin Luther King’s death he wanted to give back, so in 1969 Arthur Mitchell partnered with his teacher and mentor Karl Shook founded and formally incorporated the Dance Theatre of Harlem as a school of the allied arts and professional ballet company.
The Dance Theatre of Harlem is a community school that offers extensive courses in music, dance, costuming, and theatre to all who want to further there education in allied arts. It accepts pre-school children up to senior citizens.
From the very beginning the school was destined to become great and famous and it has. The school has become a world famous dance training institution and an active art education center. The United States Department of Education has listed it as institution of higher education. The school offers specialists in children’s movement, European ballet, choreography, and musicology.
