The Color of Dance

From the photographer behind the Instagram sensation Brown Girls Do Ballet, this stunning coffee-table book showcases breathtaking images of ballerinas of color of all ages and levels - from toddlers to retirees, professionals to amateurs - that reflect today's beautifully diverse world of dance.

For decades the prominent image of a ballet dancer has been a white body with pale clothing. It took 75 years for American Ballet Theatre to have its first African American female principal dancer, Misty Copeland. Seeing this lack of diversity and representation, photographer TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian began her journey to document colorful ballerinas, creating breathtaking photographs that eventually became an Instagram hit while Wallace-MacMillan founded a non-profit organization called Brown Girls Do Ballet, designed to promote diversity in the arts by providing annual scholarships, a mentor network, and community programs to empower young girls.

For TaKiyah's first book, The Color of Dance, she traveled around the country seeking out even more dancers of African, Asian, East Indian, Hispanic, and Native American ancestry to photograph for this inspirational and beautiful gift book. Featuring more than 175 images of ballerinas of all ages and levels and quotes from ballerinas, both amateur and professional, TaKiyah gives a voice to dancers who have been underrepresented for too long.

The Color of Dance redefines what this classically Euro-centric art form has looked like for centuries and will inspire dancers - and all of us - to pursue our dreams no matter what barriers are put in front of us.

About the Author

TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian is a photographer and the founder and executive director of Brown Girls Do Ballet, a philanthropic organization that works to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in ballet programs through organizing and arranging ballet performances, photo exhibitions, and providing resources and scholarships to assist young girls in their ballet development and training. TaKiyah's photographs have been featured in The Washington Post, HuffPo, Pointe Magazine, Madame Noir and more. She is a former Gifted-Education teacher (16 years), television host, and is the Owner/Photographer of Some Sweet Photography. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her family.