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 and a non-profit organization called Brown Girls Do Ballet. 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.