What a great panel and wonderful conversation. As an African-American former professional dancer in New York and Los Angeles I could relate to so much of what the dancers shared. Thank you!!

I absolutely love that the royal ballet supports black history month and that their dancers of color have been so vocal these last few months. It’s a super important sign to the ballet world.

Would love to see more of this content from the Royal Ballet. Thanks to the panel for taking part so openly. I'm buoyed by the momentum for changing the future of ballet for good, there's so much more to do.

Insight is right! Very grateful to have this opportunity to hear the analysis and experiences of these dancers. And wow, they should have Kenneth Tharp on as moderator more often; he did a wonderful job.

A beautiful conversation. One thing to remember is that it is not solely the responsibility of BAME people to push for equality. It is all of our responsibility, and we must continue to create the space for people to criticise and push for change in our day to day lives/work, as well as push towards change and equality ourselves where we see a lack of it. And not to forget about the intersectionality of issues of equality. The world is full of wonderful and beautiful people that deserve the chance to shine just as much as everyone else, and to not push to see that, is doing everyone a disservice.

So needed! I can't wait for the Paris Opéra Ballet to do the same...

From Brazil, as a 30yo black man doing ballet, I thank you all so much for this conversation. Marcelino 🥰🥰🥰... He is someone I admire in many aspects.

Thank you for having this conversation and for sharing it with us!

Thank you so much so much to the Royal Opera House and to the dancers in particular for this much needed conversation. It is only one small step toward a much bigger wind of change but it certainly shows that we're heading in the right direction, as it should always start with listening and open discussion

Thank you for this conversation. Everybody is so eloquent and Kenneth is a wonderful moderator. I am looking forward to seeing change at the ROH happen. Thank you everybody.

Joseph Sissens is such an amazing young artist and activist he has inspired me so much and after seeing this I'm in full support of all of these talented artists endeavors in dance and in life. Thank you Royal Ballet.

Important and heartfelt conversation. Thank you Marcelino, Joseph A, Francesca, Marianna, Francisco, Joseph S, Kenneth and ROH ❤️

Why have I just found this insightful clip. Thank you for sharing 👏🏾💃🏾 I initially trained in Ballet and later other styles. I predominantly work in administration now but when I look back I do believe the lack of representation, visibility and black dancers have a voice was certainly overlooked. I hope many aspiring young dancers find value in this! 💯

Genuinely happy this conversation is happening. There so many talented Dancers of Colour (DoCs who are black, South Asian, etc.) and it's great to hear their stories and experiences. Seeing yourself represented is such powerful thing. Something that should never be undervalued.

A most valuable conversation. I thank you all for your honesty and passion. I should have seen this 2 years ago. Classical ballet has taken on the "sexism" (if I can call it that because I normally use the term for the inwaualities experienced by women) about boys being dissuaded from being fancers because of the prevailing view that men shouldn't be beautiful and graceful. It is still onmly recently that some people have realised how much strength and athleticism is involved for both men and women in ballet. I am pleased that the world of ballet is challenging the classism and racism, too.

Incredible, thank you for opening up spaces to talk about important topics like this one

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Would love to see Kenneth interview the same dancers in 5 years time.

Amazing conversation! Thank you so much for allowing these beautiful souls to tell their stories ❤️

Great conversation. I wish there was a way to have one of these discussions with other Black ballet dancers outside of the Royal Ballet too, like Precious Adams, Celine Gittens, Tyrone Singleton, Brandon Lawrence, Michaela DePrince and Nikisha Fogo. There are still too few Black ballet dancers in the top ranks of major companies, but I'm grateful we're witnessing a moment where Black aspiring ballerinas can find various Black dancers excelling in companies across the world.

Mr. Sissens! PREACH IT! Give them the whole truth and nothing but the TRUTH!! Yes! Yes! YES! I am so happy and proud to see a young man like you stand up for our people, black dancers all over the globe! Thank you for that! I danced in the late 70’s to the mid 90’s and we (black dancers) were not allowed to voice our opinions and thoughts about racism in the ballet world, nor would they (artistic management) have allowed us to! Thank you for your courage and thank you for speaking out and speaking the truth for our ballet dancers of color!

So good to see this conversation happening. Like many people, I want to see diverse bodies on stage at the ROH. As noted in the discussion, the dancers of colour in the company are all fairly light-skinned. I look forward to also being able to see very dark-skinned dancers, just as a matter of course. It feels good to open all this up and let in some fresh air.

I can't believe I only just watching this a whole year later?!!! Awesome conversations, I was grinning on the topic of hair. Well done for this🏆

such an interesting, inspiring and broad conversation. thank you!

So happy to hear these insights into the lives and experiences of these talented dancers.

What a rich, thoughtful, brave conversation thank you

Such an important conversation to have, especially about such a predominantly white and Euro-centric industry! Thank you for uploading this!

Amazing conversations! I admire the dancer who admitted that everyone on stage is light skinned. I was a very dark skinned ballet dancer. Always the only 1 with the exception of a male dancer for 1 or 2 seasons. And yes I was told there were roles I could learn but would never be able to perform. This was long before Mysty. I'm happy there are more black dancers of every skin tone.

WONDERFUL. Thank you.

Thank you, all, for this conversation. I almost wish I could lose 30 years and start again NOW, but I am of Kenneth's vintage! Joseph's (what an impressive young man!) contribution at 57-59min is the nail on the head moment, but it has been refreshing and hope-inspiring to hear all the beautiful young people speak so well, to experience their personalities somewhat and be informed of their engagement with this important issue. Kenneth called attention to this view that Ballet could be seen as operating in a bubble, unconcerned with the real world; and so it always seemed to be to me; conversations with dancers consistently and often blatantly - which a sense of entitlement to a selfishness - supported that outlook. That was one of the main reasons it did not appeal!! Further, it seemed to be a near-SOLID WALL of "whiteness" and (upper-class, in Europe) snobbery, despite a respect for the physical work and many aspects of the aesthetic. I dreamt of one day seeing a cast that, as Kenneth spoke of his orchestra, "looks like London" and maybe even put on works that reflected our lives. Brilliant for keeping both the audience and supply of dancers small, but feeling special about themselves, of course... Congratulations to RB for accepting some changes...as a start. Artists, as people, are affected by the broader issues of society/the world. Diversification brings in broader experiences and views, which refreshes further empowers institutions/companies/societies, if the new blood is not repressed and reduced to mere window dressing. This issue is important for them, for Ballet, for the world. We should not rest and allow stagnation on it. And backward steps are only for the physical choreographies!

Thank you for this video and conversation to raise awareness of the issues brown/black people face in ballet. Whilst the Royal Ballet is further along the path there is clearly still work to do. How about a programme of ballets, choreographed by black choreographers only? English National Ballet held a highly successful programme of ballets choreographed by women only.

Thank you for this conversation.

Thanks for sharing this! So interesting and inspirational.

This is brilliant, I'm especially moved by Joseph Sissens' insights

Thank you all!

Yeah I really relate to being taken aback being asked about "being a mixed race person." I'm not white, but for the longest time it didn't bother me that many industries were majority white people.

Thank you all for this which I found very interesting. I know what you meant about how clasical ballets tend to design for white dancers. I am white but when I first went to see ballet, it was beautiful but remote and one of the things I loved most over the years has been seeing a more diverse range of dancers in both classical and modern ballet. As a white person, an all white cast does not reflect my reality. My family, work and social network are more diverse so it definitely looks more relateable to have a cast that reflects the real world. I was touched by the experience of the dancers and wish we could all walk in each others shoes for a while to better understand the experience of intentional and unintentional racism.

love

The Royal Opera House needs to lower its prices to performances in order to materially effect decolonisation not only on the basis of constructed racial categories but also the deep entrenchment of class as constitutive of modern/contemporary Britain. People from any background should be afforded opportunities to see the classical arts, if any real change was going to happen.

This is great.

I'm curious how covid has effected daily class practice are you still able to meet and practice the same?

Such a good video!!!! Thank you for making this

No matter the colour

ya lots of articulate words. Great stuff. I've always felt that watching for talented people directors and choreographers should be open minded about roles and not confined to a specific cultural identity - roles can be re-imagined as well. We all love tradition but let's keep an open mind too. I don't know what to think about some of the incredibly stubborn ignorance I've seen in the US emerge since Trump. I mean it's always been there - just now more visible since he's enabled these idiots. Let's just keep trying to drown them out.

World ballet day soon

56:05 other than nutcracker, which ballets is he talking about?

interesting what Marcelino is saying: "I WISH I HAD SLEEK HAIR..." that opens a crack, doesn't it?

Can you just please upload full opera free already?

Why are you politicising The Royal Ballet - this is absolutely appalling and racist, especially considering you have all been given the privilege of working with The Royal Ballet which is not a part of black culture. What a bunch of whinging victims being incited by Tharp.

What a load of bollocks.

This is so dull.