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Janet Collins in 1951. Janet Collins, OblSB (March 7, 1917 – May 28, 2003) was an African American prima ballerina, choreographer, and teacher. She performed on Broadway, in films, and appeared frequently on television.
May 24, 2024 · Janet Collins (born March 7, 1917, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.—died May 28, 2003, Fort Worth, Texas) was an American ballet dancer and choreographer, acclaimed for the beauty of her dancing on the Broadway stage.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about Janet Collins, the first African American prima ballerina with the Metropolitan Opera and a pioneer in dance education. Discover her achievements, challenges, and legacy in this article by SAB.
May 31, 2003 · Janet Collins, prima ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera House in the early 1950's and one of a very few black women to become prominent in American classical ballet, died on...
- Became A Stand-Out Dancer
- Solo Performance Became Ticket to New York
- At A Glance …
- Joined The Met
- Devoted More Time to Her Spirituality
- Selected Works
- Sources
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Janet Faye Collins was born in New Orleans on March 2, 1917, one of six children of a hardworking tailor and seamstress. She moved with her family to Los Angelesin 1921, where at the age of ten she began to study dance. Some reports claim she was unable to enroll in regular classes—reserved for white dancers—so was forced to study with a private te...
After Collins's first solo concert, she received much critical praise for her dance, as well as for her costumes, which she had designed. Her one-night performance at the Las Palmas Theater in Los Angeles earned her a scholarship to study composition under Doris Humphreyin New York City. The concert was a critical hit, but was not as successful fin...
Born on March 2, 1917, in New Orleans, LA; died on May 28, 2003, in Fort Worth, TX. Education: Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Art Center School, studied painting; studied ballet with Adolph Bolm, Carmelita Maracci, Mia Slavenska, and Madam Toscanini; San Francisco School of Ballet, attended, 1954; studied Hebrew music with composer Ernest...
Zachary Solov, the new ballet master of the Metropolitan Opera, first saw Collins in Out of This World. "She walked across the stage," he recalled in Dance, "pulling a chiffon curtain, and it was electric. The body just spoke." Solov instantly set his sights on her for a new production of Aida he was choreographing. Solov told Rudolf Bing, the Metr...
Collins began to bind her teaching with her increasing commitment to Roman Catholicism. She ignored North American and European tour offers to teach full time and to develop her own troupe. She was known as a demanding teacher who required her students to study human anatomy and undergo extensive physical training—in short, she expected no more of ...
Dance Performances
Run Little Chillun,1940. The Mikado in Swing,1940. Aida. Carmen. La Gioconda. Samson et Dalila.
Choreography
Blackamoor,1947. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,1947. Spirituals,1947. Protest,1947. Aprés le Mardi Gras,1947. Juba,1949. Three Psalms of David,1949. Moi L'Aimé Toi,1951. Chére,1951. The Satin Slipper,1960. Genesis,1965. Cockfight,1972. Birds of Peace and Pride,1973. Song,1973. Fire Weaver,1973. Sunday and Sister Jones,1973. Canticle of the Elements,1974.
Books
Complete Marquis Who's Who,Marquis Who's Who, 2001. Smith, Jessie Carney, editor, Notable Black American Women, Book I,Gale Research, 1992.
Periodicals
Dance,February 1997, p. 66. Fort Worth Star-Telegram,May 31, 2003, p. 14. Jet,November 19, 2001, p. 26. New York Times,May 31, 2003, p. 7. Opera News,August 2003, p. 72. Pointe,August/September 2003, p. 48.
Learn about Janet Collins, the trailblazing dancer who broke the color barrier in classical ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Discover her life, career, awards, and artistic achievements in this comprehensive biography.
Mar 3, 2014 · Learn about Janet Collins, who broke the color barrier in classical ballet in 1951 by performing with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Read about her life, career, and achievements as a dancer, teacher, and painter.
Janet Collins, 1917-2003. Collins in 1951. Photo credit - Ed Palumbo @ Library of Congress. The first black Prima Ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in NYC, paving the way for dancers of all races in classical ballet. Janet Faye Collins (1917-2003) was born in New Orleans and grew up in Los Angeles.
