Viva School of Dance affords opportunities for students of color

DC Theater Arts: Beyond the requisite barres and mirrors, dance studios — particularly ballet studios — carry centuries of hierarchical, colonial, and white supremacist practices. While many never considered the pale pink tights and pink satin pointe shoes, and a preference for thin bodies and long straight hair easily pulled into a bun, racially biased practices, these de rigueur requirements have kept ballet an exclusive — and primarily white Eurocentric artform.