Collins, Janet (1917–2003)
Collins, Janet (1917–2003)
African-American ballet dancer. Born Janet Collins, Mar 2, 1917, in New Orleans, Louisiana; died May 28, 2003, in Fort Worth, Texas; dau. of Ernest Lee Collins (tailor) and Alma (de Lavallade) Collins (seamstress); attended Los Angeles City College; never married; no children.
The 1st African-American dancer to find considerable success in ballet, becoming a premiere danseuse for the Metropolitan Opera in the 1950s, 1st studied dance in Los Angeles and performed on early tv shows and with various companies; had New York solo concert debut (1949); was principal ballet dancer of Metropolitan Opera (1951–54); gave solo concert tours in US and Canada (1952–55); taught at Marymount College, Harkness House, School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School; set a precedent that began to enlarge the possibilities for African-Americans in the field; works choreographed include Blackamoor (1947), Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1947), Spirituals (1947), Protest (1947), Après le Mardi Gras (1947), Juba (1949), Three Psalms of David (1949), Moi l'Aime Toi, Chère (1951), The Satin Slipper (1960), Genesis (1965), Cockfight (1972), Birds of Peace and Pride (1973), Song (1973), Fire Weaver (1973) and Sunday and Sister Jones (1973). Received Donaldson Award for best dancer of the Broadway season (1951–52) and Dance Magazine Award (1959).
See also Women in World History.