The lack of diversity in the ballet world has been a problem for many years. But despite the lack of brown swans being fairly represented in the ballet world, there are several black modern day revolutionaries taking center stage.

Misty Copeland, Ebony Williams, and Ashley Murphy, to name a few, have changed the conversation about the skin color and ideal body type of a ballet dancer. So, in honor of World Ballet Day, we’re spotlighting Brown Girls Do Ballet, an organization dedicated to promoting diversity in ballet.

[Related: Alvin Ailey Dance Company Launches International Tour]

Beautiful, uplifting, inspiring, and revolutionary–are just a few words that come to mind, when viewing the curated collection of photos from ‘Brown Girls Do Ballet’ Instagram account. But much more than the visual appeal, the backstory of each dancer is even more profound. Here are a few black dancers who’s passion and dedication deserve the spotlight.



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