Existence as Insistence: Dance Theatre of Harlem Chronicles an Organization’s Prescience

With the publication of Dance Theatre of Harlem, authors Judy Tyrus and Paul Novosel offer the first book to document the history of the company. Established in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is now led by Virginia Johnson, a former principal dancer. In addition to celebrating the legacy of DTH, Tyrus and Novosel illuminate the interwoven histories of ballet, dance education, civil rights movements, and social change. Tyrus was a member of DTH from 1977 to 1999, and Novosel is a musician, playwright, and composer. Their diverse backgrounds enrich the writing, shedding light on musical compositions and interdisciplinary collaborations. They have collected historical details, stories, and images that vivify the company’s accomplishments as well as setbacks. The book is a testament to the prescience of founders Mitchell and Shook and to the beauty and creativity of DTH. Photographs of dancers during performances, rehearsals, open houses, and touring engagements accompany nearly every page. Presenting DTH’s fifty years in chronological order, Tyrus and Novosel divide these five decades into three sections: History, Movement, and Celebration. The book’s organization deepens awareness of how DTH’s ideas and priorities have shifted and developed over time. Part 1, “History,” focuses on Mitchell’s family, upbringing, training, and career with New York City Ballet (NYCB), setting the stage for his establishment of DTH. Mitchell had to choose between attending Bennington College or the School of American Ballet (SAB), as both offered him a scholarship. He chose SAB. In 1960, George Balanchine asked Mitchell “to find a black girl with whom he could dance a pas de deux as the representatives of Africa. He called Mary Hinkson” (p. 16). Hinkson was the first Black woman to dance with NYCB. A chapter on Shook lays the groundwork for the pedagogical principles DTH developed and is followed by