When I think of ballet,
I think of privilege.
I think of rich folks
attending performances
and ‘perfect’ ballerinas
on stage.
And white.
White tutus.
White performers.
White attendees.
Aesha Ash,
professional ballerina,
through her
The Swan Dreams Project,
is changing that view.
The project started simply
with her posing
in economically depressed areas
and sharing those photos
on social media.
“Through the use of imagery
and my career as a ballet dancer,
I want to help change
the demoralized, objectified
and caricatured images
of African-American women
by showing the world
that beauty is not reserved
for any particular race
or socio-economic background.”
It has expanded
into a much larger movement.
We can start small
and still make a big difference.
The important thing is…
we start.