Janet Collins, the first Black prima ballerina at The Metropolitan Opera in her dressing room on the night of her debut, November 11, 1951. Ms. Collins, a cousin of Carmen de Lavallade, performed Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” that night. She died in 2003 at the age of 86.
Dancer Janet Collins, photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1949. Two years later, she would become the first Black prima ballerina at The Metropolitan Opera. Her cousin, Carmen de Lavallade, said “Janet was rather like Auntie Mame… she’d just breeze into town because she danced with Katherine Dunham’s company. And when she came into town, it was really something - and then she’d breeze out again. She was a fascinating woman.” Photo: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Janet Collins dancing in the Cole Porter musical ”Out of This World” in 1950. Her cousin, Carmen de Lavallade, said “Janet was rather like Auntie Mame… she’d just breeze into town because she danced with Katherine Dunham’s company. And when she came into town it was really something - and then she’d breeze out again. She was a fascinating woman.”
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Pictured above is the lovely Janet Collins, the first Black prima ballerina at The Metropolitan Opera, accepting flowers in her dressing room in November 1951. She was also a cousin of Carmen de Lavallade.
Janet Collins dancing in the Cole Porter musical ”Out of This World” in 1950.
Janet Collins, the first Black prima ballerina at The Metropolitan Opera on the night of her debut, November 1, 1951. Ms. Collins, who died in 2003 at age 86, was also a cousin of Carmen de Lavallade.
