Black Sheep Ballet is a Virtual Dance Company Promoting Inclusivity

Black Sheep Ballet is a new virtual ballet company with a mission to bring dance to diverse audiences while also nurturing and pushing forward the artist that ballet has pushed away for so long. All genders, sexual orientations, body types, skin colors and disabilities are welcomed and treated as professional artist at Black Sheep Ballet. All that's required of dancers is an ability to perform high quality work and a passion for dance.

Black Sheep Ballet was founded by Brian Syms, a dancer for the New England Ballet Theatre, TODAY reports.

"In the Black community, a lot of people don't understand ballet, but that's mainly because we've kind of been left out of it," he said. "It's been seen as a Eurocentric dance form for so long. People in my community are like, 'That's white people stuff.' It's programmed into everyone to think it's not an option for us."

Syms is joined in the company by fellow dancer Colleen Werner, who has struggled with her body image and previously suffered from an eating disorder.

The company will be rehearsing and releasing work virtually going into 2021, and is set to have their debut performance in the spring.

"I hope that Black Sheep is able to reach the people I want it to - the little boys or little girls like me somewhere who might not feel like this is an option for them," Syms added. "Because everyone deserves to be represented. Everyone deserves to follow their dreams."

Read more on TODAY and learn more about the company on their Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/blacksheepballet/.

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