The Art Of The Pivot: This Dancer’s Push For A More Inclusive Ballet World

The implication in the world of art is that its institutions—and the board members and patrons that uphold them—are inherently more liberal than others. The public has a tendency to associate this idea of liberalism with a veil of diversity and equal opportunity that is often inconsistent and at times imagined.

In a conversation with Charlotte Ballet’s academy director Ayisha McMillan Cravotta, we discuss the history of dance, its growing pains in inclusion and her personal journey as a Black professional ballerina. 

Born in Minnesota, Ayisha and her family moved to Chicago’s Oak Park when she was just two years old. Her family was thrust into the spotlight after the local newspaper wrote a story about the new Black family in town. As it was later revealed, the relocation of her family had been part of a much larger effort to move Black families into the neighborhood. The community initiative responsible for this move, and others, was predominantly made up of white organizers who worked to dismantle the effects of systematic racism in housing, and to undo the history of redlining the city was not proud of. 

Growing up, Ayisha felt that she and her sister were blessed in unexpected ways. When she would seemingly question the hows and whys of it all, her mother would simply tell her, “The Lord has no zip code on His rolodex.”

It was not until she reached adulthood that she was able to recognize that her parents worked behind the scenes to build a supportive community around her. Ayisha’s mother continuously cultivated relationships that would provide her opportunities for years to come.

“I was a Jack and Jill member because my mother helped found the local chapter,” Ayisha McMillan Cravotta told The Block.

She and her sister were later extended opportunities to become involved in the study of architecture, theater, and choir.

“I even played the cello,” she said. “You name it, we did it.”

Although she was active in and fond of many things, dance remained the constant in her life. Shortly after moving to Oak Park, Ayisha was placed into The Academy of Movement and Music where she found ballet instructors eager to mentor her as a young, Black student. It was within this academy that she was able to build the foundation of her training.

At the age of 10 when her class was asked, “Who here is able to see themselves as a professional ballet dancer?”—Ayisha’s hand shot into the sky. Five years later, she was given the opportunity to do just that. 

At only 15 years old, Ayisha moved to Houston to train professionally. While working alongside other dedicated students and a team of chaperones, she balanced the life of an ordinary high school student with that of a professional dancer.

In 1996, as she approached 18, Ayisha received her first contract with the Houston Ballet. During her time in the company’s corps de ballet, she was poised and groomed for a career on stage. She toured internationally, traveling from London to Hong Kong, as well as domestically throughout the United States.

After six years with the company, Ayisha landed in North Carolina for a new permanent placement with Charlotte Ballet. It was here that she would dance the final five seasons of her career. 

Sadly, due to the extreme athleticism required of a dancer, Ayisha sustained a hip injury that would force her into early retirement in 2007. Luckily, she didn’t have to look  far when seeking out new employment opportunities.

Over last 18 years, Ayisha has worked in lead administrative roles for Charlotte Ballet and now serves as its academy director. Ayisha oversees artistic and administrative aspects of the company, along with her team.

She is now able to see through a different lens, just how institutional racism and implicit bias has shaped the industry.

Historically, the roots have been fed by white-washed politics that have either granted or denied access to who gets to become a creator in the arts. These politics also pose the questions, who does society deem as beautiful, and who is not? In the world of ballet, the convo has long centered around the color of tights and shoes that a dancer wears.

“If we think about the paradigm of a ballerina, the image that many of us grew up with was one where ballerinas were clothed in ballet pink,” Cravotta explained. “It has a way of reflecting nicely the skin tone of a caucasian ballerina, and it helps to complete what is called the line. When we place my skin in this pink, visually, my legs and other parts of me feel more divorced from the rest of my body.”

While much of a ballerina’s success is attributed to her talent, there is much to be said in audition rooms about her appearance as well. These visual “breaks in the lines,” along with body shape and hair texture, often reduce the amount of opportunities afforded to Black dancers. 

As we all bear witness to the unveiling of the systematic racism that plagues every industry, inclusive of the arts, Cravotta stands as a bridge helping to bring over dancers of all backgrounds. She is seeing to it that they are judged and trained based upon their talent, and not solely on what they look like or where they come from.

As the academy grapples with the effects of COVID-19 and pivots (all puns intended) to digital instruction and small socially distanced outdoor classes, Ayisha feels hopeful that Charlotte Ballet will soon bounce back to its full capacity—all while navigating proposed systematic changes necessary to dismantle racist and oppressive practices within the industry.

For more information on classes, programs, and upcoming shows, please visit charlotteballet.org.