Media advisory: Professor can comment on first African-American female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre

LAWRENCE – A University of Kansas dance professor can talk about the significance of Misty Copeland’s historic role as the first African-American woman to be named a principal in the American Ballet Theatre.

Michelle Heffner Hayes, chair of the Department of Dance, has researched how race, gender and sexual identity relate to dance. Specifically, she has written several books on flamenco.

Ballet, which descended from the European courts, presents an idealized and Eurocentric notion of masculinity and femininity. It’s an ideal that very few women in the world match, Hayes said.

“There have been African-American principal dancers and soloists in major ballet companies since the 1950s,” Hayes said. “But there have been far fewer opportunities afforded to African-American women in ballet, so Misty Copeland’s achievement as the first African-American principal ballerina at American Ballet Theatre is incredibly important.”

To interview Hayes, contact Christine Metz Howard at 785-864-8852 or cmetzhoward@ku.edu.