6 Ways BGDB Supports the Dance Community

Have you ever been curious about what we do here at Brown Girls Do Ballet? Our organization, which began in 2013, is much more than just a collection of stunning ballet photos and cute dancewear.

TaKiyah Wallace founded BGDB with the intention of creating a community of support, representation, and camaraderie for dancers of color. In doing so, she became more aware of the needs of many dance professionals, studios, and aspiring dancers in the Black community. Today, BGDB’s network expands not only across the nation, but across the world. We work hard to ensure our vision comes to fruition!

Keep reading to learn how BGDB works to accomplish this mission through its support for the dance community.

Funding and Supplies

Ballet is an expensive sport, which is why each year, BGDB provides several scholarships and grants to dancers, studio owners, and even non-dancers to help offset costs related to dance lessons, supplies, and college.

Some of our most popular scholarships are the Brown Girls Do Inc. College Scholarship, the Tiny Dancer Scholarship, the Micro Grant Program, and the Small Studio Grant. We also try to gather and donate supplies to dancers who may not have the easiest access to them. Our Supply Closet provides free supplies that were donated by businesses and individuals. Through our Pointe Shoe Project, we aim to partner with retailers and distributors who are willing to provide shoes and/or fittings for dancers at no cost.

The Brown Ballerina Ambassador Program

Having mentorship and access to opportunities and resources can make all the difference in a dancer’s journey. That’s why we created our Brown Ballerina Ambassador Program, where dancers can apply to join and are expected to help spread positivity about the role that diversity plays in the realm of classical ballet.

Ambassadors are also expected to participate in regular meetings, complete assignments, and help further the success of our mission. Acceptance into the program results in opportunities to connect with professionals in the dance industry for Q&A sessions and informationals, access to skill- and career-building workshops, and opportunities for jobs, media exposure, and more.

Impactful Social Media Content

We use our social media platform to educate, entertain, and inform our followers of happenings and opportunities in the dance community. Our Facebook page is the best place to catch up on the latest episodes of Relevé, a series of videos where we interview dancers and studio owners while also giving behind-the-scenes looks into our work and travels. Younger dancers would enjoy our Tiny Dancer Book Club, which airs on Youtube and features dancers reading short books about dancers of color.

On Instagram, we share announcements about scholarships and other opportunities for dancers. We also let dancers take over our page often, so that they can show us what a day in their life is like. Catch one of our Instagram Live broadcasts for interviews and live Q&A sessions with our founder, TaKiyah Wallace.

Representation

Did you know that BGDB started out as a photo project? TaKiyah began a personal photography project to highlight girls of African, Asian, East Indian, Hispanic, and Native American ancestry in Ballet programs after discovering the lack of cultural diversity in local ballet schools while searching for a program for her then 3-year-old daughter.

Now, if funding allows for it, she and a few members of the BGDB crew travel to various cities each year to photograph dancers of color. The photos taken are also typically featured in our annual calendar, which we sell in limited supply to gather donations for each upcoming year. Video footage is used for episodes of Relevé, and dancers have the opportunity to use some of the professional shots for their own portfolios.

Brown Ballerina Advice and Interviews

Dancers of all ages, parents, dance teachers, and supporters of our organization can peruse our Brown Ballerina Blog for inspiring interviews with our ambassadors, scholarship winners, and various dance professionals; career and college tips for dancers; and even ideas for goal-setting, hairstyles, and more. Articles are posted regularly, and there’s something there for everyone!

Related: Mid-Year Blog Recap: 2022

Strong Community

Of course, one of our biggest and core efforts in supporting the dance community is through the support of a strong community. Over the years, we have connected with so many dancers, studios, parents, businesses, and dance professionals who all support the BGDB mission! Without their efforts, we would not have been able to reach as many dancers in need as we have over the years.

By attending dance events, creating meaningful content and programs, and remaining down-to-earth, accessible, and true to our values, we hope that when dancers see our logo, they feel uplifted and at ease!

Of course, no mission can be accomplished without behind-the-curtains hard work, dedication, and motivation. We are able to fulfill our goals with the help of our small team, grants and funding from partnerships with large corporations and retailers, and through donations and volunteer work provided by our passionate community!