Ruth St. Denis

 Ruth St. Denis (January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) US dancer, teacher, and choreographer who is considered one of the pioneering influences in American modern dance.

staticflickr | answers | The New York Public Library. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.| Denishawn Collection

Janet Collins

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.

Janet Collins (March 7, 1917 - May 28, 2003), was a ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She performed on Broadway, in films, and appeared frequently on television. She grew up in Los Angeles, California. She auditioned for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo when she was only 15. She was very talented, but she was not accepted because she was black. They told her she would have to dance in a white face. She said no thanks. She had a chance to dance at the 92nd Street YMHA in February 1948. In 1951 she became the first African American prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera in NY, NY.

Source: vintageblackglamour | google | freebase

Uday Shankar

Uday Shankar (8 December 1900 – 26 September 1977) (Bengali: উদয় শংকর), the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of modern Indian dance, which he later popularized in India, Europe, and the United States in 1920s and 1930s and effectively placed Indian dance on the world map.

Source: wikimedia | lowres-picturecabinet

Marie Bryant

Hollywood dancer and choreographer Marie Bryant (November 6, 1917 - May 23, 1978). Marie was one of the most popular Black exotic dancer of the late 1930s and early 1940s. A former Cotton Club dancer, over the years her students included Marlon Brando, Debbie Reynolds, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Vera-Ellen, Cyd Charisse, Ava Gardeners, and Mitzi Gaynor. She also worked with Fred Astaire’s choreographer, Hermes Pan and served as an assistant to Jack Cole.

Source: imdb

Pearl Primus

Pearl Eileen Primus (November 29, 1919 – October 29, 1994) was a dancer, choreographer and anthropologist. Primus played an important role in the presentation of African dance to American audiences.

Source: vintageblackbeauty | wikipedia | americandancefestival

Sylvia Fort

Sylvia Fort (July 3, 1917 – November 8, 1975) was an American dancer, choreographer, and dance educator.

Source: wikipedia | blackpast.org

Gene Kelly

Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer.

 Source: findagrave | wikipedia