Arts Interview: Raven Wilkinson | It’s A Question Of Balance 29 August 2015

Broadcast on 29 August 2015 on KSCO AM 1080, KSCO 104.1 FM, KOMY AM 1340, and KSCO.com Live Stream.

'It's A Question Of Balance' is a two hour show which balances the intellectual with the creative. The show combines a debate topic with an arts interview because discussion and creativity are two of the most vital ways we engage in the world. 

Check out podcasts of the different topics and arts guests at www.itsaquestionofbalance.com

Hour 2: In-Depth Arts Interview with Raven Wilkinson

This week as her special guest from the arts Ruth Copland is pleased to be interviewing Raven Wilkinson, ballet dancer and actress. Raven was the first black female dancer to be hired to dance full-time in a major ballet company in America. Born in Harlem, New York, Raven began studying ballet at the age of nine studying under Vecheslav and Maria Swoboda, both Moscow Bolshoi Theatre-trained ballet dancers. She also took technique classes at the Ballet Theatre school with Madame Shollar from the St. Petersburg Imperial Russian Ballet. Raven went on to dance for five years with the renowned Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in the corps and as a soloist in Les Sylphides, only leaving when racial prejudice and segregation made it impossible for her to perform in certain Southern American states preventing her from touring fully with the company. After leaving Ballets Russes, Raven auditioned for several ballet companies without success and didn’t dance for several years. Then in 1966, the famous ballet dancer Sylvester Campbell suggested that Raven come and dance with him in The Netherlands with the Dutch National Ballet. Raven was offered a soloist contract and went on to dance with the company for seven years performing soloist roles in Symphony in C, La Valse, The Snow Maidens, and Graduation Ball. Lois Bewley, a dancer with Ballets Russes, American Ballet Theatre, and New York City Ballet, has said that “Of all the dancers I have ever known Raven is one of the most beautiful.” And Arthur Mitchell, principal dancer at New York City Ballet and founder of Dance Theatre Harlem has said of seeing Raven dance she had “beautiful feet” and was “quite lyrical”. Raven retired from ballet in 1973 but went on to perform character roles with the New York City Opera. Raven’s career has inspired many ballet dancers of colour, including the first African-American performer to be appointed as a principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland, for whom Raven has been a mentor. 

For more info and to hear previous shows visit www.itsaquestionofbalance.com