The Jones-Haywood School of Ballet was founded in 1941 by Doris W. Jones and Claire Haywood in Washington D.C. to provide young dancers of color with the opportunity to learn classical ballet.[1] Its students have gone on to dance with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Philadanco, Het Nationale Ballet Company, The Washington Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, on Broadway, and also become choreographers, actors and dance educators.[2] Famous alumni include Chita Rivera, Hinton Battle, Sylvester Campbell, Louis Johnson and Sandra Fortune-Green.[3][4] Ms. Jones and Ms. Haywood also founded the Capitol Ballet Company, which was a racially integrated professional ballet troupe that ran from 1961-1989. The School was also home to the Jones-Haywood Dancers.[5] Ms. Jones died in 2006 and the school is now directed by Ms. Fortune-Green.[6]
