#aesha ash

[marithlizard]

This photo is from her Swan Dreams Project! You can buy a print of it, or other merch, and all proceeds go to organizations that support ballet in diverse communities.

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

DECEMBER Celebrity Birthdays & Events

December Birthdays

Sagittarius Stars (November 22 - December 21) 1: Janelle Monae, Zoe Kravitz, Reign Edwards 2: Lesley Ann Brandt, Celeste O’Connor 4: Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins, Nafessa Williams 5: Lauren London 6: Ashley Madekwe 7: Idara Victor, Patricia Allison 8: Nikki Minaj, Teala Dunn 9: Jaida Essence Hall 10: Kiki Layne, Raven Symone, Kyliegh Curran 11: Chloe Coleman, Condola Rashad, Joi Harris, Xosha Roquemore 12: Regina Hall 16: Kiara Muhammad, Gretchen Palmer 17: Kiersey Clemons, Izabela Rose 18: Adelayo Adedayo 19: Cicely Tyson, Jen Harper 21: Quinta Brunson, Michelle Hurd, Rutina Wesley

Capricorn Stars  (Dec 22-Jan 19) 22: Alexis Floyd, BernNadette Stanis 23:  Brooke Singleton, Jessabelle Thunder, Ruby Barker 25: Bethany Antonia, CCH Pounder 26: Sofia Bryant, Trina Parks 27: AmandaMaryanna, Faithe Herman 28: Nichelle Nichols, LovelyOverdose 30: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Aesha Ash, Akosua Busia 31: Susan Wokoma, Donna Summer, Rosalind Cash, Denee Benton

December Events:

1: World AIDS Day | 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities | 5: Disney Day | 8: Pansexual Pride Day | 10: Human Rights Day | 21: Negro Solstice, Winter Solstice | 28: Marvel Day | 31: New Year’s Eve, Karamu Ya Imani (Feast of Faith) Yule:  Dec 21 - Jan 1

Kwanzaa 26 - Jan 1

26:  Umoja (Unity), 27: Kujichagulia (Self Determination), 28: Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), 29: Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), 30: Nia (Purpose), 31:  Kuumba (Creativity), 1:  Imani (Faith)

[dear-indies]

Hi! Could you help me find a fc that is mid twenties-early thirties, brown or black hair, female or AFAB, that could be a ballerina? Meaning either is one or has the resources to portray one? The character is Irish, but the fc doesn't necessarily have to be! Thanks so much for your time, and for all you do here!

Nelly Karim (1974) Egyptian / Russian - is a ballerina and actress!

Sutton Foster (1975) - is a dancer and actress, role in Bunheads!

Aesha Ash (1977) African-American - is a ballerina!

Svetlana Zakharova (1979) - is a ballerina!

Jenna Dewan (1980) Lebanese, Polish / German, English - is a dancer and actress, ballerina role in Step Up!

Ji-Hyo Song (1981) Korean - a ballerina in Princess Hours!

Summer Glau (1981) - is a ballerina and actress!

Misty Copeland (1982) African-American, German / African-American, Italian - is a ballerina and actress, had a role in A Ballerina’s Tale!

Marianela Núñez (1982) Argentine - is a ballerina!.

Alessandra Mastronardi (1986) - Carla.

Sonoya Mizuno (1986) Japanese / English, Argentinian - is a ballerina and actress, a role in High Strung!

Sofya Skya (1987) - is a ballerina and actress!

Tiler Peck (1989) - is a ballerina!

Autumn S. Klein (1989) - is a ballerina!

Francesca Hayward (1992) Kenyan / English - is a ballerina and actress!

Lyna Khoudri (1992) Algerian - is a ballerina and actress, role in Houria!

Anastasia Shevtsova (1995) - is a ballerina and actress, Polina!

Michaela DePrince (1995) Sierra Leonean - is a ballerina!

Kristine Froseth (1995) - Birds of Paradise.

Zaria Simone (1996) African-American - Pretty Little Liars.

Alicia Mae Holloway (1996) African-American, Cherokee - is a ballerina!

Maimun Puteh (1996) Malaysian - Hijabsta Ballet, her character is hijabi, I know you mention hair colour but I had to mention her!

Diana Silvers (1997) Ashkenazi Jewish / Swiss - Birds of Paradise.

Miko Fogarty (1997) Japanese / English - is a ballerina!

Lizzy Howell (2001) - has pseudotumor cerebri and is a ballerina!

Stephanie Kurlow (2001) - is a ballerina and also again also hijabi, I know you mention hair colour but I had to mention her!

Colleen Werner (?) - is a ballerina!

Natalie Burn (?) - is a ballerina and actress!

Sarah Murphy-Dyson (?) is a ballerina and actress!

and then for those looking for trans suggestions!

Jin Xing (1967) Chinese - is a ballerina!

Here you go!

[lboogie1906]

Aesha Ash (born December 30, 1977j is a ballerina. During most of her career at the NYC Ballet, she was the only African-American ballerina. She was born and raised in Rochester, New York. She started ballet, tap, and jazz at 5 at a local studio. When she was 10, she switched studios to focus on ballet. At age 13, she traveled to New York City to train at the School of American Ballet's summer intensive. She attended the course for two more years before being accepted as a full-time student. She won the Mae L. Wien Awards for Outstanding Promise. She became the school's associate chair of faculty in the summer of 2022. At age 18, she joined the corps de ballet at New York City Ballet. In 2003, she moved to Switzerland to perform as a soloist in the Béjart Ballet. She then returned to the US in 2005 to join the Alonzo King LINES Ballet, a contemporary ballet company in San Francisco. She retired from ballet in 2008. After retirement, she started the Swan Dreams Project, a project that encourages African-American girls to become ballet dancers. She received an award from the National Women's History Museum for her contribution to the arts. She was featured in the 2016 book The Ballerina’s Little Black Book. She married Natale Ruello, a senior director at Forward Networks, and has two children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CmyxpIWrj29/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[swanlake1998]

aesha ash and eric otto photographed performing in balanchine's rubies by beatriz schiller

[solmaspuro]

[mama-aqua]

No one seems to be talking about it here yet but NYC School of American Ballet just appointed their first woc as a permanent teacher and that's pretty big news.

Her name is Aesha Ash and her dancing skills are impeccable. If i were you guys id look her up immediately. Here's a link to a news story.

[thechanelmuse]

"Ballet embraces the soft, ethereal and majestic side to women, and yet we often don't see the media portray black women in this light. My project aims to reveal that women of color possess these qualities. We too are capable of portraying the princess, fairy and swan."

 —Aesha Ash

Aesha Ash's prestigious career has included world class roles. Yet she's now on to a different mission, with three big goals. She wishes to see ballet become more diverse. She hopes to inspire youth from rough areas to pursue their dreams. And she wants to show the world that tough environments can't hold back talented people, especially those with ambition.

Aesha performed professionally for 13 years. She attended the legendary School of American Ballet; joined the New York City Ballet at age 18; and has danced solo and principal roles for companies like the Béjart Ballet in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco. Now she's focused on The Swan Dreams Project, in which she uses imagery to tackle stereotypes placed on black women. Aesha commissions photographers to snap her as a ballerina in her hometown of rugged Rochester, New York, and in Richmond, California, and then donates proceeds from photo sales to organizations helping advance inner city youth. She also donates images to organizations for their fundraisers and to people seeking more positive imagery for their children or groups.

The dancer points out that black women have always existed in ballet, yet few become principals, the highest tier of dancers. When Misty Copeland became the first black female principal with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre last summer, Aesha found the milestone a moment to celebrate, yet sad and troubling that in 2016, we’re still celebrating a first. She hopes The Swan Dreams project will give more dancers — and youths in general — the chance to be celebrated for their own talents.

Rochester has one of America's highest crime rates. But Aesha hits the streets to prove that her hometown is more than violence and gangs. That's where her Swan Dreams Project comes in. "My community saw that out of our environment came a ballerina, not just negativity — a little black girl from inner city Rochester actually went on to become a professional ballet dancer in a top-tiered company," Aesha said in a one-on-one interview for this report. "Youth followed me on the street saying, 'This is what we need. This lifts us up.'"

Read more

[porterdavis]

This is a stunning visual.

[ultramaga]

https://www.instagram.com/theswandreamsproject/

[umflowers]

her name is aesha ash and this is her wandering around inner city rochester, new york in hopes of inspiring young black girls and breaking stereotypes. she runs an organization called the swan dreams project. here's one article about her and here's another. :)

[yasbxxgie]

Why Aesha Ash is Wandering Around Inner City Rochester in a Tutu

Growing up in inner city Rochester, NY, Aesha Ash was just one of the neighborhood kids. She'd imagine people driving by, judging her by her black skin.

"They'd never know that I was dreaming of becoming a professional ballet dancer. No one would think, Some day she's going to make it into New York City Ballet," says Ash.

After an inspiring career at NYCB, Béjart's Ballet Lausanne and LINES, the January 2006 Dance Magazine cover star—one of our 25 to Watch that year—is no longer performing. But she's determined to use her dance background to change the stereotypes and misconceptions that people—including black people—have about women of color. "I want to show it's okay to embrace our softer side, and let the world know we're multidimensional," says Ash.

In 2011, she launched the Swan Dreams Project to inspire kids in the community she grew up in. The original idea was to post images of herself in a tutu all over Rochester. "I remember growing up and in the bodega you'd see images of girls in bikinis on motorbikes," says Ash. "I wanted to replace those with photos that show women of color in a different light."

She knew the power imagery can have: She still remembers what it felt like as a student at the School of American Ballet to see a photo of black ballet dancer Andrea Long. "That image was everything on days when I was feeling disenchanted. I'd see that picture of her, and know that the struggles I was going through, she went through them, too."

Ash soon realized she didn't have the budget to fund her original plan ("I never realized how expensive a bus stop advertisement is!"). But she's made the images available through an online store, and often simply gives away prints at her own expense to schools and students in need of some inspiration.

Any proceeds she makes from the sales go directly to other organizations that are working to expand ballet in diverse communities. One large donation even led to a pointe shoe fund at dancer Robyn Gardenhire's City Ballet of Los Angeles school��and it helped one dancer who had quit ballet because of the expense come back to class.

Now a mother of two in San Jose, CA, Ash will also start teaching a free after-school ballet class at her daughter's public school next month. "I recently taught at Girls Inc. in Oakland, and one of the little black girls said, 'Are you the ballet teacher?' She just stood there, staring at me with her mouth open, like a unicorn had just walked into the room," Ash says. "You never know the impact you can have just by being a presence."

If you're interested in supporting the project, check out the online shop, or donate directly at swandreamsproject.org.

Photographs:

Ash in Rochester, NY. PC Thaler Photography by Arleen and Daryl Thaler for the Swan Dreams Project

Aesha Ash in Richmond, CA. PC Renee Scott via swandreamsproject.org

[awwsocuteanimals]

Ballerina Aesha Ash wandering around inner city Rochester in a tutu to change stereotypes about women of color and inspire young kids

[neshatriumphs]

Dark Skin Directory

I did one of these for my sideblog BlackFemmeCharacterDependency (BFCD) and... While it’ll take longer on this end to do because there are more prominent figures here than on that one, I thought it would be good to also have one for my main...

EDIT: Okay, so the one that I did for BFCD does not work, so I am posting this one to see if it works, and if not, they’ll both be WIPS until I have the time to repair them

For the purposes of this list and on this page, whenever I say “dark skinned,” I mean a traditional brown crayon or darker. I grew up around Black people, so the words “dark skinned” do not mean the same thing to me as it do to nonblacks.

Aaron Rose Philip | Abbey Mag | Adelayo Adedayo | Adepero Oduye | Adina Porter |  Aesha Ash | Afton Williamson | Aïssa Maïga | Aja Naomi King | Akiima | Alexandra Arboleda | Alfre Woodard | Alisha White | Allison Dean | Alysia Rogers | Amber Riley | Amber Ruffin | Andrea Bordeaux | Angel Haze | Angel Theory |  Angelica Joy | Angelica Ross | Angelique Noire | Angely Gaviria | Aniela Gumbs | Ann Ogbomo | Ann Wolfe | Anna Diop | Anne Amari | Antoinette Robertson | Ashleigh Morghan | Ashleigh Murray | Ashley Blaine Featherson | Asjha Cooper | Assa Sylla | Aube Jolicoeur | Aunjanue Ellis | Awar Mou | Aweng Chuol | Ayisha Issa | Ayo Edebiri

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Betty Adewole | Beverly Osu | Bianca Brewton |  Biba Williams | Bintou Sillah | Bob the Drag Queen | Bonnie Mbuli | Brandy Norwood | Bre Scullark | Brittany Adebumola 

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Camille Winbush | Caroline Chikezie | Ceval Omar | Charlayne Woodard | Charnele Brown | Chinenye Ezeudu | Christine Adams | Cicely Tyson | Coco Jones | Condola Rashad | Crystal Clarke

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Da’Vine Joy Randolph | Damaris Lewis | Dana Davis | Danai Gurira | Danielle Deadwyler | Danielle Moné Truitt | Dawnn Lewis | Debbi Morgan | Deborah Ayorinde |  Debra Shaw | Debra Wilson | Denee Benton | Dewanda Wise | Diahann Carroll | Diany Samba-Bandza | Diarra Ndiaye | Dominique Jackson | Duckie Thot

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Ebboney Wilson | Ebonee Noel | Ebony Obsidian | Ego Nwodim | Elle M. Chaman | Elise Neal | Emayatzy Corinealdi | Enuka Okuma | Erica Tazel | Erika Alexander | Ester Dean | Esther Rolle

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Faith Alabi | Faith Omole | Faithe Herman | Fardosa | Felecia M. Bell | Femi Taylor | Florence Kasumba | Folake Olowofoyeku | Franchesca Ramsey

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Gabrielle Graham | Gabrielle Union Wade | Gabourey Sidibe | Garcelle Beauvais | Geffri Maya | Genevieve Nnaji | Gina Torres | Gloria Hendry | Grace Jones

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Halimotu Shokunbi | Hamamat | Harriett D Foy | Heather Headley | Heir of Glee | Helen Aluko

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Iman | Imani Hakim | Imani Lewis | Ingrid Silva | Ireanna | Issa Rae

Jacqueline Moore | Jada Harris | Janelle James | Janelle Monae | Janeshia Adams Ginyard | Janet Hubert | Janet Jumbo | Javicia Leslie | Jayme Lawson | Jeante Godlock | Jemima Osunde | Jennifer Hudson | Jerrika Hinton | Jessica Allain | Jessieca Alford | Jill Marie Jones | Jo Marie Payton | Jobel Mokonzi | Jodie Turner Smith | Johnnie Hill | Joi Harris | Joie Lee | Jonica “Jojo” T. Gibbs | Josette Simon | Jwaundace Candece

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Kabrina Adams | Karen Glave | Karen Obilom | Karidja Touré | Karimah Westbrook | Keeya King | Kellie Shanygne Williams | Kellita Smith | Kelly Rowland | Kenya Moore | Keshia Knight Pulliam | Kiara Pike | Kiki Layne | Kimberly Marable | Kirby Howell Baptiste

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Laci Mosley | Lanei Chapman | Lashana Lynch | Laura Kariuki | Lauren Byfield | Lidya Jewett | Lisa Berry | Lisette Malidor | Lolly Adefope | Lorraine Pascale | Lorraine Toussaint | Loren Lott | Loretta Devine | LovelyOverdose | Lyric Ross

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MaameYaa Boafo | Madison Curry | Mame Adjei | Marcia McBroom | Maria Borges | Mariah Iman Wilson | Marlene Clark | Marsai Martin | Mary Alice | Mary Oyaya | Mayowa Nicolas | Medina Senghore | Melodie Wakivuamina | Merrin Dungey | Michaela Coel | Miji Awakyr | Milauna Jackson | Miqueal-Symone Williams | Morgan Dawson | Moses Ingram | Moshidi Motshegwa | Mouna Fadiga | Mouna Traoré | Mumbi Maina | Musabey

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Naomi Campbell | Naomi Ekperigin | Naomi WWE |  Naomie Harris |  Natalie Desselle Reid | N’Bushe Wright | Nia Jervier | Nia Long | Nichole Galicia | Nicki Micheaux | Nicole Beharie | Nicole Byer | Normani Kordei | Nyakim Gatwech | Nyanderi Deng | Nyaueth Riam | Nyla Lueeth | Nyma Tang |

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Octavia Spencer | Ola Ray | Olunike Adeliyi | Olivia Sang | Omono Okojie | Oprah Winfrey | Oyin Oladejo | Ozioma Akagha

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Patina Miller | Paulina Otylie Surys | Philomena Kwao | Phina Oruche | Phylicia Benn | Phylicia Rashad | Pippa Bennett Warner | Precious Adams | Precious Mustapha |

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Queen Quet | Quiana Welch | Quinta Brunson | Quvenzhane Wallis

Raigan Harris | Reagan Gomez | Regina King | Regina Van Helvert | Renee Elise Goldsberry | Retta | Riele Downs | Ronke Adekoluejo | Rose Jackson | Ruth (IAmBabeRuth/BabeRuthTV) |  Rutina Wesley | Ryan Destiny

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Saidah Arrika Ekulona | Samantha Liana Cole | Samantha Marie Ware | Sandra Dede sandramabelle | Saniyya Sidney | Sara Martins | Sasha Lambon | Sasheer Zamata | Sese Madaki Ali | Shahadi Wright Joseph | Shanice Williams | Shannon Thornton | Sharon Duncan Brewster | Sharon Ferguson | Sharon Pierre-Louis | Shea Couleé | Sheryl Lee Ralph | Shyko Amos | Sibongile Mlambo | Sierra McClain | Simbi Khali | Simona Brown | Simone Biles | Simone Missick | Sindi-Dlathu | Skai Jackson | Skye P. Marshall | Sokhna Cisse | Sonya Eddy | Stefanee Martin | Stella Okech | Subah Koj | Sufe Bradshaw | Susan Wokoma | Symphony Sanders

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T’Nia Miller | Tamara Dobson | Tamara Lawrance | Tamera Mclaughlin  (Dwarfism Disability. Check PC before adding to that list) | Tanerélle | Tanedra Howard | Tanisha Scott | Tanya Moodie | Tanyell Waivers | Taral Hicks | Tarana Burke | Tempestt Bledsoe |  Tenika Davis | Teresa Graves | Terri J. Vaughn | Teshi Thomas | Teyonah Parris | Theresa Fractale | Thishiwe Ziqubu | Tichina Arnold | Tonya Pinkens | Tracey Ifeachor | Trina McGee | Trina Parks | Tyra Ferrell

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Vanessa Bell Calloway | Vanessa Lee Chester | Vanessa Gyimah | Vanessa Nakat | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Vaneza Oliveira | Veronica S. Taylor | Viola Davis | Vivica Ifeoma

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Wakeema Hollis | Whitney Houston | Whoopi Goldberg | Wunmi Mosaku

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Xosha Roquemore

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Yaani King | Yandeh Sallah | Yanna McIntosh | Yaya Dacosta | Yaz | Yetide Badaki | Yolonda Ross  | Yusra Warsama | Yvonne Okoro | Yvonne Orji

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Zainab Johnson | Zelda Harris | Zenobia | Zethu Dlomo | Zhariah Hubbard | Ziwe Fumudoh | Zola Williams | Zozibini Tunzi

#to add to darkskin directory

Aliet Sarah

Tricia Akello

Sokhna Niane

Rashida Renée

Javonna Charde’

Ajak Deng

Edun Bola

Pretty Tye

Herieth Noela

[boogiewoogiebuglegal]

SO AWESOME. 

Ballerina #AeshaAsh is wandering around inner city Rochester in a tutu to change stereotypes about women of color and inspire young kids. “I remember growing up and in the bodega you’d see images of girls in bikinis on motorbikes. I wanted to replace those with photos that show women of color in a different light.” (📸 @theswandreamsproject) #BlackExcellence