Dance Theatre of Harlem is an American professional ballet company and school based in Harlem, New York City. It was founded in 1969 under the co-directorship of Arthur Mitchell, who was the first African-American principal dancer at New York City Ballet, and Karel Shook, who had been the first teacher and ballet master of the Dutch National Ballet. Milton Rosenstock served as the company's music director from 1981-1992. The DTH is renowned both as "the first black classical ballet company", and "the first major ballet company to prioritize black dancers". Homer Bryant, founder of Chicago's Multicultural Dance Center, joined DTH in 1972 and became one of its principal dancers.
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