Black Dance Legacy Mural
The Black Dance Legacy Mural celebrates the long and historic legacy of Black dancers and educators who shaped and defined a new cultural identity in the genre, right here in Philadelphia—a hybrid of traditional African movement and classical European ballet techniques—and the powerful, expressive Black dance community that has blossomed and flourished over the last century.
Visual and spoken-word artist Bernard Collins, Jr. pays tribute to the trailblazers who overcame centuries of racial gatekeeping to teach European techniques to Black students, at a time when Black dancers were excluded from white ballet institutions. Pioneering dance instructor Essie Marie Dorsey (1893–1967), who passed as white in order to circumvent racial barriers to classical ballet training, taught Black students from her own home studio, beginning in 1926. These students—including Sydney King, Marion Cuyjet, and Philadanco founder Joan Myers Brown—became members of a powerhouse generation of transformative dance educators, cultivating a lineage of excellence that echoes throughout the dance world today. In addition to these luminaries, the mural also pays tribute to Judith Jamison, a student of Cuyjet’s who rose to prominence as director of Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, and Michaela DePrince, a Sierra Leone–born prodigy who trained in Philadelphia and rose to international acclaim.
Collins, Jr.’s tribute to these icons will live in Grays Ferry, a neighborhood that mirrors the spirit of perseverance central to the still-unfolding story of Philadelphia Black dance heritage—a story of unbridled beauty, unflagging discipline, and the unbreakable rhythm of resilience in the face of systemic exclusion.
Watch a recent 6abc news segment about the mural and read a story from The Philadelphia Inquirer story about its inception.
A series of upcoming events will bring the legends and stories behind the Black Dance Legacy Mural to life, culminating in a mural dedication in June 2026. Included in this roster of events is a series of “Black Dance Confabs,” which will engage attendees in conversation about Black dance and the diversity of the Black dance experience, while also providing greater visibility for aspiring dance artists. Co-conveners Karen Warrington and Jovida Hill encourage attendees to bring dance photos, dance shoes, and even tutus and African wraps, and to show off their dance moves.
See below for images from a Black History Month Afro-Cuban community dance class with Cachet Ivy on February 16, 2026, hosted by Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble, and The Black Dance Legacy Mural design unveiling and event at the Free Library of Philadelphia on April 21, 2026.
Upcoming Events:
Community Paint Day
June 30, 2026, 6–8 pm
Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine St.
Join artist Bernard Collins Jr. for a paint day celebrating Black dance history, resilience, creativity, and collective storytelling through art and community engagement. Participants will also experience live dance performances, a film screening, and meaningful conversations reflecting on the legacy and future of Black dance in Philadelphia. No painting experience necessary.
Black Dance Legacy Mural Dedication Ceremony
August 1, 2026, 12–2 pm
2300 Pemberton St.
More info to come.
About the Artist:
Bernard Collins, Jr. is a visual artist, muralist, and spoken word artist with a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and an MFA from University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, he received a fellowship in painting at Fleisher Art Memorial, resulting in a one-man show of his work. In March 2023, his work was featured in shows at Rutgers University and the Allen’s Lane Art Center. His Poetic Playground series, which featured live painting, spoken word, and music, was performed several times at Fleisher Art Memorial, and with the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble in 2023. Collins, Jr. was also a featured spoken-word artist on the Sun Ra Mixtape, and a featured visual artist and designer on the Jazz Illustrated history book project.
Collins, Jr. has collaborated with choreographers, hip hop artists, dancers, and musicians to create new original work throughout the years and to this day. In addition to teaching artists of all ages for over two decades at Fleisher Art Memorial, he exhibits and performs regularly throughout the tri-state area. He lives with his wife Tamika and his two children Lily and Layla. “As artists, I feel each painting/sculpture/work of music is an opportunity to call attention to the beauty, brilliance, and complexity of the world around us, and our potential as people to be beautiful as well.”
