Shooti

Thank you 🙏 💙

You’re very welcome, Christine. 💙

You’re very welcome. When I learned about her, I had to share her story. 💙

Little Red Corvette by Prince.

Yes. She was banned from performing in many venues in the South.

You're very welcome.

You very welcome, Susan. 💙

Janet Collins in 1951. Photo credit: Ed Palumbo, New York World-Telegram and the Sun.

Collins died in 2003 at the age of 86. She was never afforded the opportunity to enjoy the kind of success that white prima ballerinas enjoyed. However, her legacy is honored through the Janet Collins Fellowship, established by her cousin Carmen de Lavallade to support aspiring ballet dancers. /end

Janet Collins with the roses that were presented to her after a performance.

After retiring, Collins devoted herself to her Catholic faith and religious painting. She was a talented painter who had studied at Los Angeles City College. In fact, it was her skill as a painter that had enabled her to save enough money to move to New York City to pursue her career in dance. /6

From 1947 to 1949, Janet Collins choreographed "Spirituals," a blend of ballet and modern dance set to Black spirituals. It fuses classical technique with emotional movement, often described as having a "rippling," "central" motion. It was a signature piece of her early career that helped establish her reputation. Here, Collins performs at the Jacob’s Pillow dance festival in 1949. Her performance was highly acclaimed, and she was named the most outstanding debutant of the 1949 season by Dance Magazine. Photo credit: John Van Lund

In 1954, Collins established her own dance troupe, which toured the U.S. and Canada. She later choreographed works for her troupe and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She also taught at such institutions as the School of American Ballet and Manhattanville College before retiring in 1974. /5

Janet Collins performing the "Dance of the Hours" in the Metropolitan Opera's 1951 production of La Gioconda.

In 1950, Collins starred in the Cole Porter musical Out of This World, for which she won the Donaldson Award for best dancer on Broadway. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the lead dancer in Aïda in 1951 and remained a permanent member of the company for five seasons. /4

Janet Collins performs an arabesque.

To avoid conflict, Collins and fellow dancer Talley Beatty often had to use studio spaces at 6:00 a.m., before other students arrived. At age 15, she successfully auditioned for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo but declined their offer when told she would have to paint her skin white to perform. /3

Janet Collins works at the barre. I believe the man is choreographer Zachary Solov. Solov brought Collins to Rudolph Bing, who was general manager of the Metropolitan Opera from 1950 to 1972. If all this is correct, this photo would have been taken sometime in the early 1950s.

Collins moved to Los Angeles at age four and began her formal dance training at age 10. Because many prominent dance schools and studios were segregated, she received early training at a Catholic community center. Several renowned teachers in L.A. recognized her talent and agreed to train her. /2

Janet Faye Collins.

#ResistanceRoots
#WomensHistoryMonth

Janet Faye Collins was born on this day in 1917 in New Orleans. Collins was a ballerina, choreographer and teacher who broke the color barrier in classical ballet. In 1951, she became the first Black prima ballerina to perform with the Metropolitan Opera. /1

Extinct-in-the-Wild Partula snail species returned to the wild | ZSL Tropical snail species have been returned to their native homeland for the first time in French Polynesia, 25 years after they were wiped out.

Could be. Here's a better article.

www.zsl.org/news-and-eve...

A Biden-era rule sought to stabilize child care. Why Trump wants it gone The Trump administration has proposed repealing a Biden-era rule that required states to change how they pay out child care subsidies, citing the potential for fraud.

#ProudBlue #Voices4Victory

Biden finalized a rule that requires states to pay child care subsidies the way most American families pay tuition - in advance & based on enrollment, not who shows up

Trump proposed ending it altogether. This will hurt families & businesses

www.npr.org/2026/03/04/n...

Image of Donald Trump at a campaign event with a woman raising her hands beside him. The graphic includes text accusing political and religious figures of hypocrisy while children are harmed through abuse, poverty, and war.

Faith used as cover for cruelty while children suffer. Shameful.

#SheShed #Voices4Victory

Long-delayed Jan. 6 plaque honoring police installed in Capitol at 4 a.m. — The Washington Post The memorial honoring officers who defended the Capitol was required by law to be installed by March 2023.

Finally the plaque memorializing officers who defended the Capitol from a seditious mob has been installed in the Capitol.
The plaque was to be installed March 2023, but Congress, specifically Johnson said “it was not implementable.”
#ProudBlue#Voices4Victory
#OneV1
apple.news/AvLSSuKbyRe2...

YouTube video by LBC 'Dystopian satire': White House called out for Iran propaganda video | LBC

‼️👀 Matt Frei is joined by video games scholar Dr Nick Robinson to analyse the video, and he points out the 'ethical problems' with posting such content.
youtu.be/GQ_B6QcNFho?... ⬇️

YouTube video by LBC 'It's a strategy-free war-of-choice' | Simon Marks' American Week

‼️👀 Trump's wannabe theocracy vs Iran's theocracy' | Simon Marks' American Week

@lbc.co.uk's @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social looks back at a tense week as the United States and Israel began joint air attacks on Iran.
youtu.be/3ayfzCY6ERY?...

It's really quite simple.
So why does the GOP choose to support and cover for such people?
If they truly believed he were innocent, they would not object to transparency.
Yet... they do.
And THAT is pretty transparent.
#USDemocracy #Voices4Victory

#ProudBlue #Voices4Victory

Trump blocks FBI terror threat alert linked to Iran war Top Trump officials ordered it placed on hold over concerns that it could show the domestic risk of the war and further erode public support.

#ProudBlue #Voices4Victory

Trump’s White House is blocking top US intelligence agencies from warning law enforcement across the country about rising threats to the homeland tied to his war with Iran.

Sure am feeling a lot less safe under this regime 😡

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

🎶 And Iran, Iran so far away

I just ran, Iran all night and day

I couldn't get away 🎶

#ONEV1
#Pinks 🌸
#Voices4Victory

Republicans took money from YOUR benefits to fund ICE for their cruelty & treachery

#ProudBlue #Voices4Victory

The Alleged Trump Victim's Claims about Blackmail Are as Important as Her Claims about Rape - emptywheel One day before Jeffrey Epstein suicided, the woman who claimed Donald Trump had abused her told the FBI that Epstein and Trump had spoken about blackmail in front of her.

Trump Victim Overheard Blackmail

Trump raped her orally, and she bit him.

She was interviewed during his Impeachment.

Just days before Epstein died in prison under suspicious circumstances, the victim told Trump's DOJ, Epstein and Trump discussed blackmail.

emptywheel.net/the-alleged-...

Antony Blinken breaks down what he sees as the most probable outcome of trump’s reckless Iran escalation. His insights paint a stark picture of the risks ahead.

#ProudBlue
#Voices4Victory

In April 2017, then-Rep. Markwayne Mullin told constituents it was “bull crap” that taxpayers pay his salary.

He said 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 “𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦” that no one pays him for.

In 2021, while in office, he sold his business and reported $𝟯𝟭.𝟲𝗠–$𝟳𝟱.𝟲𝗠 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀.

So MAGA,
Your hero doesn't meet the criteria for entry. What are you going to do?
Go with him down below?
You can't do both, you know.
You will HAVE to choose.
Decency, or Trump?
#USDemocracy #Voices4Victory

Wait, wait, wait - protect innocent protesters in Iran? He claims he wants to protect innocent protesters in Iran, but enables ICE terrorists to murder innocent protesters on American streets. 🤬🤬🤬