Stephanie Dabney facts for kids

Stephanie Renee Dabney (born July 11, 1958 – died September 28, 2022) was a talented American dancer. She was a lead ballerina with the Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1979 to 1994. Stephanie is famous for her performances in The Firebird ballet. She danced this role around the world. She also performed The Firebird at the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Early Life and Training

Stephanie Dabney was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her family was in the military. She grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. Stephanie started ballet lessons at age 4 at Ballet Western Reserve.

One day, she saw the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform. She noticed dancers who looked like her. This inspired her to become a professional dancer. The next year, the Dance Theatre of Harlem came to her town. Stephanie took a special class with the company.

Arthur Mitchell was a co-founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. He saw Stephanie dance in the class. He invited her to study at his school in New York. Stephanie had already won a scholarship to The Ailey School. So, she first said no to Mitchell's offer.

After one week at The Ailey School, she realized she loved ballet more than modern dance. She decided to switch to the Dance Theatre of Harlem's school. Just three months later, in 1975, she joined the company. She started as an apprentice, using the name Stephanie Baxter.

A Bright Career

Stephanie worked hard and moved up in the company. Her big moment came when John Taras chose her for his new ballet. It was a new version of The Firebird. She was the first to dance the main role. The costumes and sets were designed by Geoffrey Holder.

Stephanie's performance got amazing reviews. Three top dance critics from The New York Times praised her. From then on, she was known as "Stephanie Dabney."

Because The Firebird was so successful, Arthur Mitchell had it filmed. The performance was shown on TV as part of Kennedy Center Tonight. This TV show included a documentary about the ballet. It showed what happened behind the scenes. It also had interviews with the people who created the show. Two years later, Stephanie danced as the Firebird again. This was at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

During her time with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Stephanie was celebrated for many roles. She performed in a wide variety of ballets. These included:

• George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco
• The Four Temperaments
• Allegro Brilliante
• Glenn Tetley's Voluntaries
• Bronislava Nijinska's Rondo Capriccioso
• Arthur Mitchell's Manifestations
• Ruth Page and Bentley Stone's Frankie and Johnny
• Billy Wilson's Concerto in F
• Frederic Franklin's Swan Lake
• Creole Giselle

Later Years

Stephanie Dabney retired from performing in 1996 due to health reasons. After retiring, she taught ballet at Spelman College. Stephanie Dabney passed away on September 28, 2022, in New York City. She was 64 years old.