Lauren Anderson (dancer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lauren Anderson is a ballet dancer with the Houston Ballet in Houston, Texas, and in 1990 became the first black American ballerina to become a principal for a major dance company, an important milestone in American ballet.
A Houston native and graduate of Lamar High School[1], Anderson joined the Houston Ballet in 1983. Her performance of the title role in Cleopatra gave her international recognition. She has also performed works by George Balanchine and Sir Kenneth MacMillan, among others. Ms. Anderson originated the role of Cleopatra in the ballet of the same name created by Ben Stevenson, and her performance received reviews; the Boston Globe called Ms. Anderson "a powerhouse in interpreting the role that Stevenson created on her."
Anderson retired from performance in 2006. In January 2007, she became an outreach associate in the Houston Ballet’s education department. In that capacity, she teaches ballet classes at Houston Ballet’s academy and conducts master classes at schools in the Houston area. She is also in demand as a lecturer on the subject of ballet.
Anderson is married to jazz saxophonist Kyle Turner.
