The Fort Bend Star highlighted Lauren Anderson’s free ballet class that was held on February 12, 2022 in celebration of Black History Month.
As written in the Fort Bend Star by reporter Stefan Modrich:
Last Saturday, Carter and Houston ballet icon Lauren Anderson partnered to host a free class in Missouri City for 25 students ages 10-17 at FBAAD in celebration of Black History Month. I sat down with both Carter and Anderson to learn more about the event, and what they are doing to advocate for Black excellence and the arts community in Fort Bend County.
Anderson, a Third Ward native, became the first Black principal ballerina of the Houston Ballet in 1990, and second ever at a major American ballet company, paving the way for other Black principal ballerinas like Misty Copeland of American Ballet Theater. Anderson said she’s proud of the neighborhood she calls home and is eager to use her platform to inspire children to pursue their artistic passions.
“The work that it takes to do it, and the feeling that you get from it, and the knowledge of how to become excellent, is what’s ingrained in you just through the movements,” Anderson said. “From that, you find out this person is a good singer, or this person likes the violin. The arts opens the door to a world of self-discovery.”