The Memphis-based ballet company and conservatory has become one of the city’s cultural anchors in just over a decade, after humble beginnings teaching in a church basement. Now, it has a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility, and a mission to diversify the ballet pipeline.
Jamia Ramsey’s nearly three-year-old business was sparked by her own experience as a dancer. Now she’s filling a niche for other dancers of color like herself.
In 2011, Erin Carpenter’s Nude Barre filled a void in the retail marketplace for dancers of color. Today, even as more companies move toward selling inclusive dancewear, Nude Barre continues to thrive.
