skin

from Bham Family - March 2021

Kids Who Shine

TRUE COLORS

Variation en Hue helps dancers become comfortable in their own skin

BY LAUREN H. DOWDLE

Pink shoes and suntan or pale-colored tights have become the image of a ballet dancer for many. For dancers of color, conforming to the skin tone of their white peers by wearing these accessories is often required. That mindset is something Quincy Wilson hopes to change in the dance world and beyond.

“I believe black and brown dancers should be able to have equal opportunities to wear accessories and costumes that not only match, but accentuate our skin tone,” Wilson says. “I want other dancers like me to be comfortable and happy in their skin, both on and off stage.”

A sophomore at Vestavia High School, Wilson started dancing ballet, jazz, and hip-hop when she was three years old. She began participating in dance competitions at age six, and these have been especially close to her heart.

“My sister was a competitive dancer, so even when I was little, I wanted to go,” Wilson says.

To perfect her craft, she practices about 12 to 15 hours a week, making dance — and the people she meets through it — a big part of her life. The friendships she’s formed have been invaluable, and dance has also taught her several life lessons, she says.

One of those lessons came when she joined the Vestavia Rebelettes as a freshman. Wilson remembers watching other schools perform during competitions, including dancers of color.

“I saw them wearing tan tights to try to blend in,” Wilson recalls. “That was an eye-opening experience.”

Wilson’s coach told her she could start wearing brown tights and shoes, which was the first time she was able to wear something that matched her skin color.

“It was a really good experience being allowed to do that,” she says. “I felt confident in my own skin tone.”

Not all of her fellow students were as supportive or understanding, saying her shoes didn’t match or looked weird. While it hurt to hear that, Wilson says she finally felt comfortable in her own skin.

Wilson also dances with the Birmingham Dance Theatre, which has now changed its policy, allowing the students to wear tights and shoes that match their skin tone during rehearsals. Wilson says she wants help normalize having skin-colored tights and shoes across the dance

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VARIATION EN HUE AND ALLY PACKARD

Quincy Wilson started Variation en Hue to empower other dancers of color.

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world to empower even more girls like her.

She began doing that by connecting with TaKiyah Wallace, founder of Brown Girls Do Ballet — someone she and her mother had followed for years. Last summer, Wilson reached out to the Texasbased project to see how she could collect supplies and help them. She began working with Wallace to provide support, which led to a partnership and the creation of Variation en Hue.

Wilson’s project, Variation en Hue, strives to outfit dancers of color in flesh-tone tights and shoes so they can stand out, not blend in.

“Over the years, it has been quite rare for black and brown dancers to wear tights and shoes that match their skin tones,” Wilson says.

Since starting Variation en Hue, people in the community have donated close to 500 ballet and jazz costumes, dropping them off at participating dance stores or during costume drives.

Wilson then ships those costumes to dance studios in need. The monetary donations she receives help cover the shipping costs, as well as allowing her to purchase brown and black tights and shoes.

“It’s been great. I’m happy with how everyone in the community has reacted,” she says. “I’m thankful for the support we’ve gotten.”

After high school, she plans to go into commercial dancing, Broadway dancing, or a dance teacher role. Wherever she ends up, she knows she wants to keep dancing — and keep supporting other dancers.

If she could say anything to other dancers of color, she would tell them not to be afraid, to embrace their skin tone, and have courage. “They shouldn’t have to conform to the skin tone of their friends,” she says.

Thanks to generous donations, Variation en Hue isn’t currently looking to collect more costumes because of storage constraints.

However, they welcome monetary donations that help with purchasing and shipping brown and black tights and shoes.

Donations can be sent to Quincy Wilson for Variation en Hue at P.O. Box 59748 Birmingham, Ala. 35259-9748. Or, people can donate online at Browngirlsdoballet.com and specify Variation en Hue under the additional information step. To view more information on Wilson and her project, check out Variation en Hue on Instagram.