Alumni Spotlight – Debra Austin

We’re shining our October SAB Alumni Spotlight on Debra Austin, a renowned ballerina who made history when she became the first Black female dancer to join New York City Ballet in 1971. She was then the first Black ballerina to become a principal dancer with a major American ballet company other than Dance Theatre of Harlem when she accepted a principal contract with Pennsylvania Ballet in 1982.

Watch our interview in which Ms. Austin shares her memories of being a student at SAB and how her training gave her the foundation to be able to dance a myriad of roles – from Balanchine masterworks like “Rubies” from Jewels, to classical story ballets like Giselle and La Sylphide.

Ms. Austin grew up in the Bronx and began taking dance classes at age 9. After a few years of training at Christine Neubert’s Academy of Dance with Barbara Walczak, a former soloist in the New York City Ballet, Ms. Austin received a full Ford Foundation scholarship to study at the School of American Ballet at age 12. Four years later, George Balanchine invited her to join New York City Ballet.

While with the Company, Ms. Austin danced many soloist and principal roles in Balanchine ballets including Symphony in C, Divertimento No. 15, and Ballo della Regina, in which Balanchine created a solo for her.

Ms. Austin retired from the stage in 1990 and since 1997, she’s been passing on her knowledge as a teacher and ballet master at Carolina Ballet, as well as being a Principal Guest Teacher at SAB.