HOUSTON - The ballet world took a historic leap recently when Misty Copeland was named the first African American principal ballerina for a New York dance company. Long before Copeland, Houston native Lauren Anderson made history with the Houston Ballet.
Now at age 50, ballet has been Anderson's entire life. She started out with the Houston Ballet when she was only 7 years old. She joined the company as a teenager, when there were few black dancers.
"It's just how it's always been, people don't like to change, but times obviously are changing," said Anderson.
Things drastically changed for Anderson in 1990 when she was named one of the principal ballerinas for the Houston Ballet, the first black woman so honored at a major company in the US.
Anderson retired in 2006 after an incredible 24 year career.
