For the past decade, Anna Glass has served as Executive Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, navigating crises, the realities of sustaining work at scale, and the decisions shaping the company’s future. In conversation with Uprise Rebel’s Grace Okereke, she reflects on institutional responsibility, leading under pressure and building for the long term
How do your personal and professional identities inform the work you do?
I’m a cultural producer, and I’ve always been drawn to making things happen while amplifying Black stories. I come to that work as a former dancer – that was my entry point into this field – and as a mother to a 13-year-old daughter who is also a dancer. I’m a wife as well, and I don’t separate these parts of myself from my professional life. Particularly in my work at Dance Theatre of Harlem, with both artists and students, those lived experiences shape my perspective and strengthen how I lead.
You trained as a lawyer but chose the arts. When did you realise your heart belonged in dance, and how does your legal mindset still shape your leadership?
Dance has always been where my heart is. I started dancing when I was five – it was my outlet, and my parents, especially my mother, were very intentional about exposing all of us to the arts. Even when I found myself in law school, dance was still part of my life. But I remember sitting in an employment law class and realising that the work we were discussing didn’t reflect who I was or the values I held. I knew then that I needed to be closer to the art, not in a courtroom.
That said, my legal training has been invaluable. It shaped how I analyse situations, construct arguments and communicate clearly. It means I can read contracts with confidence and engage effectively with attorneys. As a Black woman in arts management – where leadership pathways are often limited – having a law degree also shifted how I was perceived. It made it harder for people to keep me at entry level, and it allowed me to move through the industry differently. I often encourage young arts administrators who are interested in leadership to consider law school or an MBA, if that’s something they want. I think bringing in tools and perspectives from other sectors can only make our field stronger.
Dance Theatre of Harlem is in its 57th year. In your 10 years as Executive Director, you’ve led the company through challenges many organisations struggle to survive. How have you endured, and where do you feel Dance Theatre of Harlem is now?
I have not done all of this alone. I believe deeply in learning from others. I also believe that it is not about me being the smartest person in the room – it’s about surrounding myself with people who are smart and thoughtful, and who can help us problem-solve together.
When I joined Dance Theatre of Harlem, the organisation was in a challenging financial position. That is not uncommon for institutions led by and serving Black communities, as we are often under-resourced and under-capitalised. What we chose to do was to look at those challenges as opportunities – opportunities to shift, to respond, to be flexible, to think differently. Instead of saying, “This is how it’s always been done,” we asked, “What is possible?” That has helped us build a kind of resilience into the DNA of the organisation.
What impact do you hope the company has on the places it performs in?
Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by Arthur Mitchell. He created the organisation in response to the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. It was his way of saying, “I’m going to manifest the dream” – by giving the gift of ballet to the people of Harlem, particularly to young people. He wanted to build citizens, not just dancers – young people with self-confidence, discipline and perseverance who could take those things into whatever profession they chose.
Also, he believed this art form, which has historically been elitist and exclusionary, could be something that brought people together. That is still what we see when we tour. Not just in places that have large Black communities, but in places like Omaha, Nebraska, or Denver, Colorado, where you see people from all backgrounds in the audience. When we perform a ballet like Return – set to James Brown and Aretha Franklin – and you see the audience, which is very diverse, bopping their heads and moving in their seats – it’s such a joyful thing.
What I hope people experience when they see us is a sense of community, a sense of shared joy and possibility. And I hope our artists are reminded that they are part of something bigger than themselves – that they carry that legacy and that community with them.
Amid today’s culture-war debates – from funding cuts to DEI pushback – how are Black performing artists being affected, and how are you protecting the work?
For us at Dance Theatre of Harlem, it’s very important that we operate in such a way that we are still here 50-plus years from now. That means being smart around our choices and deciding when the right moment is to make a big statement and when it is more important to simply do the work and live the mission. We are constantly looking back at this and asking, “Are we living this?” Because audiences and donors can tell when you are not, and if that is the case, they will respond accordingly. There’s also the question of solidarity – whether people come to support, even if it’s complicated, or whether they stay away out of fear, which can sometimes make things worse. I see both sides of that. I understand the safety concerns. But I do think this is a moment where it is even more important for us to hold hands and support one another rather than retreat.
What’s next for Dance Theatre of Harlem?
Firebird is our legacy ballet that we are deeply, deeply thrilled to be bringing back. It has not been seen in a very long time, and it is such a testament to Geoffrey Holder’s vision and pageantry. We have an extensive tour ahead, which is incredibly exciting. Alongside performances in Paris, we’ll be touring across the US – including New York, Norfolk, Virginia and the West Coast – with the possibility of further international dates as well.
Beyond that, we have just concluded union negotiations with AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists). I am very passionate about artists’ rights and about artists being able to live sustainable lives, particularly in a city like New York where it is very expensive to live. So, for us, partnering with AGMA to work on how we can create better conditions for our artists is very much part of what’s ahead. We want to be part of creating a new landscape for artists and for unions in the arts and culture space.
What achievement are you most proud of in your career so far?
I’ve had a wonderful career and feel very fortunate, and there are two things that come to mind. One was before I joined Dance Theatre of Harlem, when I produced As I Remember It, the legendary Carmen de Lavallade’s one-woman show. Helping to bring her story to the stage – not as someone’s muse or someone’s wife, but on her own terms – was deeply meaningful to me, particularly as a Black woman.
The second is how we came through the pandemic at Dance Theatre of Harlem. We entered that period with about $200,000 in the bank and no clear path forward, but we made a commitment to keep all of our dancers on the payroll, even when there was no performing to be done. That moment required absolute clarity of intention. By the time we emerged, we were a very different institution, having received a $10 million gift and renewed our sense of purpose. Leading the organisation through that uncertainty, while keeping the entire team together, will always be one of my proudest moments.
To discover more about Dance Theatre of Harlem, visit: dancetheatreofharlem.org/tour
Grace Okereke’s full interview with Anna Glass is available to read at www.upriserebel.com and www.blackartanddesign.com
