Tyde-Courtney Edwards, founding director of Ballet After Dark, is a classically trained black ballerina, art model, and survivor of sexual assault who is on a mission to help others heal from their trauma through the art of ballet. Now, during the pandemic, she is helping people unwind and reset their focus on healing virtually as her studio is closed.
Edwards began her journey at the Baltimore School for the Arts and has over 20 years of dance training and experience. She is trained in various styles of dance including classical and contemporary ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, jazz, tap and hip-hop. And she has trained with esteemed companies such as the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Peabody Conservatory, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey and other institutions while receiving training from local dance pioneerssuch as Anton Wilson and Stephanie Powell.
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With myriad dance experience, Edwards was inspired to create trauma-informed ballet classes after overcoming an adverse experience of her own. Ballet After Dark is an organization that provides holistic dance therapy to trauma survivors and other disenfranchised individuals.
Their curriculum introduces participants to various elements of self-care while infusing beginner’s ballet and athletic conditioning. Survivors can expect to develop ballet fundamentals such as technique and terminology while being encouraged to heal in an empowering, trauma-informed environment. The program culminates in a showcase performance that highlights ballet technique learned throughout the program.“
Source: Meet the Black Ballerina and Entrepreneur Helping People Heal From their Trauma
