Lorraine Graves was more than a towering figure on stage. The African American dance pioneer left a legacy that Ballet Virginia will celebrate with a special performance this weekend.
The tribute to the former principal dancer for the renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem will feature many Ballet Virginia alumni taught by Graves. The “Heart + Soul” productions are at Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach on Friday and Saturday. A free performance made possible by a Norfolk Arts grant is 5 p.m. Sunday at the Attucks Theatre in Norfolk.
Graves died on March 21, 2024.
Lydia Roberts Coco, Ballet Virginia’s company artistic director and choreographer, recently shared her decades of friendship with the international trailblazer who was also distinguished by her 5-foot-10 height. Lydia’s daughters Gianna and Kyra Coco, also taught by Graves, will dance in the show.
“I want to keep her legacy alive for as long as I can,” Roberts Coco said. “She was told ‘no’ quite a few times because of her height, because of the color of her skin. Roberts Coco said there was a saying at the time that “the skin of ballet dancers should be like the color of a peeled apple. She wanted to defy that.”
The four-section ballet chronicles Graves’ life starting with childhood and showcases her larger-than-life personality. She was a fast talker with a sweet voice and Roberts Coco treasures voicemails she’s kept from Graves.
“Her dancing was as tall as she was. It almost looked like she was floating on clouds,” said Roberts Coco.
Leah Upchurch trained under Graves as a teen and is honored to dance as her mentor.
“It’s a different experience to portray someone who’s not only real but also someone you knew and looked up to and someone who inspired you,” said Upchurch, a Virginia Beach native who is one of Ballet Virginia’s founding company members. “It’s big shoes to fill. Dancing-wise, I feel confident in the steps and the overall movement. I hope when it gets to the stage I still am able to portray her integrity and power.”
Graves grew up imitating the “Nutcracker” on television and was the first African American female in the Norfolk City Ballet when she started as an 8-year-old. After earning her degree at Indiana University in 1978, the Lake Taylor High School graduate joined DTH, which was founded during the modern Civil Rights movement to give Black dancers opportunities.
Graves performed in front of world leaders including Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, and Nelson Mandela, activist and former president of South Africa. She returned to her hometown, where she chaired the Norfolk Arts Commission and taught at the Governor’s School for the Arts. In 2012, she traveled to Moscow to assist the Bolshoi Ballet Company. She retired from dancing in 1996 after being diagnosed with lupus.
Upchurch grew up wanting to be a ballerina and is nearly as tall as Graves. She remembers Graves having to teach from a chair and urging her in rehearsals not to hide among her petite peers. She taught her fast, crisp technique and how to have an elegant, effortless carriage.
“She told me I was dancing like I was trying to be somebody else,” Upchurch said. “She told me that I stood out and I had to get used to it. I think she saw a lot of herself in the way I danced.”
Gianna Coco, who danced with the South Carolina Ballet last season, said Graves instilled confidence in her, too.
“Even before she’d enter the studio, I’d hear all of her bracelets and smell her perfume,” Coco said. “She didn’t like to use music and would make these sound effects instead. It was kind of nice to change things up and it was very entertaining. She was an amazing mentor to me.”
The second half of “Heart + Soul” focuses on Graves’ students flourishing. After retiring, Graves taught for the rest of her life. The passing of the torch moments are poignant, punctuated by a solo from Jared Allan Brunson, Ballet Virginia’s associate artistic director.
“Lorraine was such an inspiring teacher and mentor to so many people," Roberts Coco said. "That’s what the ballet is about, and her legacy being passed on after she’s gone.”
Performances: 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; standard tickets, $30. Discounts for military, children and older adults are available. 5 p.m. Sunday, free. Visit Ballet Virginia online for information.
