Racial stereotypes abound in beloved ballets—hiding in plain sight in a centuries-old art form. In this day and age, how do these offensive roles perpetuate prejudice and hobble ballet’s efforts to appeal to modern audiences? BEYOND YELLOWFACE follows dancers Phil Chan and Georgina Pazcoguin as they challenge the global dance world to rid such beloved classics as The Nutcracker and La Bayadère of outdated stereotypes of Asians and make ballet more inclusive.
Photo: Dancers Phil Chan and Georgina Pazcoguin launched the Final Bow For Yellowface movement, which has garnered more than a thousand signatures, including directors of every major U.S. ballet company.