The Long, Not Exactly Uplifting History Of African American Dancers Getting Cast In Ballets DANCE Posted: February 24, 2019 11:00 am Basically, ballet companies wanted only Black women who were very light-skinned and who, especially in whiteface makeup, could pass for white (especially in the South). – JSTOR Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)