Ballet West says people screamed racial epithets at black dancers
May 28, 2021, 4:37 PM | Updated: 5:44 pm
Ballet West "Nutcracker" battle scene. Photo credit: Ryan Galbraith
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City-based dance company Ballet West says two black dancers had people scream racial epithets at them while driving by, and it happened on two separate occasions last week.
An Instagram post says “two separate times on the streets in Salt Lake City, two black Ballet West dancers were subjected to angry racial epithets screamed at them by people passing by in their cars.”
The post went on to say how it is unimaginable that in 2021 public spaces are not safe from this hatred, and called those who did this “racists.”
“As an organization committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment for all of its employees, Ballet West condemns the actions of these individuals in the strongest manner possible. ”
They’re also calling on individuals and community leaders to elevate the conversation about race to educate about how destructive hate speech is.
“We urge the community to stand united in condemning racism in all forms, including cowardly acts perpetrated by individuals from the safety of their vehicles.”
Ballet West could not be reached for further comment.
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