// Raven Wilkinson became the first African American woman to receive a contract to dance full time with a major ballet company in 1955 for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo of New York City. With her mother's influence, Raven developed a love for ballet at the age of 5. On her ninth birthday, she was gifted ballet lessons by her uncle to the Swoboda School, where she studied under the direction of well-known dancers from Russia's Bolshoi Theatre. Looking to become a professional dancer, Rave[...]