They’re back and ready to take the stage. The Dance Theatre of Harlem is stepping into its 10th anniversary of its relaunched company.

“I’m really looking forward to the audience seeing this company now,” said Virginia Johnson, artistic director of Dance Theater of Harlem.

It’s also Johnson’s final season with the group as its artistic director.

She’s been at the helm since its founder Arthur Mitchell invited her to revamp the brand in 2010.

“It’s a very hard time to have a ballet company in the 21st century, it’s a very expensive proposition, the dancers must really be able to develop into artists very quickly,” said Johnson.

The theater was launched in 1969 at the height of the civil rights movement to give opportunities for all. Johnson said that vision remains true today.

“The notion of what is ballet has been kept in a prism for a long time as if it only reflected one culture and one period in time. Ballet is a language that can speak many different things across many different cultures,” said Johnson. 

“Black dancers are still not represented in companies the way they exist in the regular world, so we still have work to do,” said Micah Bullard, a company dancer.

Bullard said he started taking dance classes at 5 years old. He’s been with the Dance Theatre of Harlem for two years.

He refers to the theater as his dream company.

“Since ballet is a fine art, we were told Black people don’t have a place in the fine arts so a lot of time Black culture sees ballet as the white mans art form, said Bullard. “Some people love singing, some making music but for me dance is unique because I’m able to tell my story or other Black stories. I think we’re working every day to achieve Arthur Mitchell’s dreams.”

In June, Johnson will pass the artistic director baton to its current resident choreographer Robert Garland.

Johnson has danced with the company for over 27 years. She said the company is like her home, but she is confident it’s time to move on.

“I was a young girl when I was exposed to ballet and I fell in love it, and then I was told I didn’t belong in it, and then Arthur Mitchell created this company,” said Johnson. “I looked at the company in 2019 and I said they’re back we have a company they look pretty good, now we’re ready for their next challenge.”

The company’s new season runs from April 19 to April 23 at New York City Center.

The group will be performing pieces by William Forsythe and by the classical and jazz musician Hazel Scott, among others.