The Jones Haywood Dance studio continues to pass down the traditions of the art of dance in the same home in Northwest Washington, where generations of Black pupils studied under the legendary Dorris W. Jones and Claire Haywood.
Alumna Sarah Greene Fortune took over as artistic director after Jones died in 2006.
“My whole career came out of here,” said Fortune who enrolled in the school at age 10, excelling in all aspects of dance. She became one of the prime dancers for the Capitol Ballet Company.
Dorris W. Jones established a dance studio in her hometown of Boston in 1933. Several years later, one of her former students, Claire H. Haywood suggested Jones change venues. In 1941, the Jones Haywood Dance Studio opened in District’s Petworth neighborhood.
During this era the institution provided elite training in arts and dance to minority children when opportunities were limited elsewhere. “It was strictly about business,” said Fortune, “They had high expectations for every child.”
The rigorous training allowed students to participate in the Capitol Ballet Company which formed in 1961. Capitol Ballet Company gave students a chance to perform in their hometown by reenacting classics such as Swan Lake and original pieces. Due to financial difficulties the company folded in 1989.
Jones continued to run the school after Haywood died in 1978. When Jones died on March 21, 2006 former alumna Sandra Green-Fortune took over as the new artistic director.
Fortune has made minor changes to the institution since taking over. For one she changed the name to The Jones Haywood Dance School, which offers courses in tap, modern dance, and jazz besides the traditional ballet. She wants the school to go beyond focusing on the “one dimension of dancing in a ballet company,” and so she encourages her pupils to look at the broader picture and consider “alternative careers in dance.”
There is currently only one Jones Haywood Dance School, but Fortune said she plans to open a second in the near future to host her 80 plus students who range in age from 4 to 18. The school offers courses year round from September through June.
