PERFORMANCE CAREER

Sandra Fortune-Green (middle)

For decades, Sandra Fortune-Green delighted international audiences with her skill, grace and discipline. Beginning her career with the Jones Haywood School of Ballet (JHSB), Sandra blossomed under the tutelage of Doris Jones and Claire Haywood. She continued her studies in New York at the School of American Ballet, The American Ballet Theatre and The Joffrey Ballet. Sandra also studied at Howard University and George Washington University. Featured in numerous articles and publications, her career is heralded as one of great significance in the history of African American dance.

Sandra learned from the best. As a featured soloist with the Washington Ballet and the Capitol Ballet Company, she was choreographed by the likes of George Balanchine, Louis Johnson, George Faison, Choo San Go, Billy Wilson, Walter Raines, Sylvester Campbell, and Norman Walker. Fortune-Green’s classical repertoire included Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire and Don Quixote.

In 1973, Sandra Fortune-Green was the only American in the Second International Ballet Competition in Moscow, finishing 26th out of 125 dances. She garnered Honorable Mention for her performances at the Seventh (1974) and Eighth (1976) International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria. The dedicated dancer was a guest artist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker and an original production with the Santo Domingo Ballet in the Dominican Republic.

Sandra’s home audience also recognized her contributions. In 1970, Mayor Walther Washington awarded her with the Certificate for Outstanding Artists. Later, she received the Mayor’s Arts Award, for excellence in an artistic discipline presented by Mayor Marion Barry. Howard University designated Fortune-Green as an outstanding alumnus. Recognized as a key figure in the history of African-American dance, Sandra is featured in two major publications: Black Dance form 1619 to Today by Lynn Fauley Emery with a foreword by Katherine Dunham and The Black Tradition in American Dance by Richard Long.

In a May 1974 article featured in the New York edition of At Home, Jones and Haywood were clear that Fortune was in the school’s future “Right now, their eyes are on Sandra Fortune, who they hope will continue their school. In Sandra, who has been taking lessons from them for 12 years, the women see images of themselves.” Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Haywood would be very pleased to see that what they envisioned for Sandra so many years ago is now a reality. Fortune-Green is the current owner and artistic director of the Jones Haywood School of Dance (JHSD). 

INSTRUCTIONAL CAREER
In addition to her duties at JHSD, Sandra is a member of the faculty at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and at Howard University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She has taught previously at the Baltimore School of the Arts, Santo Domingo, George Washington University, Philadanco, and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company.

Sandra believes in providing opportunity to children whenever possible.  As an instructor in Project Dance, she taught beginning ballet to culturally disadvantaged children. She was also selected to work with the Mobil Corporation’s Young Audiences program, aimed at exposing young children to classic ballet. Her goal is to teach a new generation to appreciate their unique special gifts through the love of dance.