About Stephanie Dabney
Stephanie Renee Dabney (July 11, 1958 – September 28, 2022) was an American dancer who performed as a prima ballerina with Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1979 through 1994. Dabney is best known for her performances in John Taras' The Firebird, which she performed all over the world, as well as at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. == Early life == Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania into a military family, Dabney was raised in Youngstown, Ohio where she began her ballet training at Ballet Western Reserve at the age of 4. After seeing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform on tour, with dancers who looked like her, Dabney decided to become a professional dancer. The following year, Dance Theatre of Harlem conducted a residency in her town, during which Dabney enrolled in a masterclass with the company. Arthur Mitchell, co-founder and artistic director of DTH, observed her in class and invited her to study at his school in New York. Because she had already been awarded a scholarship to study at The Ailey School, she declined. However, after one week at The Ailey School she realized that she preferred ballet to modern dance and decided to transfer to Dance Theatre Harlem's school. Three months later, in 1975, she joined the company as an apprentice under the name Stephanie Baxter. == Career == Working her way up through the company's repertory, Dabney had her breakthrough when John Taras selected her to premiere in the title role of his new version of The Firebird with costumes and sets by Geoffrey Holder.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.