MaRen Celebrates Her First…
Ladies First: Performing on World Stages
MaRen Designs further carries the message of barrier-breaking women in December’s newsletter. We bring to our readers another featured woman who explores the many paths to purpose and who is the first along those paths.
LADIES FIRST
Ladies First: Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer
In this month of The Nutcracker Ballet performances, it is fitting that MaRen Designs’ December newsletter features Misty Copeland, the first African American women to be promoted to principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history. In December 2014, Misty performed the lead role of “Clara”, choreographed by the highly sought after Alexei Ratmansky, in American Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker.
Created for her in 2012, one of Misty’s most important roles was that of the title role in Firebird, also choreographed by Ratmansky. An African American dancer to precede Misty Copeland in breaking the ballet color barrier was Janet Collins who was the first African American prima ballerina.
MaRen Designs Dance Legacy
The mother-daughter story behind MaRen Designs brings their own dance legacy to the brand, as well as their own journey to transcending barriers. Starting ballet at the age of five in the small town of Chateauguay on the south shore of Montreal, Alisia's, (founder of MaRen), ballet teacher, Mme. Lamoureux, wanted her to audition for the National Ballet School of Canada and spoke to her mother about making that a reality.
While her parents did not really entertain the idea and certainly would not have let her move to Toronto at 8 years old, Alisia’s mother also told her that “black girls could never be prima ballerinas” in a more candid conversation. While her mother wanted doors to open for Alisia, she did not see such a path in the world in which they were living.
Thanks to her younger sister, Alisia went on to learn ballroom dancing, specifically Latin dances, in addition to continuing to dance ballet and jazz ballet as it was known in Montreal. Even when pregnant with Maren, the namesake of MaRen Design, Alisia continued dancing every Tuesday and Thursday night.
Alisia’s daughter Maren started her ballet journey at the age of four in Doha, Qatar. She continues dancing today in Nyon, Switzerland.
MaRen Designs for All Bodies
Just as Misty Copeland heard from narrowly focused people that she didn’t have the right body for ballet, many girls receive similar messages from society regarding their bodies. MaRen Designs aims to make the firsts in a young girl’s life positive by empowering them to personalize the look and feel of their designs via colourful and changeable straps, monograms, and button-on accents.
MaRen Designs is proud to produce their crop tops, camisoles, and bras in Canada. Providing a perfect mix of soft-as-skin comfort and a timeless style for girls who want to feel liberated to focus on their purpose in life.
Please sign up here for our Ladies First series for more newsletters profiling women achieving firsts from MaRen Designs.
*Image licensed from Megapixl
In this month of The Nutcracker Ballet performances, it is fitting that MaRen Designs’ December newsletter features Misty Copeland, the first African American women to be promoted to principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history. In December 2014, Misty performed the lead role of “Clara”, choreographed by the highly sought after Alexei Ratmansky, in American Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker.
Created for her in 2012, one of Misty’s most important roles was that of the title role in Firebird, also choreographed by Ratmansky. An African American dancer to precede Misty Copeland in breaking the ballet color barrier was Janet Collins who was the first African American prima ballerina.
MaRen Designs Dance Legacy
The mother-daughter story behind MaRen Designs brings their own dance legacy to the brand, as well as their own journey to transcending barriers. Starting ballet at the age of five in the small town of Chateauguay on the south shore of Montreal, Alisia's, (founder of MaRen), ballet teacher, Mme. Lamoureux, wanted her to audition for the National Ballet School of Canada and spoke to her mother about making that a reality.
While her parents did not really entertain the idea and certainly would not have let her move to Toronto at 8 years old, Alisia’s mother also told her that “black girls could never be prima ballerinas” in a more candid conversation. While her mother wanted doors to open for Alisia, she did not see such a path in the world in which they were living.
Thanks to her younger sister, Alisia went on to learn ballroom dancing, specifically Latin dances, in addition to continuing to dance ballet and jazz ballet as it was known in Montreal. Even when pregnant with Maren, the namesake of MaRen Design, Alisia continued dancing every Tuesday and Thursday night.
Alisia’s daughter Maren started her ballet journey at the age of four in Doha, Qatar. She continues dancing today in Nyon, Switzerland.
MaRen Designs for All Bodies
Just as Misty Copeland heard from narrowly focused people that she didn’t have the right body for ballet, many girls receive similar messages from society regarding their bodies. MaRen Designs aims to make the firsts in a young girl’s life positive by empowering them to personalize the look and feel of their designs via colourful and changeable straps, monograms, and button-on accents.
MaRen Designs is proud to produce their crop tops, camisoles, and bras in Canada. Providing a perfect mix of soft-as-skin comfort and a timeless style for girls who want to feel liberated to focus on their purpose in life.
Please sign up here for our Ladies First series for more newsletters profiling women achieving firsts from MaRen Designs.
*Image licensed from Megapixl