Hope Clarke

Hope Clarke (born March 23, 1941) is an American actress, dancer, vocalist, choreographer, and director. She gained recognition as a principal dancer with the Katherine Dunham Company and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater during the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, Clarke showcased her acting skills on stage, film, and television. Throughout the 1980s and beyond, she excelled as a choreographer and director. Notably, Clarke made history in 1995 as the first African American, and the first African-American woman, to direct and choreograph a major staging of the opera-musical Porgy and Bess. Her production received critical acclaim, celebrating African-American community and pride while providing a more hopeful and positive portrayal of the story's characters.