Mural Arts searching for location to spotlight decades of Philadelphia's pioneering Black ballerinas

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It's a mural that won't miss a step. Mural Arts is in search for a wall in the city to spotlight decades of Philadelphia's Black ballerinas.

The hope is that the space will give grace to young dancers of color to see their reflections.

"I want young people to know that there were some incredible dancers in the city of Philadelphia that really don't get much recognition," said dance historian and former ballerina, Karen Warrington.

She's hoping to spotlight pioneers from Sidney King and Marion Cuyjet, who established dance schools in the city and challenged the norms in ballet, to Cato Berry and Denis Maciel, who is currently with the Philadelphia Ballet.

Warrington says she pitched the idea to Mural Arts Philadelphia almost a decade ago but finding a space in the city is no small plié.

So, she has gotten creative with her call to action, teaming up with local influencers on social media.

She recently teamed up with Conrad Benner, also known as @streetsdept and @streetsdeptwalls to spread the word.

"Gentrification has made it challenging for a lot of folks who reside in neighborhoods that were once primarily thriving with Black life. Or now it doesn't look like that," said Donnell Powell with Mural Arts. "That's been a challenge for finding something like this."

Size is also an issue. A lot of the walls that have been proposed are not large enough for the number of ballerinas they want to honor.

Mural Arts says the need to find a location is urgent, as one of the figures they are honoring is Joan Myers Brown, who is in in her 90s.