Tamisha Guy Brings Trap To Future's DS2 REMIXED: THE BALLET

For many, ballet is seen as an art form steeped in tradition — exquisite, disciplined, but often inaccessible. 

For dancer Tamisha Guy, 35, the journey has been about more than mastering technique; it’s been about breaking ground, claiming space, and dismantling barriers.

The Brooklyn resident with Trinidadian roots has spent more than a decade navigating worlds that weren’t always built for someone who looks like her.

“I always think about bringing young dancers behind me and how I’ll show up in spaces, how I present myself anywhere that wasn’t always fit for me, and try my hardest to ensure that they can see it can be done with and they can also sort of step into those shoes,” Guy told MadameNoire.

Now, her starring role in DS2 REMIXED: THE BALLET is not just a career highlight — it’s a celebration of resilience, identity, and what’s possible when art, culture, and heritage collide.

The Ballerina’s Beginning

Guy credits her Trinidadian heritage for giving her rhythm, a natural flow that she calls a “special seasoning” that shaped her authenticity as a performer.

She started ballet at nine, slipping into slippers and learning the discipline of the art form while perfecting her grand jeté, plié, and pirouette.

“I trained full time for ballet, pointe work, character dance, and voice, so there were all these other elements, but it was at Ballet Tech where that sort of spark to do ballet, dance, and move my body was ignited,” she said.

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But her early years also came with hard truths. The world of ballet wasn’t built with dancers of color in mind, from lead roles to basic attire.

“In the beginning, it was that sort of challenge finding dance attire that was suited for my melanated skin, so I would have to do the extra step in putting makeup on my pointe shoes and ballet slippers to match my skin tone and feel confident in my work,” she recalled.

Today, she’s witnessed progress. Dance stores now offer leotards, tights, and shoes in shades that reflect a broader range of complexions, a small but significant shift in inclusivity.

Challenges of Being a Melanated Ballerina

Even with progress, the numbers remain stark. Across the United States, Black women are still underrepresented in major ballet companies.

“I think representation is everything,” Guy said. “You know that saying, ‘that you have to see it to believe it,’ and I really take that seriously.”

A study from Data Pointes, which examined the top 25 ballet companies plus Dance Theatre of Harlem, found that fewer than 6.7% of dancers are Black. For women specifically, the percentage drops to just 4–5.6% across corps, soloists, and principal roles.

“I see a world where there’s opportunity for all of us, women of color, to be able to be at the forefront in ballet and any sort of dance profession,” Guy said. “I really feel like that’s changing, but there’s more that can be done and I’m happy to be at the forefront of that change.”

DS2 REMIXED: Where Her Story Meets Something Bold

Guy was immediately drawn to DS2 REMIXED: THE BALLET, a partnership between Grand Marnier®, the iconic blend of fine cognac and orange liqueur, and multi-platinum hip-hop artist Future and Emmy award winner and choreographer Ebony Williams. 

“What excites me most about this project is its commitment to artistic excellence while also making ballet more accessible to those who may have never encountered it or envisioned themselves within it,” Guy said.

The production reimagines Future’s influential DS2 album through the lens of ballet, pairing trap and hip-hop with classical discipline.

“DS2 changed the game for me,” Future told Grand Marnier. “A decade later and you still feel that energy everywhere. To see a mixtape I made turned into a ballet with Grand Marnier, right here in NYC? That’s different. That’s legendary.”

The performance at BAM, on September 19,  brings together world-class Black ballet dancers and costumes designed by LaQuan Smith, marrying trap culture, fashion, and dance into one explosive performance.

“This production celebrates the fusion of hip-hop and ballet, highlighting Black artistic expression across various forms, and Ebony and her artistic team have done an outstanding job creating a space where the audience can truly connect,” Guy gushed.

For her, it’s more than choreography. “Dancing to Future’s dynamic sound and innovative melodies has encouraged all of us to express ourselves authentically, pushing us to explore new depths of power and vulnerability,” she explained.

It’s not just a stylistic experiment — it’s a reclaiming. DS2 REMIXED makes room for Black culture, hip-hop, trap, fashion, and heritage inside an art form that once excluded them.

“None of this would be possible without the incredible support from Grand Marnier, who has played a crucial role in bringing this groundbreaking show to life,” Guy added. “Beyond the stage, it’s about resources, backing, visibility.”

Her identity as a melanated Caribbean Black woman isn’t incidental to her journey — it’s the heartbeat of her work. Carrying her ancestors with every performance, she believes, gives her movement its weight and meaning.

Looking Ahead: More Than a Moment

For Guy, DS2 REMIXED is more than one night of performance — it’s proof of what ballet can become.

“It’s something that’s never been done, so it feels very historic in a way,” she said. “I think all of the dancers that are a part of it are all so unique and come from different walks of life and it’s really nice to see how we’re gelling in the creative process.”

She hopes the show leaves audiences not just impressed but transformed.

“I would love people to know that they have a place in the world of dance if they want to take a class or be immersed in the world… there is space for them.”

For Guy, the feeling of being on stage remains unmatched.

“Every time I get the opportunity to perform on stage, it feels like a true blessing,” she said. “Bringing all of my ancestors and the people that I want to inspire — that’s what I carry with me.”

What Tamisha Guy has built is more than a career. It’s a map for others to follow, proof that ballet can — and should — reflect the world we live in.

Experience the groundbreaking fusion of ballet and hip-hop in DS2 REMIXED: THE BALLET on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Tickets are available online.

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