Anne Benna Sims

Who is Anne Benna Sims?

Anne Benna Sims was the first African-American danceuse at American Ballet Theatre. Sims danced with the Grands Ballets Canadiens in 1972.

At ABT she was in the first cast of the company premiere of Paul Taylor's Airs; other members of the cast were Lisa Rinehart, Janet Shibata, Rebecca Wright, Brian Adams, Warren Conover and Robert La Fosse. She had earlier been featured in a revival of Antony Tudor's Undertow with Peter Fonseea. Sims graduated from Bishop Reilly High School in 1970. Her sister is museum curator Lowery Stokes Sims.