Arthur Mitchell death: Pioneering ballet dancer dies aged 84

Arthur Mitchell, one of the first black ballet dancers, has died aged 84.

Mr Mitchell broke barriers for African-Americans in the 1950s as a dancer with the New York City Ballet.

He died on Wednesday in New York, having suffered heart problems.

Anna Glass, executive director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, which Mr Mitchell founded, said he "truly was a visionary".

She said: "He believed in a world where all people could have access to this beautiful art form. He really sought to ensure that all people saw themselves in ballet.”

Choreographer and television producer Debbie Allen said: "Arthur Mitchell claimed ballet as an American art form. His legacy lives through all of us."

Actor Wendell Pierce tweeted: "A legend. An icon. The best of the African American contribution to the human diaspora. ATTENTION HAS TO BE PAID. A great man. A great dancer. He changed the world while holding on to his integrity. RIP. He is with the ancestors now."

And New York governor Andrew Cuomo said: “We mourn the loss of one of the greats. Arthur Mitchell was a trailblazer and an inspiration for generations of black dancers.

“He made the dance world, and New York, a more inclusive place.”

Born in Harlem, Mr Mitchell started dancing with the New York City Ballet in 1955 under famed choreographer George Balanchine.

Mr Balanchine put him in several leading roles, including one pairing him with a white female dancer in Agon in 1957.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.