Arthur Mitchell’s idea of a dance theater for young blacks was a success. During the 1970s and 1980s the company toured nationally and internationally, often performing to sell-out crowds and participating in prestigious events, including international art festivals, a state dinner at the White House, and the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympic Games. The Dance Theater of Harlem became acknowledged as one of the world’s finest ballet companies. Not only did Mitchell succeed in giving black dancers the opportunity to learn and to perform, he effectively erased color barriers in the world of dance, a testimony to the universality of classical ballet.