Francesca Harper

Francesca Harper is an American dancer, choreographer, and Broadway performer born in 1969. She is the daughter of Denise Jefferson, a dancer and educator who directed The Ailey School, and John Roy Harper II, an attorney and activist. Her aunt is Margo Jefferson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. In 1987, Harper was recognized as a scholar of the arts through the Presidential Scholars Program. Her formal training took place at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School.

Harper began her professional dance career as a soloist with Dance Theater of Harlem. From 1994 to 1999, she served as a principal dancer with William Forsythe's Ballet Frankfurt. Her Broadway career followed, spanning from 1999 to 2006 and encompassing productions including Fosse, Sweet Charity, The Frogs, All Shook Up, and The Color Purple.

In 2005, Harper founded The Francesca Harper Project, a non-profit dance company. Her work has extended into film and television as well; she served as a ballet consultant on the film Black Swan and appeared as a dancer in the television series Boardwalk Empire. She has also been engaged as an Executive Producer with Sony Pictures to develop a new project.

In 2021, following deliberation by Robert Battle, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Bennett Rink, Director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Harper was appointed artistic director of the Alvin Ailey II Company. Long Island University honored her with a Living History award during Black History Month in 2013.