Hope Clarke (born 1943 in Washington, D.C.) is an African-American actress, dancer, vocalist, and choreographer. She is also a former member of Alvin Ailey's dance company.
On Broadway, Clarke appeared in West Side Story (1960), Hallelujah, Baby! (1967), Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (1972), and Grind (1975), and choreographed Jelly's Last Jam (1992), for which she was nominated for a Tony and Drama Desk Award, and Caroline, or Change (2004).
Actress, dancer, vocalist, and choreographer best describe Hope Clarke, who began her career performing in "West Side Story". She has appeared in seven other Broadway shows that include "Purlie", "Hallelujah Baby", and "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope". As a dancer she has toured internationally with Alvin Ailey and Black Nativity, and with the legendary Katherine Dunham. In addition to her choreography for "Jelly's Last Jam" (for which she and co-choreographer and star of the musical, Gregory Hines were nominated for a Tony Award), she has choreographed such musicals as "The Colored Museum" and "Caucasian Chalk Circle" at the Public Theater. Clarke remains one of the most versatile, and perhaps underrated, performers on the stage and on film.
