Carmen de Lavallade, a Dance Legend, to Skip a White House Reception

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It is not just business executives who are moving away from President Trump after his remarks about neo-Nazis, white supremacists and protesters. The dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, who will be honored by the Kennedy Center in December, announced on Thursday that she will forgo the related reception at the White House.

“In light of the socially divisive and morally caustic narrative that our current leadership is choosing to engage in, and in keeping with the principles that I and so many others have fought for, I will be declining the invitation to attend the reception at the White House,” Ms. de Lavallade, 86, said in a statement.

Ms. de Lavallade took Alvin Ailey to his first dance class, and later appeared in ballets that he created for her, as well as others choreographed for her by Lester Horton, Glen Tetley, John Butler and Agnes de Mille. In her statement, she said that she was grateful to be recognized by the Kennedy Center, and that she still planned to attend the award ceremony there on Dec. 3.

Her decision not to attend the White House reception — which is unusual — follows that of another of this year’s honorees, Norman Lear, the television producer known for his political activism, who has announced that he will forgo the reception. Representatives of Mr. Lear said Thursday that he still plans to skip the reception and accept the award.

Another honoree, the singer Lionel Richie, told NBC’s “Today” show earlier this week that he would “play it by ear” as to what he would do about the Kennedy Center honors.

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