On special assignment for the Entertainment section of a September 2013 issue of New York Beacon, Vinette K. Pryce profiled not only THE RIDE, which she found “uniquely distinguished by its one-sided panoramic view, stadium-seating, and entertainment driven guides,” but two of its incredibly talented performers, Samuel St. Juste and NaTalia Johnson.

In addition to shining the spotlight on some of THE RIDE’s most impressive technical specs (“…40 video screens 3,000 LED lights and an audio system that enables pedestrians to participate…”), Pryce extolls St. Juste and Johnson as “the crème de la crème of a four and a half mile ride,” after discussing briefly Johnson’s past experiences as a black dancer in a predominantly white community:

“For a long time, I had stood out because I usually was the only Black person dancing on stage. At times I was uncertain if people were simply noticing me because I was not white,” Johnson said in a previous interview about her selections in all-white showcases.

The full article, “Black performers star on ‘The Ride’,” can you found on page 18 of this issue of the newspaper.