Tuesday, February 20
Wednesday, February 21
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. The Ailey Company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents—and has reached millions more online and through television broadcasts.
In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the Company as “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world” that celebrates the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.
When Ailey began creating dances, he drew upon his “blood memories” of Texas, the blues, spirituals and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work, Revelations, now celebrating 60 years. Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the Company continues Ailey’s mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 235 works by more than 90 choreographers have been part of the Company’s repertory.
Before his untimely death in 1989, Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and for the next 21 years, she brought the Company to unprecedented success. Jamison, in turn, personally selected Robert Battle to succeed her in 2011. In announcing his appointment as artistic director, she stated, “Combining an intimate knowledge of the Ailey Company with an independent perspective, Robert Battle is without question the creative force of the future.”
Tuesday, February 20 Program
EVENING’S FEATURED REPERTORY:
Dancing Spirit
Choreography by Ronald K. Brown
Ronald K. Brown pays tribute to AAADT Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison’s profound influence with this work that echoes the title of Jamison’s autobiography. Set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis and War, Brown’s evocative choreography uses movement from Cuba, Brazil, and the United States to conjure dancing spirits who embody Jamison’s elegance, vision, dignity and generosity.
Performed by the following company members:
Hannah Alissa Richardson
Deidre Rogan
Khalia Campbell
Jacquelin Harris
Solomon Dumas
Christopher Taylor
Christopher R. Wilson
Michael Jackson, Jr.
Patrick Coker
CLICK HERE to learn more about Dancing Spirit.
Are You in Your Feelings?
Choreography by Kyle Abraham
Acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham’s newest work is a celebration of Black culture, Black music and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a “mixtape” of soul, hip-hop and R&B, Are You in Your Feelings? highlights the bridge between music, communication and personal memory.
Performed by the following company members:
Patrick Coker
Caroline T. Dartey
Solomon Dumas
Samantha Figgins
James Gilmer
Ashley Kaylynn Green
Michael Jackson, Jr.
Renaldo Maurice
Ashley Mayeux
Corrin Rachelle Mitchell
Deidre Rogan
Isabel Wallace–Green
CLICK HERE to learn more about Are You in Your Feelings?
Revelations
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Using African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.
More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”
Since its premiere in 1960, the ballet has been performed continuously around the globe, transcending barriers of faith and nationality, and appealing to universal emotions, making it the most widely seen modern dance work in the world.
Performed by the following company members:
PILGRIM OF SORROW
I Been ‘Buked
The company
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel
Coral Dolphin
Isabel Wallace–Green
De’Anthony Vaughan
Fix Me, Jesus
Caroline T. Dartey
Michael Jackson, Jr.
TAKE ME TO THE WATER
Processional / Honor, Honor
Xavier Mack
Deidre Rogan
Christopher Taylor
De’Anthony Vaughan
Wade in the Water
Khalia Campbell
Alisha Rena Peek
Jermaine Terry
I Wanna Be Ready
Christopher R. Wilson
MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE
Sinner Man
Patrick Coker
Isaiah Day
James Gilmer
The Day is Past and Gone
The company
You May Run On
The company
Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham
The company
CLICK HERE to learn more about Revelations.
The evening’s program will include two 15-minute intermissions.
No late seating permitted.
All programs and casting are subject to change without advance notice.
Wednesday, February 21 Program
EVENING’S FEATURED REPERTORY:
CENTURY
Choreography by Amy Hall Garner
Amy Hall Garner’s first work for AAADT is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from the spirited essence with which he lives, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience and joy—a pure dance work set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and more.
Performed by the following company members:
Caroline T. Dartey
Christopher Taylor
Isabel Wallace-Green
Solomon Dumas
Alisha Rena Peek
Deidre Rogan
Patrick Coker
Hannah Alissa Richardson
Renaldo Maurice
Xavier Mack
CLICK HERE to learn more about CENTURY.
Following the Subtle Current Upstream
Choreography by Alonzo King
Alonzo King’s work investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world and the human spirit. Described by King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King’s movement—abstract but steeped in meaning—sets the dancers in constant flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi and Miriam Makeba.
Performed by the following company members:
Khalia Campbell
Isaiah Day
Coral Dolphin
Samantha Figgins
James Gilmer
Ashley Kaylynn Green
Michael Jackson, Jr.
Ashley Mayeux
Christopher R. Wilson
CLICK HERE to learn more about Following the Subtle Current Upstream.
Revelations
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Using African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.
More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”
Since its premiere in 1960, the ballet has been performed continuously around the globe, transcending barriers of faith and nationality, and appealing to universal emotions, making it the most widely seen modern dance work in the world.
Performed by the following company members:
PILGRIM OF SORROW
I Been ‘Buked
The company
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel
Patrick Coker
Jessica Amber Pinkett
Isabel Wallace–Green
Fix Me, Jesus
Khalia Campbell
Jermaine Terry
TAKE ME TO THE WATER
Processional / Honor, Honor
Shawn Cusseaux
Alisha Rena Peek
Christopher Taylor
De’Anthony Vaughan
Wade in the Water
Samantha Figgins
Solomon Dumas
Corrin Rachelle Mitchell
I Wanna Be Ready
Vernard J. Gilmore
MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE
Sinner Man
De’Anthony Vaughan
Christopher R. Wilson
Xavier Mack
The Day is Past and Gone
The company
You May Run On
The company
Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham
The company
CLICK HERE to learn more about Revelations.
The evening’s program will include two 15-minute intermissions.
No late seating permitted.
All programs and casting are subject to change without advance notice.
PHOTO: James Gilmer, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
PHOTO BY: Dario Calmese
“Alvin Ailey’s choreography excels in its capacity for storytelling . . . Ailey’s dancers do far more than execute choreography—they must also act.”
— The Harvard Crimson
“Alvin Ailey’s choreography excels in its capacity for storytelling . . . Ailey’s dancers do far more than execute choreography—they must also act.”
— The Harvard Crimson
Follow Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on social media.
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