The charisma, technicality, and athleticism of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater sets the group apart from other contemporaries. Works such as the masterpiece "Revelations" invoke a fiery, cisceral reaction in the audience.
Yes, absolutely, there was a great deal of pomp and circumstance (ball gowns, black ties, a red carpet and celebrities), because after all, it was time for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater annual spring gala at the world famous Apollo Theater to celebrate and support dance education under the Ailey umbrella.
Exceptionally high-profile dance activity is on tap in the coming days in Chicago. On May 18, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater opens its annual engagement at the Auditorium Theatre, with veteran artistic director Judith Jamison, who was Ailey's immediate heir, preparing to pass her weighty job on to choreographer Robert Battle as of July 1.
In January 1960 choreographer Alvin Ailey revolutionized modern dance, fusing music, movement, Christianity and the pains of the turbulent political atmosphere into a three-part work. The late choreographer's masterpiece "Revelations" spoke of the African-American journey from slavery to freedom, the fight for equality, and the universal emotions of repression, love, fear and joy.
Imagine challenging a young dancer to hold the stage, alone, for 11 minutes. Sylvia Waters, the founding artistic director of Ailey II, is fearless pushing her charges - which is one reason why this company is so exciting.
Less than 24 hours after Alvin AIley's opening night performance at the Music Center on Friday, company members were teaching hundreds of people the dance steps to the troupe's most significant work, Revelations.
The best thing about Kyle Abraham's "The Corner" is that it lets the up-and-coming dancers at Ailey II be themselves - and a little bit more. These dancers are vying to join the main Ailey Cmpany, and Abraham, a young choreographer who fuses hip-hop and postmodern sensibilities, helps them look their best.
I cannot tell you how immensely excited I was about starting this series. I got the idea after I interviewed Ms. Forsythe for Dance Magazine's Teachers Wisdom section. Since we both work at The Ailey School we see each other almost daily but this was the first time that we had opportunity (and cause) to sit and talk about the work.
A program that opens with a work called "Anointed" and ends with one called "Revelations" probably has something serious on its mind. That was the case when the Alvin Ailey American Dacne Theater kicked off a 10-performance run Friday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as part of the "Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center" series.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer Constance Stamatiou shares what it has been like to perform Ailey's most famous piece, "Revelations," on its 50th anniversary.