As Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates its 65th anniversary year, the organization has embarked on an initiative to honor the legacy of its founder, Alvin Ailey, by providing free educational resources through PBS.
Acclaimed choreographer Alvin Ailey infused his life story and Black cultural roots into his modern dance works, which have been enjoyed by millions since he first founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 in New York City. Early dances such as Revelations remain favorites in the company repertory today, but many people don’t know the background of the artist, who died in 1989.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has graced stages across the world for 65 years. Portia discusses the history of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey with the people who know him best. Nasha Thomas serves as the National Director of the AileyCamp and Amos Machanic Jr. teaches dance under the Ailey brand. The duo come to the table along with a few students from the AileyCamp to talk about the Alvin Ailey legacy.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art honored its new acquisitions, including Ronald S. Lauder’s promised gift, at a black-tie gala on Dec. 7. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrated Robert Battle’s 10 years as artistic director at its opening night gala on Dec. 1, held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. And the New York Philharmonic held a concert and benefit dinner at Lincoln Center on Dec. 2.
Alvin Ailey’s artistic director Robert Battle discusses the film “Ailey,” which profiles the legendary choreographer and includes historic performances and interviews.
Last summer, Jonathan Stafford, the artistic director of New York City Ballet, was feeling isolated and anxious. It was a few months into the pandemic, and the strangeness of lockdown and the turmoil and urgency of the Black Lives Matter protests were on his mind. City Ballet’s performances, programs and plans had come to an abrupt halt — as they had for performing arts organizations across the country. No one knew when or how theaters would open again. Stafford called Robert Battle, the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, to chat. “This is great,” Battle said after they had spoken for a while. “I wish we were talking to other artistic directors.”
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s coming season at New York City Center will celebrate Robert Battle’s 10 years as artistic director, the company announced Wednesday. After the difficulties of the past 17 months, Battle is more open to embracing the occasion than he might otherwise have been.
Director Jamila Wignot discusses AILEY, which is out now in theaters.
Memory was the anchor of famed choreographer Alvin Ailey’s work, the fuel behind the joy and restraint in his massively successful fusion of Black culture, theater and modern dance in the 20th century. That’s what those who knew and worked with him say in new documentary “Ailey,” which examines Ailey’s life and explores how to best remember a man who died more than 30 years ago but still lives on in the steps of those learning the moves he committed to dance doctrine.
The documentary "Ailey" tells the story of the late Alvin Ailey, who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. Host Robin Young speaks with the film's director Jamila Wignot and Judith Jamison, a dancer and artistic director emerita of Alvin Ailey's company.