Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Founded in 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World.” Ailey’s artists have performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents. Led by Robert Battle, Ailey’s performances celebrate the human spirit through the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition.

Featured Images

Ailey Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, Artistic Director Robert Battle, and Rehearsal Director Ronni Favors.

Ailey Associate Artistic ... (Read More) Ailey Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, Artistic Director Robert Battle, and Rehearsal Director Ronni Favors. (Hide)

2022-2023 Season Image. Alvin ... (Read More) 2022-2023 Season Image. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Jacquelin Harris. Photo by Dario Calmese. (Hide)

Artistic Director Robert Battle ... (Read More) Artistic Director Robert Battle with members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Hide)

Featured Video

Ailey Moves NYC! Promotional ... (Read More) Ailey Moves NYC! Promotional Video (voice over) (Hide)

Featured News Releases

May 10, 2023

The Ailey Spirit Gala Celebrates The Art And Soul Of Dance On May 24 At Jazz At Lincoln Center For First Time Ever

NEW YORK, NY, May 10, 2023 — For the first time, the Ailey organization’s annual Ailey Spirit Gala will be held in the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The special event celebrates the art and soul of dance with a unique performance featuring a piece d’occasion entitled Chasing the Spirit created by choreographer and former Ailey Company member Hope Boykin, as well as an excerpt of Alvin Ailey’s uplifting Revelations, followed by a festive soirée.

January 25, 2023

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 2023 North American Tour Kicks Off During Black History Month and Reaches 22 Cities From February 3 - May 14

NEW YORK – JANUARY 25, 2023 – After an acclaimed four-week holiday season in New York, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world’s most popular dance companies, will continue to grace stages from coast-to-coast during a 22-city North American tour starting February 3 in Toronto, Ontario during Black History Month. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, the passionate spirit and extraordinary technique of Ailey’s dancers will be showcased in a diverse repertory of new works, repertory favorites and Ailey classics. On February 7, a week-long engagement at The Kennedy Center launches with the annual Washington, D.C. Gala Benefit to support Ailey's D.C. programs, including the creation of new works, Arts-In-Education activities, and scholarships to talented young area dancers to attend The Ailey School in New York. Other stops on the 22-city tour include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Detroit, culminating with a Mother’s Day performance in Newark on May 14.

December 21, 2022

Ailey Shares The Gift Of Holiday Revelations With Free Streaming Of Opening Night Gala From December 21 Through January 2

NEW YORK – December 21, 2022 – The Ailey organization is sharing the gift of holiday Revelations with a free streaming of the 2022 Opening Night Gala at New York City Center from today, Wednesday, December 21 through Monday, January 2 on Ailey All Access, YouTube and Facebook. The one-night-only celebration features special appearances from Honorary Chair Tamron Hall, the two-time Emmy-winning TV host, journalist, author and producer, and philanthropist Denise Littlefield Sobel, the Honoree.

Featured Press Coverage

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May 09, 2023

Hollywood Soapbox - INTERVIEW: Christopher Taylor on his Alvin Ailey journey back to Newark

Christopher Taylor will soon perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, as part of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s annual season at the vaunted Garden State venue. For Taylor, the performance will be something of a homecoming because he’s originally from Newark, and he actually started his dance career in AileyCamp Newark’s summer program. He rose through the ranks, joining The Ailey School Junior Division, The Ailey School Professional Division and Ailey II, before making the jump (literally and figuratively) to the main company, according to his biography.

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May 04, 2023

Dance Magazine - How Judith Jamison Started Dancing for Alvin Ailey

“There is about her an aura of mysticism. She appears onstage, larger than life, more an apparition than a performer, compelling us to look upon her as we might a temple dancer—with a sense of religiosity, of awe.” Those were the opening lines of Olga Maynard’s November 1972 Dance Magazine cover story on Judith Jamison, then in her late 20s and at the height of her powers as a star performer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

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May 03, 2023

WBZ- TV Boston - Alvin Ailey dancers give free lessons to community before Boston shows

BOSTON - Movement, music, and "Ailey magic" drew a dancing crowd to the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Boston Wednesday night. Dancers of all ages and abilities came to experience the energy and emotion of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. "I feel like I'm a part of Mr. Ailey's legacy. When he founded his company in 1958 to celebrate the beauty of the African American experience and modern dance tradition, he wanted to put the beauty of Black people forward," said professional dancer Yannick Lebrun of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company.