Born in Rogers, Texas on January 5, 1931, Alvin Ailey was introduced to dance by performances of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. His formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton's...
Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas, where he spent his formative years attending Sunday School and participating in the Baptist Young People’s Union. These pivotal experiences of life in the rural south would later inspire some of Ailey’s most memorable works, including his first ballet, Blues Suite, and the acclaimed masterpiece Revelations.
Originally from Philadelphia, Judith Jamison was discovered by Agnes de Mille and made her New York debut with American Ballet Theatre in 1964. Beginning in 1965, she danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 15 years to great acclaim.