In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company members Khalia Campbell, Jacquelin Harris and Solomon Dumas perform an excerpt of Wade in the Water apart of Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece, Revelations on Live with Kelly & Ryan.
During a recent free hour after her morning class, before afternoon rehearsals and an evening performance, the dancer Jacquelin Harris was brushing up on some familiar material. It was the third day of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s season at New York City Center, 27 shows in three and a half weeks — a marathon, as always, for the troupe’s 31 dancers.
Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” is back in the flesh — and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is dancing it as rousingly as ever. If you’ve never seen “Revelations,” or haven’t gotten a dose in a few years, make haste to the Ailey company’s current run at UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances, where this eternal and indestructible 1960 classic is slated to cap every program (there are five of them) on offer through Sunday, April 3. And brace yourself; as one longtime fan was heard telling a newcomer on opening night Thursday, March 29, “You’re about to go to church.”
Now you can enjoy dancing virtually, thanks to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Here to speak with us today about Ailey All Access is Ailey dancer and Charlotte native Jacquelin Harris.
The world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is bringing the Ailey experience to you, at home. The virtual experience is called Ailey All Access. It is designed to provide families around the globe with joy and inspiration during this difficult moment in time. Jacquelin Harris, a Charlotte native and Alvin Ailey Company member, says dance enthusiasts and novices alike can take virtual classes and indulge in full length Alvin Ailey performances. This week, Ailey All Access will offer the historic 1972 video of Judith Jamison performing Alvin Ailey’s Cry. Ailey All Access is free and available online.
Get an up-close view as Jacquelin Harris, Jermaine Terry, Jeroboam Bozeman and Solomon Dumas from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform an excerpt from Artistic Director Robert Battle's "Juba."
The New York City-based Alvin Ailey Dance Theater held a public workshop Wednesday night, giving local dancers across South Florida a chance to learn some of the company's iconic choreography.
In 1958, dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey created a home for dancers to explore identity and self-expression through their art and the dance theater remains a culture institution. ABC's Zachary Kiesch goes behind the scenes of Ailey's 60th and the creation of Lazarus, the Company's first ever two act ballet by hip hop choreographer Rennie Harris.
As a master choreographer, Rennie Harris knows a thing or two about himself. He doesn't gravitate toward making works about a particular topic. And he doesn't plan his dances in advance. "The movement tells you what the piece is going to be," said Mr. Harris, a Philadelphia native who has deftly Brough hip-hop and street dance to the concert stage. "You close your eyes and see if you feel something. Maybe it's music - or maybe you've read something and a story starts to unfold in your head. That's what I often look for: That story. You create the movement and all of a sudden as they're doing it, you see the next movement."
Ruschell Boone looks at the history of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with current and former artistic directors Robert Battle and Judith Jamison. They also discuss the 60th season, which is having performances at New York City Center through December 30th.