Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is based in New York. But when the company performs in Philadelphia, as it does most years, it's something of a homecoming. There are always a number of dancers with Philadanco on their resumes. When Ailey performs at the Academy of Music this week, one of those dancers visiting his old stomping grounds is Jeroboam Bozeman.
"There's danger in the air, and the character that I portray is supposed to resemble hope at the highest power," said Jeroboam Bozeman, a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, about his role in "Ode." In this powerful new dance created by Jamar Roberts for the company's season at City Center (through Jan. 5), the dancers explore the effects of gun violence to a jazz score by the pianist Don Pullen. In this solo, Mr. Bozeman said he sees himself "kind of like a high priestess," he said. "Someone who oversees, but also has this sense of wisdom. I think about Trayvon Martin. I think about Philando Castile. I think about Sandra Bland. I think about Eric Garner. These are people we lost to police brutality." He admires how Mr. Roberts created such a multilayered, poetic dance about such a brutal subject.
In an ode to freedom of expression, Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli commissioned poets Greta Bellamacina, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Robert Montgomery, and Mustafa the Poet for original work, which was collected in a slim volume called On Love. Selections, like 23-year-old Grammy winner Mustafa's poignant line, pictured above, appear on the clothing itself. The gist: love triumphs. The notion resonates with Alvin Ailey dancer Courtney Celeste Spears, currently closing out an international tour.
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."
Modern dance is waning in popularity, and young people don't seem to feel as connected with the work anymore. So what's a 60-year-old ballet company like Alvin Ailey to do to seem limber again?
On March 30, 1958, at the 92nd Street Y in NYC, dancer Alvin Ailey and a group of African-American dancers performed onstage together for the first time. Since Then, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the company Ailey formed, has become legendary in the dance world. To commemorate its 60th anniversary, AAADT has dubbed its annual City Center season "Ailey 60." From Nov. 28-Dec. 30 choreographers including Ronald K. Brown, Jessica Lang, and Rennie Harris will present premieres, alongside the works of current artistic director Robert Battle, Judith Jamison, and over two dozen pieces by Alvin Ailey himself. We asked a few of the company members to share what the anniversary means to them.
It's the contrasts that set Jeroboam Bozeman apart. In a New York minute, his movements may jump from sharp and distinct to gracefully fluid. Bozeman defies labels; you're not sure if you're watching a ballet dancer, a modern dancer or (one of his favorite styles) a West African dancer.
World-renowned dance company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is coming to Philadelphia for two evenings of unforgettable performances. Ailey’s company brings a collaboration of pieces that speak to the African-American experience to the Merriam Theater just in time for Black History Month. The performances will feature works by choreographers, Hope Boykin, Kyle Abraham, Rennie Harris and Alvin Ailey. Ailey company member Jeroboam Bozeman shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming shows
A recent New York Times article declare that US dancer Jeroboam Bozeman is "having a breakout season." The same could be said of ballet as a whole, particularly when it comes to the visibility of black dancers.
Take a peek at the dancers who will be heating up the stage in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s latest engagement. One of the great pleasures of dance can be watching gorgeous bodies in motion.