Fox Theatre performances include world premieres and repertory works. Robert Battle was four years into his artistic directorship of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and still he sometimes questioned whether or not he belonged there.
"Survivors” was made in 1986 response to Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, but it’s a “universal statement about injustice.” In 1986, revered Black American choreographer Alvin Ailey made a ferocious protest work in response to Nelson Mandela’s more than two decades of imprisonment under the heel of South Africa’s apartheid government.
Survivors’ has new resonance in a period of widespread protests. As Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New York for its winter season, it will perform Revelations, of course, as well as a world premiere from in-demand choreographer Kyle Abraham. But it will also feature a work that has not been seen for more than 30 years: a wrenching tribute to Nelson and Winnie Mandela titled Survivors.
Renowned choreographer Alvin Ailey started his namesake dance company back in 1958, and his work has remained timeless over the decades. Whether it’s the joyous celebration of Night Creature, the playful Pas de Duke, or his most revered masterpiece, Revelations, his work can be a transcendent experience that has filled the hearts and souls of audiences around the globe.