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Alvin ailey's dance company marks 65 years.

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Robert Battle, artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, about the company's 2023 tour, which explores themes of love and joy.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And finally today, few people have had a more improbable career in the arts than Alvin Ailey, a Black boy born into deep poverty in the segregated South at the height of the Great Depression. Yet somehow, he went on to become one of the critical figures in American dance, founding a company dedicated to exploring and celebrating African American culture in all its many colors through dance. Now the company he founded, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is celebrating its 65th year and is back on tour under the leadership of only its third artistic director, Robert Battle. And at a time when issues of racial injustice and inequality are very much in the news, the company is exploring what some might consider an unlikely theme - love and joy. And Robert Battle is with us now to tell us more from Atlanta, where the company is on tour. Robert Battle, thanks so much for joining us once again.

ROBERT BATTLE: Of course. Thank you for having me.

MARTIN: Well, first of all, I'm imagining looking forward to the 65th anniversary tour. Did you have something special in mind, both as a way to celebrate, you know, surviving the pandemic when a lot of other companies didn't and also just celebrating this moment? Was there something in particular in your mind as you were putting this tour together?

BATTLE: Well, I mean, you used a great word that I think we're thinking about is surviving, right? And just to that end, I brought back a work that Alvin Ailey created in 1986 as a response to Nelson Mandela being thrown in jail unjustly. And Alvin Ailey wanted to respond to it, and so he created a work called "Survivors." I just thought it had such resonance with where we are as an organization, not only surviving but thriving. Also, thinking about the pandemic and the racial divide and all of the things that we've been grappling with, it was important for me to express the fact that Alvin Ailey was a trailblazer in that sense, that he was the living embodiment of the notion that Black lives matter and Black excellence and creativity.

MARTIN: There's a piece in particular I wanted to highlight called "Are You In Your Feelings?" by choreographer Kyle Abraham. He's a MacArthur Genius Award winner. It is this really joyous performance set against a mixtape of R&B and hip-hop and soul. Let me just play a little bit of that so people can get a little bit of the flavor.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ROSTER")

JAZMINE SULLIVAN: (Singing) Don't catch feelings. And if this sounds appealing, you just got to fall in line. You just got to fall...

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG)

UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: What do you think? Yeah.

MARTIN: Tell us a little bit about - for those who haven't yet had a chance to see this - what are some of the things that you will see in this work?

BATTLE: What I love about it is it crosses generations. When he would talk to me about his ideas on the phone, he said, I want to do something for the company. I want to do something very Black. I remember him saying that very, you know, no filter. He just said, very Black. And I said, well, that'll do. And then he said, I really want to do, like, a mixtape. And the songs told the story, and that's what he did.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL")

DRAKE: (Rapping) I know you like to drink till the sun up, grind till you come up.

BATTLE: You have Drake. You have Erykah Badu. You have Summer Walker.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SESSION 32")

SUMMER WALKER: (Singing) You don't know what love is if you're too good to call a million times.

BATTLE: Gosh. Then you have Shirley Brown and that great song "Woman To Woman."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WOMAN TO WOMAN")

SHIRLEY BROWN: (Singing) Woman to woman, if you've ever been in love.

BATTLE: It just runs the gamut. It's a way of - because we often have different generations of audience members at the same performance, and so everybody has something they can connect to.

MARTIN: But you see the thing - the piece itself has so many lovely combinations. Of course, there's, like, the classic, you know, ensemble piece. There's the men doing their thing. There are the classic kind of male-female pairings, but there are also kind of two men dancing together at some point.

BATTLE: Yes.

MARTIN: They're expressing this whole kind of wide range of relationships love, romantic love. And the reason I raise that is that this piece is coming out - there's been so much sadness in the last couple of years, you know, so much about, you know, police violence, about, you know, gun violence, street violence. And I just wanted to ask you, like, why you thought it was so important to highlight something so joyous. Why did you think that was so important? Because you give the piece a lot of time on the program.

BATTLE: Yes, because we have always survived with not just activism but humor, you know, with song, with dance. When you see people dancing together in spite of the weather, that, to me is resistance. That four-letter word, love, is one of the most powerful concepts in the universe, and that's what he reminds us of in this work.

MARTIN: And you have a piece that you directed, a piece for two dancers called "Unfold." The performance I saw was performed by an opera singer singing an aria through - which was also, you know, delightful in itself. Talk a little bit about that.

BATTLE: Yeah, Brandie Sutton, who has such a beautiful voice. For me, this duet "Unfold," it was inspired, actually, by the singing of Leontyne Price. I had never heard a Black woman sing opera, and there was a commercial for the United Negro College Fund.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LEONTYNE PRICE: (Singing) Reaching for a dream that spells tomorrow, another generation's coming on.

BATTLE: Leontyne Price sings in the commercial in her operatic voice. And I remember thinking that was something I'd never heard. I was spellbound and I wanted to honor her voice. And so "Unfold," to me, is about being, in a way, in love and watching it, you know, unfold like a flower.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LOUISE, ACT III: DEPUIS LE JOUR")

PRICE: (Singing in French).

MARTIN: You think that people have a hunger for - to think about love?

BATTLE: I do. I think people are tired. We need a recharge. We need to feed the soul. We need to remember softness. And so I think, in some ways, yes, it is about romance, but it's also about optimism. It's also about looking forward.

MARTIN: So before we let you go, most performances of the Ailey company, or at least many, end with "Revelations." This is a signature work of Alvin Ailey's. It's so much identified with the company that I think if you saw a picture of one of the opening set pieces that you would immediately know what it was.

MARTIN: And people see it and the audiences just go wild, no matter how many times they have seen it. And, in fact, I always hear people whispering, never gets old. It never gets old. For people who haven't seen it, it is a series of pieces for ensemble, (inaudible) individual solos, but all set to traditional hymns that are part of the African American experience and, you know, like "Rock My Soul," "Wade In The Water" and "I Want To Be Ready." I'm just wondering why you think it continues to have such power.

BATTLE: I think that there are moments when the divine, you know, sort of enters the being of someone in such a way in that creative moment that they channel something that just becomes both personal and at once also universal. You know, when you hear that humming, immediately, there's a sense of one's primordial past. Then the curtain rises, and it's that perfect pyramid of dancers with their weight on the ground but with their heads looking toward the sky. It just has this way of defying place and time and circumstance and bringing people together and breaking down that fourth wall. By the end of that work, there is no real tangible separation other than the footlights between the dancers, the dance and the audience.

MARTIN: That is Robert Battle, artistic director at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It's based in New York City, but the company is on tour now, which is where we reached Robert Battle in Atlanta. Robert Battle, thank you so much for being with us once again.

BATTLE: Thank you for having me.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I BEEN 'BUKED")

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER: (Singing) I've been 'buked and I've been scorned. Yes, I've been 'buked.

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Dance Review: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at The Kennedy Center

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations.” Photo Tony Powell. 2023.

When the Alvin Ailey Dance Company celebrates Black History month, count on a festive party.

Looking for a respite from the political craziness that surrounds our lives? Want something fresh, joyous and honest? How about an escape to the world Alvin Ailey Dance Theater (AADT) at the Kennedy Center through the weekend. Just a few strains of Ailey’s gospel-singing, toe-tapping, hand-clapping “Revelations” will bring back that smile that’s been missing too long. You may even become a diehard fan like so many at the Kennedy Center Opera House this past Tuesday evening.

People just can’t get enough of the joy “Revelations” brings.    

Maybe it’s the pop-concert ambiance of an Ailey performance, or the rich African-American heritage it calls upon, or just the gut-wrenching fervor and physicality of the dancing. Whatever the reason, Ailey’s fans are as loud as they are loyal. The rousing “Revelations” finale reflects Ailey’s gospel-singing upbringing in the Texas Bible Belt where he grew up. It absolutely works magic no matter where the dance is performed or where the viewer was raised. People just can’t get enough of the joy “Revelations” brings.    

In all my years of writing dance reviews, I can’t recall a performance where the audience started yelling and clapping as soon as the first note of the dance score was heard. This was true for all three offerings in the opening program, which repeats during the too-short run. 

Alonzo King calls his works “‘thought structures’ formed by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter, through laws that govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists.” No need to comb through these words to enjoy the opening dance, “Following the Subtle Current Upstream” (2000, new production, 2023). 

Watching a Ronald K. Brown performance piece is a spiritual experience. Beauty, power and strength reach out from the stage to grab hold of an audience. This was true with “Dancing Spirit,” and the audience couldn’t get enough of it.  

Brown pays tribute to Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison’s profound influence with the Company.  Set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, Brown’s powerful choreography uses movement from Cuba, Brazil, and the United States to capture Jamison’s brilliance, especially in her signature “Cry” solo. Kudos to the lead female dancer who captured Jamison in her glory.

Then came “Revelations,” the timeless masterpiece that explores themes of spirituality, resilience, and hope, performed with such raw emotion and intensity that it brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience, including this writer. The dancers’ powerful portrayal of joy, sorrow, and redemption left a lasting impression that will not soon be forgotten.

“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” was especially moving with trio Xavier Mack, Alisha Rena Peek, and Isabel Wallace-Green. “Fix Me, Jesus,” featured Corrin, Rachelle Mitchell, and Michael Jackson, Jr. in a sultry pas de deux. The audience went wild as we watched three bare-chested men rip across the stage in “Sinner Man,” then fall to the ground, circle up and begin again with even more zest. The company rose to the occasion in “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham,” still sassy and fun after all these years. It was created in 1960. 

We started to leave during the fifth standing ovation, but was told by an usher that the dancers would probably do an encore. We returned to our seats for more magic and a socko show-stopper, as always. 

Running Time: Two hours, with two 15-minute intermissions.

The Alvin Ailey Dance American Theater performs different programs from its touring repertory at the Kennedy Center through the Sunday matinee, February 11, 2024 at The Kennedy Center’s Opera House, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566. For tickets, call the Box Office at (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324, or purchase them online . Note: Performance schedule subject to change. Running times may vary. And do check for last-minute cancellations of tickets.

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About the author, carolyn kelemen.

Carolyn Kelemen followed James Rouse's dream to Columbia in 1970 and has been writing about local artists for newspapers, magazines, and online ever since. She earned her MFA in dance at Mills College after a long career of performing on stage, in films, and on TV throughout the East Coast. Besides teaching dance at Goucher College and Howard Community College, she formed the Interfaith Housing Ballet Troupe at Slayton House and staged one of the New City's first dance benefits at Merriweather Post Pavilion. In 1999 she won a Howie Award for her support of the arts, and in 2006 she was inducted into the Howard County Women's Hall of Fame for her efforts on behalf of "Columbia Cares," a benefit for people living with HIV/AIDS. The 2017 benefit, "Dancing For Divas," honored Columbia women in the arts. She is the co=producer of "Razzle Dazzle" radio on the HCC Dragon Radio podcasts that showcases local artists. Carolyn is a member of the American Theater Critics Association and Dance Critics of America.

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Theater | review: alvin ailey american dance theater is back at the auditorium, timely and timeless.

Paul Kolnik / HANDOUT

Vernard Gilmore of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in "Revelations."

Paul Kolnik

Kyle Abraham's "Are You in Your Feelings?" is performed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in "Revelations."

Tony Powell / HANDOUT

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers Caroline Dartey and Ghrai DeVore Stokes in Kyle Abraham's "Are You in Your Feelings?"

A palpable buzz overtook the Auditorium Theatre Wednesday, with a who’s who from the Chicago arts world arriving dressed to the nines for the 130-year-old venue’s annual gala.

It so happened this was also the opening night performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s annual pilgrimage to Chicago, a tradition that stems back 55 years. Chicago is woven into the fabric of this New York-based company, with several dancers calling the Windy City home and the Auditorium as a habitual tour stop every year — every year but one, of course: 2021 was canceled due to the pandemic.

Continuing through Sunday in three different programs, the legendary troupe presents classic works from the company’s past, folding in new-to-them repertory from late founder Alvin Ailey’s peers and some of the leading voices in contemporary dance today. A few highlights include a revival of Twyla Tharp’s “Roy’s Joys,” which Ailey adopted into its rep this season, performed Thursday and Saturday. Sunday boasts an all-Ailey program, while Friday’s bill includes new works by Kyle Abraham and outgoing resident choreographer Jamar Roberts, plus a new-to-them remount of Paul Taylor’s 1964 “DUET.”

Wednesday’s early evening show featured just three pieces, but in that brief, 90-minute morsel, Ailey once again proved its timelessness and timeliness.

The night opened with Abraham’s latest work, “Are You in Your Feelings?” Created in 2022 especially for the Ailey company, Abraham employs a time-bending playlist spinning the catalogs of luminary Black artists. Tracks are choppily pieced together, not appearing to play in any particular order, with The Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You,” on one end of the timeline and Summer Walker and Kendrick Lamar on the other. In the middle: salient sounds of the ’90s and early aughts surface with bits from Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Drake.

It sounds wholly discombobulating, but “Are You in Your Feelings?” is a slow and largely understated burn. Big pops of color in Karen Young’s costumes, made iridescent under Dan Scully’s lighting, give a theatrical oomph to a piece that, by turns, feels nonchalant — apathetic even. To this, Abraham prescribes a befuddling mix of pedestrian gestures and classical ballet steps, with a base of silky-smooth undulations that are more quintessentially him. These percolations occasionally sizzle in satisfying ways, but the tone is decidedly internal — it’s a groove that doesn’t aim to wow.

Yet, wow it does in a few remarkable moments: The piece opens and closes with dancers Ashley Kaylynn Green and Chalvar Monteiro matched up. They playfully poke and prod at each other with gentle shoves to a shoulder or leg, moving the pas de deux along. Green forms the central character here, in what Abraham describes as “a celebration of Black culture, Black music and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all.” Literal bits of the culture creep in, with references to hand jive and vogueing, for example. That “Are You in Your Feelings?” throws B-side ballet steps into the mix — really, Kyle, gargouillades?! — is perhaps his reminder that Black culture is not and never has been a universal experience.

After remarks from Auditorium CEO Rich Regan and Ailey artistic director Robert Battle, Jacquelin Harris and Kanji Segawa performed Battle’s bite-sized 2007 duet, “Unfold.” In his comments, Battle described the first time he heard Leontyne Price, the first African American opera singer to rise to international acclaim. “Unfold” is appropriately exasperated; Harris and Segawa contort their sinewy frames almost as if undergoing an exorcism. But this passion is tempered by tender moments for the couple; it’s a lot packed into a very small space interpreting Gustave Charpentier’s famous aria from “Louise.”

This expedited performance (others throughout the weekend will be closer to two hours in length) ended, as all do, with Ailey’s iconic masterwork, “Revelations.”

In a way, “Revelations” is the 1960 vintage edition of Abraham’s “Are You in Your Feelings?” A mixtape of era-relevant gospel hymns, Ailey sought to represent Black culture and Black life through expressions of joy and hope. For the dancers, it is a convention of their daily lives as routine as brushing their teeth. In his 25 years in the company, Chicago native Vernard Gilmore has performed this piece thousands of times. All the other times didn’t matter when he laid down at center-center, alone, in white pants and top for “I Want to be Ready,” “Revelations'” unapologetically difficult display of technique and individual strength. If Gilmore’s not tired of this piece yet, neither am I.

Lauren Warnecke is a freelance critic.

Review: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (3.5 stars)

When: Through March 12

Where: Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive

Running time: 2 hours

Tickets: $63-$133 at 312-341-2300 and  auditoriumtheatre.org

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‘I was flabbergasted by the sight’: Alvin Ailey dancers on their legendary Revelations

For more than 60 years, the spiritual power of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s signature work has stunned audiences including Obama. Here, company members explain what it’s like to dance a masterpiece

Sylvia Waters , former company dancer: I saw the first performance of Revelations, which was at the 92nd Street Y, New York , in 1960. At the time you are part of history you never realise it, of course. But I had a very visceral experience – deeply soulful. It was different from anything I’d seen a dance company do. That version of Revelations was almost an hour long and the audience reaction was explosive.

Judith Jamison , former company dancer and artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), 1989-2011: I was at university in the early 60s. One of our assignments was to go see this company, Alvin Ailey . I had never heard of them but I was flabbergasted by the sight of this Black company. I think there might have been eight dancers, but they filled the stage. The next day in our improv class we were just copying everything we had seen. SW: I saw several versions between then and 1965. Alvin edited it down to 30 minutes and it became more succinct, clearer, crisper. JJ: It was a shower of blessings seeing Mr Ailey dance. He looked so muscular, not your usual “dancer”. He had a big chest and muscles, that whole macho thing. And he was gorgeous. But the dance was flowing like water. It takes your breath away. Constance Stamatiou , dancer, AAADT: When I was a very little girl – four or five – I saw a TV show about Revelations. I was in awe, growing up in the 80s and seeing a company full of dancers that looked like me.

Robert Battle , artistic director, AAADT: My first encounter was on videotape but seeing it in person was an out-of-body experience. The piece is ultimately an expression of hope, told through a suite of spirituals. I grew up going to church, I sang in the choir. So this notion of faith and the Black experience, through tumult and slavery, was familiar. The dance was the embodiment of a kind of spirituality, made visible. CS: I was able to really connect with Revelations because just like Alvin, I also grew up in the south, and in the church, where I heard a lot of those African American spiritual songs. So it really touched me and made me feel like, “Oh, I could do this!”

RB: It takes you on a journey of the African American experience and expression, and how the universal message of our common humanity shines through. You see different dance styles: the technique of Ailey’s mentor, Lester Horton ; his influences from Martha Graham and from African dance; movement direct from the church; vernacular steps, and balletic and classical. CS: The movement style is very grounded, it’s rooted from the earth and reaching to the heavens. The song I Been ’Buked is about coming from the dirt, the sorrow and hard times. It’s like a prayer, a very soft and yearning asking for help.

SW: Alvin was a very warm person, extremely generous, and had a great sense of humour. But in teaching the steps he didn’t say very much about the work, because we were under the gun learning about 10 ballets for our first Broadway season. But we would hear him sometimes when he talked to audiences. He talked about how, for I Been ’Buked, he was inspired by the sculptures of Henry Moore – the heaviness and the fullness and the reaching; the density of the movement. CS: Then, in Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel, you start to see a little more fight. All these spiral jumps and contractions when you’re hitting the ground, almost like you’re trying to break free. Jaryd Farcon , dancer, Ailey II (AAADT’s company of younger dancers): I just love the quick energy of Sinner Man. It’s like, “Go!” “Cannonball!” It’s like you are fighting for your life, you’re being chased. Are you ready for the end? No! It’s just a ball of energy and it’s crazy. CS: In Wade in the Water, there’s a baptism, and a cloth that’s used to mimic the ripples of the water. Wade Girl was probably the first role I did. I knew what that felt like, being baptised and growing up in a Baptist church. You go from calm and a little scared and not sure what this baptism is about to be, then you catch the holy ghost and you’re rejoicing. JF: The audience can’t see what goes on in the wings. From Sinner Man to the Yellow section [the finale] you have less than two minutes to change. You scramble off stage and there’s a full choreography behind the scenes: quick changes, people helping each other, some already in their finale costumes but helping make the water ripple. JJ: I remember I got upset with Mr Ailey because when I first joined I was doing the duet Fix Me, Jesus with James Truitte , and then he gave me Wade in the Water and I felt demoted! I got quietly indignant. I was standing in the wings, all pouty, then the cue came and I walked on stage and the joy took me over. That’s the beauty of his choreography: it embraces you no matter how you feel. In 1960 Mr Ailey made that, and here we are now. SW: I was director of Ailey II for 38 years [1974-2012] so I’ve taught Revelations to generations of dancers and still rehearse it sometimes.

JF: I joined Ailey II in 2020 when it was the pandemic and we had to rehearse Revelations on Zoom. It was hard to figure out which was right and left. You had to move the couch – and in New York there’s not much square footage. But it was great to keep going.

JJ: It’s an enduring work. People love it all over the world. There are a lot of places we go where they don’t understand the words necessarily but they know how they feel. SW: In the Soviet Union in 1970, the audience reaction was just amazing. And all these places in Ukraine – Donetsk, Kyiv, Luhansk – when I look at what’s happening now, those are places we performed. The way they responded made you feel there was no language barrier.

RB: When I became artistic director in 2011, it happened to coincide with us being in Russia. I never felt further away from home in many ways, but when Revelations came on I saw people in the audience acting as if it were their movement, their dance, their music.

SW: We had two weeks in London in 1970 at the old Sadler’s Wells. At the last performance somebody from the audience got up on stage and was dancing with us.

CS: We performed at the White House, during the Obama administration. You know, Obama is a huge fan of Ms Jamison. Apparently he had a poster of her in his dorm room in college. He was super, super nice. I remember the dogs came in and the security guards, but it was heartwarming and just friendly and really cool. CS: We performed in Athens in 2008. We start the piece with our faces up, and I remember all I could see was this midnight blue sky filled with stars and the Acropolis lit up. It was like dancing for the gods. JJ: Back in the day the repertory was limited so we would do Revelations every night. Now the company has a huge repertory, challenging the dancers to move in different ways, as Mr Ailey always wanted. But to this day people still request Revelations. RB: In general we get in trouble if we don’t do it. I’ve heard that even Alvin himself at some point asked if we couldtake Revelations out. But they told him what the box office numbers looked like with Revelations and without, and that was a sobering moment. But we are fortunate to have a work that, after so many years, still has fans that want to see it.

CS: It’s extremely important to carry on that legacy. Alvin was a brilliant choreographer, and a Black gay man who was able to do all this during the height of the civil rights movement, and ran a company when we weren’t really looked upon as good dancers or valuable as humans. It is a part of history and it should always be told.

SW: It is unique for a modern dance work to be seen so much and it’s a testament to Alvin’s understanding of humanity and the human spirit. That, yes, people experience despair, struggle, repression, oppression, but they have the resilience and strength to go forward.

RB: When I started this job journalists would say: “You’ve been doing Revelations for so long, some people say it’s getting old, do you think you’ll stop doing it?” And I said, “Well, when you get a stepladder and take down the Mona Lisa because so many people have seen it already, I’ll do the same with Revelations.

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Sadler's Wells review - exhilarating display of a full deck of dance styles | reviews, news & interviews

Alvin ailey american dance theatre, sadler's wells review - exhilarating display of a full deck of dance styles, from stately to sexy, these fabulously physical dancers engage every emotion.

A big welcome awaited the Alvin Ailey dancers at the Wells, on their first international tour since lockdown. The company has scheduled four different mixed bills over 10 days, each with its signature piece, Revelations, as the finale. This is a great idea as the company returned after their final bow on press night to reprise part of the piece and coax the audience onto their feet. No problem.

What a wonderfully versatile troupe this is. Its opening night programme, a bill subtitled Contemporary Voices, began with a 2022 Kyle Abraham piece, Are You in Your Feelings? , made on the dancers, that really sets out the company’s stall. In small groups and couples they play out a street scene of people meeting, uniting, parting, with snatches of actual conversations linking music ranging from the Flamingos hit “I Only Have Eyes For You“ to contemporary R&B and hiphop, from acts such as Lauryn Hill, Drake and Kendrick Lamarr.  

The moves here are at base balletic arabesques and chainés, given an extra athletic boost. In duets and perfectly synched ensembles, the dancers   slinkily writhe with curved arms and thrusting torsos. Sometimes they just do a languid walk, or flap one hand at hip height. At others they suddenly perform bravura rock-solid extensions. Their physicality is fabulous.

Visually, the piece is simple but striking, with just a curve of light on the black back wall as scenery, and neon-colours, electric pinks and reds, for the lighting. The women are in full palazzo pants of muted colours, the men in Ts and loose trousers. One woman arrives eating a big bag of crisps. There’s an air of community about the piece, though inevitably two dancers stand out: the electrifying Chalvar Monteiro, who worked with Abraham after graduating from dance school; and Ashley Kaylynn Green, a powerhouse of fluid moves. Between them, these two could provide enough energy to run a major US city.

The middle section of this bill is devoted to two pieces by the company’s artistic director, Robert Battle. For Four , from 2021, treats us to a cheeky set of permutations of four dancers, to a cool Wynton Marsalis score. Renaldo Maurice, in sparkly braces, opens the piece with a winning solo, then the other three dancers, two of them women, arrive in suits and the moves become larkier, strutting and spinning, going through tap moves and shoulder jiggles, some hiphop-inflected, all increasingly speedy. It’s a great mix of popular and classical.

Battle’s Unfold (2007) then narrows the cast down to just two, to an aria from Charpentier’s Louise sung by Leontyne Price. There is more impressive dancing here from a woman (Ashley Mayeux on opening night) who at first is bent over sideways at the front of the stage. She slowly “unfolds”, throwing her arms backwards before collapsing in a heap, while a male dancer (Jereboam Bozeman) keeps trying to help her move around. They manage some “skating” steps together, but soon she is bent over as before.  

In another of the four programmes, I caught Dancing Spirit, a 2009 piece by Ronald K Brown given a new production this year. This is the Ailey formula in a nutshell: a slow build as measured duetting to Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis numbers segues into hotter tempos and finally a foot-stomping, hand-clapping thrash, backed by Radiohead and War tracks. The mood is both Latin and sexy, yet increasingly soulful as the dancers’ engagement with their art intensifies.  

In the Take Me to the Water section, a river duly arrives as two long strips of cloth, one white, one blue, that span the stage and, shaken by unseen hands in the wings, create a sense of a moving stream. The tempo speeds up, the sounds grow salsa-like, the moves Latin-sexy, before we move into the last section, Move, Members, Move, and some dynamic male choreography to “Sinner Man”. Then a big ensemble arrives, the women in late 19th century flowing white dresses and hats (pictured right) , carrying stools, the men in formal waistcoats.

This section shows how impossible it is to pin down the mood of this extraordinary piece, which combines sincere religiosity with touches of humour – the ladies in hats have a fan-off, furiously flapping at each other in a wordless spat. This section is also the climactic show-off part for the men, who perform dizzying spins, grands jêtés and side bends. Conversely, at glacial speed, the women sit down on their stools with their backs to us and perform an array of formal moves from there. The final tableau has the women in the foreground and the men forming a line at the back of the stage, where they simply sway gently, hands on hips, with beaming smiles. A joyful way to send people home happy,

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Sadler’s Wells until September 16
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is at Sadler’s Wells until September 16

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Critic’s Notebook

Ailey Looks Back to Black Joy and Longing With 1930s Jazz

As part of its New York City Center season, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presents premieres by Amy Hall Garner and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish.

By Gia Kourlas

The dancers don’t so much step onto the stage in Amy Hall Garner’s “Century” as burst within it like a glitter bomb, showering the space in pink and gold. For “Century,” her first work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, performed on Friday at New York City Center, it’s clear that Garner doesn’t merely know a party when she sees one — she knows how to dream one up. A metallic curtain hangs in the back as dancers, looking like fuchsia flowers, vibrate from their shoulders to their feet like petals caught in a breeze.

Wearing dresses featuring feathered skirts and striped bustiers and, for the men, tight pants and short-sleeve shirts so form fitting that they could be painted on, the dancers are clearly committed to a celebration. But Garner adds another element to their flash: breathtaking speed.

A rising choreographer who will present a new work at New York City Ballet this spring , Garner, here, takes inspiration from her family. She regards “Century” as an early birthday present to her grandfather Henry Spooner — he turns 100 on Dec. 30 — and has built a score for it based on his taste, which includes songs by Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans. One section ends with a voice-over by Spooner that speaks to his longevity: “Why my life was extended I don’t know and I don’t question it. Something must be doing good, I’m still here.”

In its opening two numbers, “Basie Land,” performed by Count Basie, and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Live),” performed by Ray Charles, “Century” is powered by the magnetic, expansive partnering of James Gilmer and Coral Dolphin, and Christopher R. Wilson, whose darting footwork strikes like invisible sparks.

But Garner can also use speed, however energizing, until it wears out its welcome. When Ashley Kaylynn Green — a dancer of absorbing, unaffected ebullience no matter the role — appears in profile at the start of “Why Your Feet Hurt” by Rebirth Brass Band, a different temperament, mercifully, takes over.

Rooted to the floor, Green gives in to the rise and fall of her body as it dips into the music’s groove. There are swinging, swimming arms as other dancers join in, including Michael Jackson Jr. and Christopher Taylor, giving their all to the song’s title chant. In this section, the sharpest in “Century,” all the dancers count. But it belongs to Green who springs up and down from the floor with so little concern for gravity that she seems more spirit than person.

To the spare, gentle “Total Praise” performed by Cyrus Chestnut, the dance takes a more meditative turn. Taylor, balancing on one leg, the other bent at a right angle, rotates ever so slowly; in other moments, which can get trite, he pauses to stare contemplatively into the distance.

But this is, after all, a birthday party — one that kicks into high gear again as the dancers dig into Garner’s fast feet and blurred spins. That their bodies remain legible is laudable, but there is a sameness in its adrenaline junkie pursuit of dance joy. In “Century,” the sections seem superficially linked, more by costume (Susan Roemer) and lighting and scenic design (Nicole Pearce) than by choreographic flow. They could almost exist as stand-alone numbers.

A similar theme of looking back was present in Ailey’s other world premiere, “Me, Myself and You,” a duet by Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish , a former company member. Set to Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood,” as performed by Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton, the shadowy work, shown Thursday, focuses on the memory of a romance.

Right off, there was a problem: the set. From my seat, it was virtually hidden from view, though somewhere in the left back corner of the stage, I could see a gleaming surface. The structure, credited to Roxas-Dobrish and Joseph Anthony Gaito, turned out to be a folding mirror screen.

From the start, the spotlight is on Caroline T. Dartey — this is the woman’s story more than the man’s — who wears a shimmering long robe by Dante Baylor. Extending a leg forward, she arches back with yearning. (We are in a sentimental mood.) After opening the screen and pressing against its reflection and curling a leg with longing, Dartey turns around and with a buoyant, exuberant leap, finds her way back to center stage.

As if it is a portal from another world, James Gilmer seems to enter through the mirror like mist, swooping in just in time to catch Dartey as she, again, extends a leg into the air and falls into his arms. Her robe slips away to reveal a sheer black dress, which matches Gilmer’s loose pants. When he embraces her, she slips out of his arms until all they hold is air.

Repeatedly, they find each other, hooking elbows on occasion, and part ways. And so it goes. “Me, Myself and You” is a slight work, but not just because it’s so brief; instead of moving, it’s maudlin. When Gilmer slips away for good, the music ends and Dartey ponders her fate in silence.

Thursday also saw a new production of “Solo” by Hans van Manen that made the speed and virtuosity of Chalvar Monteiro, Yannick Lebrun and Patrick Coker priorities. Each were dashing enough, but as for the dance? Set to Bach, it’s packed with cloying gestures — the worst is a shrug — whimsically meant to break the fourth wall.

Ailey’s “Survivors,” featuring Jacquelin Harris and Vernard J. Gilmore as Nelson and Winnie Mandela, was more soulful in its penetrating look at the anguish of injustice. Dancing to Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, they each held their spines with unsentimental power, and Harris, pouring her grief into potent tilts and contractions, was a force.

With each passing season, Harris becomes more expansive, more versatile, more luminous. On Friday, in Kyle Abraham’s “Are You in Your Feelings,” a love letter to Black culture and music set to soul, hip-hop and R&B, she shimmered, displaying a kind of pedestrian virtuosity in which every ounce of her tiny, eloquent body was the music.

“Revelations,” Ailey’s 1960 classic, closed both programs with some fine performances, including Akua Noni Parker, the former company member returning as a special guest opposite (the ageless!) Lebrun in “Fix Me, Jesus.” Monteiro’s “I Wanna Be Ready” held deep pockets of mystery and pain. And in “Sinner Man,” Isaiah Day, who, remarkably, is in his final year at Juilliard, rushed across the stage with glittering vehemence. Once you notice him, he’s hard to unsee: This is a dancer, somewhere between a boy and a man, and he seems headed for glory.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Through Dec. 31 at New York City Center in Manhattan; nycitycenter.org.

An earlier version of this notebook misidentified a dancer in an opening number. She is Coral Dolphin, not Caroline T. Dartey.

How we handle corrections

Gia Kourlas is the dance critic of The New York Times. More about Gia Kourlas

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[Review] The Alvin Ailey company presents Ailey Classics – The River, Pas de Duke, Cry, Revelations

8 September 2023 by Jonathan Gray 1 Comment

Jonathan Gray sees the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's ‘Ailey Classics' in London

At a time when only the most worrying news seems to be emerging from the USA, it's wonderful to be reminded of the good that can come from that country as well. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is probably America's leading repertory modern dance company, performing not just works by its founder, Alvin Ailey, but by a host of other leading choreographers. As a force for everything great about the USA it was marvellous to see AAADT in London again for a two-week season at Sadler's Wells. The company is tremendously committed to everything it performs, dancing with an inspirational sense of dignity, joy and accomplishment that I sometimes find lacking in other ensembles, and this was especially true of the Ailey Classics programme it presented on 7 th September. Consisting of four works by Ailey himself – three of which I had never seen before – it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the company's past, as well as observe how much of the choreography can be interpreted as a commentary on contemporary events.

The River , danced to a symphonic score by Duke Ellington, was originally performed by American Ballet Theatre in 1970 and entered AAADT's repertoire in 1981. For a leading figure in the American modern dance movement, Ailey's choreography is surprisingly classical in style – it was easy to work out which sections were originally danced en pointe – with moments reminiscent of dances by George Balanchine , Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan (at one point there is even a little spoof of the “Cygnets” dance from Swan Lake ), but it also draws deeply on the movement styles of Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham . The dancing focusses as much on classical line (especially in the alignment of arms, legs and torso) as it does on cheerful humour or the sexuality seen in the several pas de deux, and AAADT delivers the choreography with sassiness in the more virtuoso sections. Samantha Figgins and Renaldo Maurice brought eroticism to the “Giggling Rapids” duet, Deidre Rogan turned and turned and turned in her “Vortex” solo, Xavier Mack supplied cheeky fun to the “Riba” ensemble, and Jacquelin Harris and James Gilmer were riveting in “Twin Cities” – she for her glorious, voluptuous movement quality; he for his incredible adagio control as well as his impressive musculature.

The next two pieces could be seen as Ailey's tribute to one of his greatest dancers, Judith Jamison, a superb performer who later directed AAADT after Ailey's death. Pas de Duke , danced once again to music by Duke Ellington, was created for Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1976, and must have been a brilliant showcase for both artists. Their dancing remains ingrained in the choreography, but my goodness, what fun Harris and Patrick Coker made of it all, performing with such easy insouciance and panache that they lit up the stage.

Cry , made on Jamison in 1971, was Ailey's tribute to his mother on her birthday, as well as to “all Black women everywhere ­– especially our mothers.” Performed by Constance Stamatiou, the solo, danced to music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and Chuck Griffin, raises so many feelings and expressions – of motherhood, of faith, of service, of female and Black oppression, of joy, of dignity, of courage, of hope – that it becomes not only a metaphor for times past, but – in light of the Black Lives Matter movement – what it means to be a Black woman today. Stamatiou gave Cry a committed, compelling, poised performance.

As with nearly every programme presented by AAADT, the evening closed with Ailey's Revelations . Created in 1960, Revelations probably wins the award for Most Performed Dance Work Ever, but it still has an impact, its evocation of religious faith (the dancers are often seen with their arms and hands upraised), and of humility, civility, grace and dignity under oppression make a powerful statement. The company are fantastic, but if I had to single out one artist, it would be Ashley Kaylynn Green for the quiet, passionate intensity of her dancing.

Jonathan Gray was editor of  Dancing Times  from 2008 to 2022.

He studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic, and Wimbledon School of Art where he graduated with a BA Hons in Theatre Design. He was on the Curatorial Staff of the Theatre Museum, London, from 1989 to 2005, assisting on a number of dance-related exhibitions, and helping with the recreation of original designs for a number of The Royal Ballet's productions including  Danses concertantes ,  Daphnis and Chloë , and  The Sleeping Beauty . He has also contributed to the Financial Times and The Guardian, written programme articles for The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, and is co-author of the book  Unleashing Britain: Theatre gets real 1955-64 , published in 2005.

About Jonathan Gray

He studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic, and Wimbledon School of Art where he graduated with a BA Hons in Theatre Design. He was on the Curatorial Staff of the Theatre Museum, London, from 1989 to 2005, assisting on a number of dance-related exhibitions, and helping with the recreation of original designs for a number of The Royal Ballet’s productions including  Danses concertantes ,  Daphnis and Chloë , and  The Sleeping Beauty . He has also contributed to the Financial Times and The Guardian, written programme articles for The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, and is co-author of the book  Unleashing Britain: Theatre gets real 1955-64 , published in 2005.

Jon, loved your Ailey review. So happy the company returned to London with a steller programme.. It is one of my favourites.

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Reveals 2023 New York City Center Season

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 19.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  has announced its 65th anniversary season at its New York City Center “home” from November 29 - December 31. The engagement features  world premieres by Artistic Director  Robert Battle , former Ailey company member Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish and the versatile Amy Hall Garner— the first awardee of a new Ailey Artist in Residence program. New productions of Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Jamar Roberts’s Ode, and Hans van Manen’s Solo will be staged. A dozen works by Alvin Ailey will be represented, including highlights programs of Ailey Classics and Ailey & Jazz with live music. Mr. Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations will be performed throughout the season, with soul-stirring live music on the opening night and first weekend.

Artistic Director Robert Battle said, “We are thrilled to once again greet our audiences for a full-length, five-week holiday season at City Center, with programs that express the spirit of hope, renewal, and community that are so much a part of Mr. Ailey’s legacy. This is a moment to move forward, to expand, to look with fresh eyes at wonderful dances by Mr. Ailey and esteemed choreographers in our circle, and to welcome works by outstanding choreographers who are being represented by us for the first time. Above all, this is a moment to pay tribute to the amazing women who have made Ailey what it is today, on our stage, in the studios and classrooms, and throughout the entire organization. We dedicate this season to the women of Ailey.”

Performances begin with a one-night-only  Opening Night Gala  honoring Artistic Director Emerita  Judith Jamison  in her 80th year, featuring an original work created for the occasion. Details will be announced at a later date.

Leading the season is the world premiere of a new ballet by Robert Battle with an original score by acclaimed composer and longtime collaborator John Mackey. Drawing from folk dance and the roots of modern dance and evoking the feeling of a ritual, this new work explores the ways in which community connections are renewed after prolonged social separation, ultimately inviting the audience into a close experience with the performers.

As part of its 65th anniversary season, Ailey also announces a new Ailey Artist in Residence program, expanding its investment in and partnership with choreographers who reflect Alvin Ailey’s cultural inquiry, participatory values, and worldview rich with vast curiosity. Created to dovetail with Mr. Battle’s New Directions Choreography Lab, the first cycle of the Ailey Artist in Residence program will welcome choreographers Amy Hall Garner, Maria Bauman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, each of whom will be in residence for one year over the next three seasons. Ailey Artists in Residence will have the opportunity to impact all aspects of the organization, making their presence felt throughout the year. Amy Hall Garner will kick off her residency with her first work for the Company to debut at City Center. CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy. "Like so many people, I have always felt there was magic in the name ‘Alvin Ailey’—two words that signify a special depth of emotion, freedom of expression, and uncompromising honesty, all conveyed with such virtuosity that your breath stops. It is a profound honor to be named an Ailey Artist in Residence and to share this designation with other extraordinary dance makers. At the start of my participation in this wonderful residence program, and after previously choreographing for Ailey II and The Ailey School, I am endlessly grateful for now being able to celebrate my first premiere for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.” Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish will premiere a new duet titled Me, Myself and You. A dreamlike dance about reminiscence, it is set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” conjuring the memories of love and passion for a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead. 

New productions this season include Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, which joins in the season’s tribute to the women of Ailey by evoking the elegance, dignity, and generosity of Judith Jamison and borrowing the title of her autobiography. Other new productions are Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, an audacious, non-stop piece with movement abstract but steeped in meeting that mirrors life’s boisterous waves; Jamar Roberts’s Ode, a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of gun violence set to Don Pullen’s Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots) with an all-female cast; and the seven-minute tour-de-force Solo by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet. 

A “Pioneering Women of Ailey” program on December 19th will feature special performance excerpts celebrating Carmen de Lavallade, Judith Jamison, Denise Jefferson, and Sylvia Waters. This season’s beloved Ailey Classics program highlights a selection of repertory spanning the breadth of Mr. Ailey’s rich catalog, including excerpts of Memoria, Night Creature (sections 2&3), Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage (Morolo), Opus McShann (Gee Baby), Opus McShann (Doo Wah), Love Songs (A Song for You), For 'Bird' – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), Hidden Rites (Of Love), For 'Bird' – With Love (Bird Lives). A celebrated Ailey & Jazz program will include live music performed by the Future of Jazz Orchestra to accompany dynamic performances of Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature and excerpts of Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage, Opus McShann (Doo Wah), A Song for You, For ‘Bird’ – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (Bird Lives), and Reflections in D.

Joining Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this season are four new members, including an alumnus of AileyCamp who is the third former camper to join the Company.  Isaiah Day , a fourth-year student at The Juilliard School, will graduate in 2024 and has been trained under the direction of former Ailey company member Alicia Graf Mack.  Coral Dolphin  is a founding member of Ballet Hispanico Dos who previously worked with Ronald K. Brown.  De’Anthony Vaughan  joins the Company after having trained at AileyCamp and The Ailey School. And  Isabel Wallace-Green  is a summa cum laude graduate of The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program.

This season marks the 12th year of the New Directions Choreography Lab (NDCL), a creative residency program hosted by Robert Battle and The Ailey School to cultivate an environment in which choreographers are free to take creative risks and explore new ideas. In 2023-2024, NDCL welcomes four new awardee/advisor pairs: Babacar Top and Dean Moss, Marla Phelan and Stefanie Batten Bland, Ingrid and Tony and Darshan Singh Bhuller, and Burr Johnson and Melanie George.

Beloved as a vital “American cultural ambassador to the world,” the Company embarks on its first  International Tour  since the onset of the pandemic, traveling from August 23 to September 23 to Edinburgh, Scotland; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; and Tel Aviv, Israel. The announcement of the international tour and 65th anniversary season comes as Ailey launches summer 2023 programs that include performances in Lincoln Center’s  BAAND Together Dance Festival  (July 25-29, 2023) and the organization’s free summer dance celebration  Ailey Moves NYC!  (July 31 – August 5, 2023), six days of free performances, dance classes, and workshops throughout the city’s five boroughs.

Tickets to Ailey’s New York City Center season start at $32 and go on sale Tuesday, September 19 at the New York City Center box office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or at  www.alvinailey.org  or  www.nycitycenter.org . Discount tickets are available for Ailey Super Fans who purchase tickets for more than one performance, students with an appropriate ID, and groups of 10 or more (discounts do not apply to $32 tickets). For group sales, call 212-405-9082 or email  [email protected] . Ailey Young New York invites those between the ages of 21 – 35 to purchase 50% off tickets ($80 and over) for all performances December 1 – December 31 with promo code MODERN (up to 4 tickets). For further information about Ailey’s New York City Center season, please visit  www.alvinailey.org .

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Alvin Ailey Announces 2023 NYCC Season

Alvin Ailey , Featured , In The News , Uncategorized | 0 |

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Constance Stamatiou. Photo by Dario Calmese 

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Center’s Principal Dance Company and America’s cultural ambassador to the world, announces a much-anticipated 65th anniversary season at its New York City Center “home” from November 29 – December 31.

The engagement features world premieres by Artistic Director Robert Battle, former Ailey company member Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish and the versatile Amy Hall Garner— the first awardee of a new Ailey Artist in Residence program. New productions of Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Jamar Roberts’s Ode, and Hans van Manen’s Solo will be staged.

A dozen works by Alvin Ailey will be represented, including highlights programs of Ailey Classics and Ailey & Jazz with live music. Mr. Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations will be performed throughout the season, with soul-stirring live music on the opening night and first weekend.

Artistic Director Robert Battle said, “We are thrilled to once again greet our audiences for a full-length, fiveweek holiday season at City Center, with programs that express the spirit of hope, renewal, and community that are so much a part of Mr. Ailey’s legacy. This is a moment to move forward, to expand, to look with fresh eyes at wonderful dances by Mr. Ailey and esteemed choreographers in our circle, and to welcome works by outstanding choreographers who are being represented by us for the first time. Above all, this is a moment to pay tribute to the amazing women who have made Ailey what it is today, on our stage, in the studios and classrooms, and throughout the entire organization. We dedicate this season to the women of Ailey.”

Performances begin with a one-night-only Opening Night Gala honoring Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison in her 80th year, featuring an original work created for the occasion. Details will be announced at a later date.

Leading the season is the world premiere of a new ballet by Robert Battle with an original score by acclaimed composer and longtime collaborator John Mackey. Drawing from folk dance and the roots of modern dance and evoking the feeling of a ritual, this new work explores the ways in which community connections are renewed after prolonged social separation, ultimately inviting the audience into a close experience with the performers.

As part of its 65th anniversary season, Ailey also announces a new Ailey Artist in Residence program, expanding its investment in and partnership with choreographers who reflect Alvin Ailey’s cultural inquiry, participatory values, and worldview rich with vast curiosity. Created to dovetail with Mr. Battle’s New Directions Choreography Lab, the first cycle of the Ailey Artist in Residence program will welcome choreographers Amy Hall Garner, Maria Bauman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, each of whom will be in residence for one year over the next three seasons. Ailey Artists in Residence will have the opportunity to impact all aspects of the organization, making their presence felt throughout the year.

Amy Hall Garner will kick off her residency with her first work for the Company to debut at City Center. CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy. “Like so many people, I have always felt there was magic in the name ‘Alvin Ailey’—two words that signify a special depth of emotion, freedom of expression, and uncompromising honesty, all conveyed with such virtuosity that your breath stops. It is a profound honor to be named an Ailey Artist in Residence and to share this designation with other extraordinary dance makers. At the start of my participation in this wonderful residence program, and after previously choreographing for Ailey II and The Ailey School, I am endlessly grateful for now being able to celebrate my first premiere for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.”

Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish will premiere a new duet titled Me, Myself and You. A dreamlike dance about reminiscence, it is set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” conjuring the memories of love and passion for a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.

New productions this season include Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, which joins in the season’s tribute to the women of Ailey by evoking the elegance, dignity, and generosity of Judith Jamison and borrowing the title of her autobiography. Other new productions are Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, an audacious, non-stop piece with movement abstract but steeped in meeting that mirrors life’s boisterous waves; Jamar Roberts’s Ode, a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of gun violence set to Don Pullen’s Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots) with an all-female cast; and the seven-minute tour-de-force Solo by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet.

A “Pioneering Women of Ailey” program on December 19th will feature special performance excerpts celebrating Carmen de Lavallade, Judith Jamison, Denise Jefferson, and Sylvia Waters. This season’s beloved Ailey Classics program highlights a selection of repertory spanning the breadth of Mr. Ailey’s rich catalog, including excerpts of Memoria, Night Creature (sections 2&3), Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage (Morolo), Opus McShann (Gee Baby), Opus McShann (Doo Wah), Love Songs (A Song for You), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), Hidden Rites (Of Love), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (Bird Lives).

A celebrated Ailey & Jazz program will include live music performed by the Future of Jazz Orchestra to accompany dynamic performances of Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature and excerpts of Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage, Opus McShann (Doo Wah), A Song for You, For ‘Bird’ – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (Bird Lives), and Reflections in D. 

Joining Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this season are four new members, including an alumnus of AileyCamp who is the third former camper to join the Company. Isaiah Day, a fourth-year student at The Juilliard School, will graduate in 2024 and has been trained under the direction of former Ailey company member Alicia Graf Mack. Coral Dolphin is a founding member of Ballet Hispanico Dos who previously worked with Ronald K. Brown. De’Anthony Vaughan joins the Company after having trained at AileyCamp and The Ailey School. And Isabel Wallace-Green is a summa cum laude graduate of The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. This season marks the 12th year of the New Directions Choreography Lab (NDCL), a creative residency program hosted by Robert Battle and The Ailey School to cultivate an environment in which choreographers are free to take creative risks and explore new ideas.

In 2023-2024, NDCL welcomes four new awardee/advisor pairs: Babacar Top and Dean Moss, Marla Phelan and Stefanie Batten Bland, Ingrid and Tony and Darshan Singh Bhuller, and Burr Johnson and Melanie George. Beloved as a vital “American cultural ambassador to the world,” the Company embarks on its first International Tour since the onset of the pandemic, traveling from August 23 to September 23 to Edinburgh, Scotland; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; and Tel Aviv, Israel. The announcement of the international tour and 65th anniversary season comes as Ailey launches summer 2023 programs that include performances in Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival (July 25-29, 2023) and the organization’s free summer dance celebration Ailey Moves NYC! (July 31 – August 5, 2023), six days of free performances, dance classes, and workshops throughout the city’s five boroughs.

Tickets to Ailey’s New York City Center season start at $32 and go on sale Tuesday, September 19 at the New York City Center box office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or at www.alvinailey.org or www.nycitycenter.org. Discount tickets are available for Ailey Super Fans who purchase tickets for more than one performance, students with an appropriate ID, and groups of 10 or more (discounts do not apply to $32 tickets). For group sales, call 212-405-9082 or email [email protected]. Ailey Young New York invites those between the ages of 21 – 35 to purchase 50% off tickets ($80 and over) for all performances December 1 – December 31 with promo code MODERN (up to 4 tickets). For further information about Ailey’s New York City Center season, please visit www.alvinailey.org.

This article was provided courtesy of Alvin Ailey American Theater .

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Review

Judith Schrut reviews Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, currently on its 65th Anniversary Tour, at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London.

Judith Schrut reviews Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, currently on its 65 th Anniversary Tour, at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London and 12 venues across the UK, through 28 October.

Alvin Ailey started life as a poor black boy in America’s Jim Crow South during the Great Depression. As he worked alongside his teen-aged single mother while she picked cotton in the fields or worked in domestic kitchens, he could not possibly have imagined that he would grow up to be one of the most famous dancers and choreographers of the 20 th century.

In his teens, Ailey moved with his mother to Los Angeles. Here was a very different world. He was introduced to and smitten by the vibrant West Coast cultural scene, especially by dance . He started taking dance classes, which changed his life.

Jump to 1958 when Ailey, aged just 27, and his small company of all black dancers performed for the first time at New York’s 19 th Street YMCA. They set the stage alight and brought a jaw-dropped audience to its feet. His dancers became the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and   Ailey (1931-1989) became a renowned modern dance choreographer, a trailblazing pioneer in portraying the Black American experience through dance.

Sixty five years on from that groundbreaking show, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is celebrating its ‘blue sapphire’ anniversary with a world tour, its first since the Covid lockdown.

Starting at the Edinburgh Festival, followed by London, the company is dazzling audiences at a dozen venues across the UK, showcasing six decades of classic and new works.  These include Pas de Duke , a modern dance classic originally created for its former stars Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov to Duke Ellington’s jazz score, and Revelations , Ailey’s signature piece of hope, redemption and joy, born from what he called “blood memories”. It’s a gorgeous, uplifting tribute to his African-American heritage and is the most widely seen modern dance work in the world.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew out of the American Civil Rights Movement. It was one of the first dance companies to actively welcome dancers of all races and backgrounds. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy chose Ailey and company for his first international cultural tour. Ailey’s Revelations opened the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He danced for LBJ in the White House, received many prestigious grants and established the Ailey School. These are but a handful of Ailey’s awards, accolades and prestigious performances.

I first saw the company many years ago at Sadlers Wells. I was a keen dance fan but penny-pinching student, so queued for hours to squeeze into a 30p seat in the ‘gods’. The performance was unforgettable.

It’s an entirely different universe now, but as I cozied into my deliciously comfortable seat for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2023 opening night at Sadlers Wells, I could see that the company was every bit as stunning as I remembered.

As with almost every performance since 1960, the company closed with Revelations , Ailey’s masterpiece that never fails to inspire, chill, thrill and bring audiences far and wide to a standing ovation. It has be said that no Revelations performer can ever equal the astonishing Judith Jamison, Ailey’s statuesque shining star for 30 years and who went on to be the company’s artistic director for 22 more. But Revelations was still…a revelation.

Despite his fame and creative genius, Ailey’s life was never easy. There was the harsh childhood that never quite left him. There was racism and racial violence, mental breakdowns, drug addiction. There was his double life as a closeted gay man in an era when homosexuality was widely viewed as an illness and/or a crime.

Tragically, Ailey died of AIDS in 1989, aged just 58 and at the height of his creative powers and renown. Over 4,500 mourners attended his funeral, including then-President George Bush, New York Mayor David Dinkins, lifelong friend Maya Angelou and Ailey’s beloved mother Lulu. In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Ailey a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom , America’s highest civilian honour, for his contributions and commitments to civil rights and dance in America.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Ailey II, 65 th Anniversary Tour

Opened in Edinburgh and Sadlers Wells, London; now touring venues across the UK until 28 October 2023

Further information here:  Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre/Ailey II UK Tour 2023

V iew Alvin Ailey’s thrilling Revelations on You Tube here:

Revelations

Images courtesy Sadlers Wells Press Office and AAADT, photo credits as above. With special thanks to Freddie Todd Fordham.

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May 10, 2023 The Music Center and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Announce the Acclaimed Dance Company's Multi-Year Residency at L.A.'s Premier Performing Arts Destination

In a first-of-its-kind residency, the celebrated new york-based company will perform at the music center in los angeles for four consecutive years beginning with the 2023–2024 season of glorya kaufman presents dance at the music center.

LOS ANGELES (May 10, 2023) — The Music Center and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater jointly announced today that the esteemed New York-based dance company, adored by Los Angeles audiences for more than two decades, will perform for four consecutive years at The Music Center’s iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, beginning with the 2023–2024 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center . The multi-year residency is the first of its kind in the nearly 60-year history of The Music Center’s dance presentations. “This unprecedented multi-year partnership forged between The Music Center and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a perfect match. Since debuting on our stage 25 years ago, the company’s powerful performances have consistently moved and brought boundless joy to countless Angelenos and performing arts lovers,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s commitment to social justice, reflecting the complex times we live in, and to unparalleled artistic skill makes the company an extraordinary partner to The Music Center. It is an honor to have Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater make The Music Center its Los Angeles home for the next four years. Angelenos and audiences of all ages and backgrounds will have more opportunities to experience firsthand why the company is such a cultural phenomenon.” Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater first appeared at The Music Center in 1998 with groundbreaking performances of George Faison’s 1971 work Slaves , Ulysses Dove’s 1984 Bad Blood and Ailey’s 1960 Revelations . Since its debut at The Music Center, the acclaimed company has returned to perform for Los Angeles audiences an impressive 11 times (2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019–2021). “I’m proud that Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is joining with The Music Center on this extraordinary partnership bringing the work of Alvin Ailey and today’s most significant choreographers to Angelenos,” said Artistic Director Robert Battle. “For more than 20 years, the company has returned to the stage of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion time and time again, and we are thrilled it will be the home to share the magic of Ailey with audiences annually for years to come.” Aside from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s triumph in bringing Los Angeles audiences to their feet, the relationship between the highly revered dance company and The Music Center runs deep. The company’s Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing is a native of Los Angeles. As a high school student, Rushing competed in The Music Center’s Spotlight program in 1991, a free nationally acclaimed performing arts competition, scholarship and artistic development program for Southern California teens. Rushing excelled through the rigorous yearlong program to become a Grand Prize Finalist in the non-classical dance category; he had the enviable opportunity to perform in front of a live audience inside The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. After receiving a scholarship to The Ailey School, he quickly became a member of Ailey II and then Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1992. In addition to becoming renowned as one of the great male dancers on the American stage, he also choreographed four ballets for the company, including: Uptown  (2009), a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance and ODETTA (2014), a celebration of “the queen of American folk music” called the voice of the Civil Rights Movement. “It is a surreal experience to have Ailey and The Music Center, two great institutions that had an incredible impact on my life as an artist, come together to bring artistry, spirit and grace to Angelenos,” said Rushing. “I’m proud and moved by this full circle.” In addition to participating in the  Dance at The Music Center  series, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is partnering with The Music Center’s programming division, TMC Arts, to create special events, talks, festivals, master classes and in-school residencies that provide opportunities for the public to learn about the choreography and engage in artistic and cultural experiences related to the company’s work. Most recently, in 2023, the Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs visited multiple middle schools in the county for a weeklong arts-learning experience. The program began with a professional development workshop for educators, followed by classroom workshops for students that examined the work and historical impact of Alvin Ailey, a writing project on students’ self-reflection and a discussion on the choreography of the Ailey masterpiece  Revelations . Later this year, The Music Center will work with the Ailey company to offer an AileyDance for Active Aging workshop to older adults at a local senior facility. Ailey Executive Director Bennett Rink said, “We are delighted to announce this long-term agreement with one of the nation’s most important performing arts institutions, The Music Center. Los Angeles is the city where Mr. Ailey trained as a dancer and launched his career. Although the company he founded is proudly rooted in New York, every visit of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Los Angeles is in some way a homecoming.” Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform on March 20–24, 2024 during The Music Center’s 2023–2024 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center . Additional details about the company’s works, as well as the entire upcoming dance season, will be announced soon. Learn the latest news and updates about the upcoming season by following The Music Center on social media @musiccenterla . For more information about The Music Center’s current 20 th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center , visit musiccenter.org . For more information about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, visit alvinailey.org .

About Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center , a TMC Arts program, is one of the leading presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Now entering its 20 th year, Dance at The Music Center is a powerful force, supporting new works and artists-in-residence projects by today’s most influential companies and choreographers. Performances are complemented by special experiences for both ticket buyers and the public with opportunities to learn more about the choreography and the themes explored, including panels, master classes, dance film festivals, interactive experiences and more. The 20 th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is generously supported by Glorya Kaufman Foundation, Center Dance Arts, Dorothy B. Chandler Program Fund and Elisabeth Katte Harris. About Center Dance Arts Center Dance Arts is a dynamic community of patrons with a passion for dance. Center Dance Arts members bring dance to life in Los Angeles by promoting The Music Center’s world-class dance performances, extensive educational outreach and free and low-cost community experiences so all may experience the transformative power of dance. For more information, visit musiccenter.org/cda . About The Music Center The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. The $70 million non-profit performing arts organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Gloria Molina Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and other locations all over Los Angeles County and on a digital platform called The Music Center Offstage . TMC Arts presents world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center , free and low-cost public concerts and events, as well as live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Gloria Molina Grand Park, which comprise $2 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org . Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MusicCenterLA. About the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, recent posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company is now led by Robert Battle, whom Judith Jamison chose to succeed her on July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents—as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms—promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago; The Fox Theatre in Atlanta; Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate, and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the United States and the world during extensive yearly tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit alvinailey.org .

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Alvin Ailey dance company to return to Atlanta for anniversary tour

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The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will travel to Atlanta next week to showcase a collection of familiar and unreleased pieces to both new and returning audiences.

The company will put on four public performances at the Fox Theatre in downtown from Jan. 25-27 as part of its 2024 national tour celebrating the 65th anniversary of its founding.

Each show will feature an assortment of individual productions brought to life by internationally acclaimed choreographers, including the return of a modern company classic originally choreographed by the late founder himself.

Artistic director emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Judith Jamison, said that the company’s performers and choreographers have prepared a show that combines traditional elements of Ailey’s signature performance style with fresh, updated concepts capable of shifting the company into future programming.

She also said that creating art like Amy Hall Garner’s piece “CENTURY,” which honors the life of the Ailey artist in residence’s 100-year-old grandfather, is critical in that it acknowledges the contributions of previous generations and helps keep cultural traditions in performance alive.

“We extend ourselves through our ancestors,” Jamison said. “We are who we are because of them.”

Among the week’s performances, a contemporary piece by Kyle Abraham called “Are You in Your Feelings?” will explore love, relationships and Black culture on stage while featuring music from influential artists like Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill.

Another piece, choreographed by Ronald K. Brown, will pay tribute to Judith Jamison’s impact and illustrious career, named after her 1993 autobiography, “Dancing Spirit.”

Jamison, who danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 15 years before becoming the company’s artistic director in 1989, said the ensemble has expanded since her debut in 1965 but has nonetheless remained focused on the company’s mission to hold the Ailey name in high regard, as well as the art of dance in general.

“(The company’s) grown, but we are still connected,” Jamison said. “That’s the important thing that differentiates this company from other companies. It’s a big family.”

Jamison also said that Ailey’s cast of artists always strives to leave a lasting impression on its audiences around the world and that those who attend a show should be mindful of the intimacy and importance of live theatre as they watch the performances.

“Have some fun, have a good time, go on a journey, enjoy what you see, absorb what you see,” Jamison said. “We’re there to entertain, we’re there to enlighten, and to make you feel uplifted when you leave the theater.”

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform each evening at 7:30 p.m. and perform an additional Saturday afternoon show beginning at 2 p.m.

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Opera House

For its annual Kennedy Center engagement, the beloved company presents Ailey classics and new works, including Ailey’s signature Revelations .

NOTE: If a performance is sold out, check back or call the Instant Charge Office at 202-467-4600 for late ticket or standing room availability. A limited number of seats could become available closer to performance time.

Feb. 6 - 11, 2024

Upcoming Dates

Production information.

Price Range

$49.00 – $179.00

Presenting Sponsor

Repertory programs to include  Revelations

More than 25 million people in 71 countries have seen  Revelations , making it the most widely-viewed modern dance work in the world. It takes a special work to remain as timeless as when it was created in 1960—and it takes a special company to perform it with unparalleled artistry. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has always been a treasured part of the Kennedy Center experience since we opened our doors in 1971. The company is a powerful incubator of pure talent, and you’ll watch as Ailey’s newest dancers showcase their skills amidst the virtuosity of the most tenured dancers. Audiences will experience mixed repertory programs that include new works from the most dynamic choreographers of today—and each performance ends with the soul-stirring masterpiece Revelations .

Programming subject to change.

Performance Dates & Program Listings

(N) New production in 2023–2024 season

(W) World premiere in 2023–2024 season

* = Duke Ellington Music

Tuesday, Feb. 6

Following the Subtle Current Upstream   (N) (Alonzo King, 2000)

-Intermission-

Dancing Spirit (N) (Ronald K. Brown, 2009)

Revelations   (Alvin Ailey)

Wednesday, Feb. 7 — Gala

CENTURY   (W) (Amy Hall Garner, 2023)

* Me, Myself and You   (Live Music) (W) (Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, 2023)

Thursday, Feb. 8

Ode  (N) (Jamar Roberts, 2019)

Friday, Feb. 9

Saturday, Feb. 10 — Matinee

Ailey Classics Act I

Excerpt of Memoria

*Excerpts of  Night Creature

Ailey Classics Act II

*Excerpt of Pas de Duke  

Excerpt of Masekela Langage

Excerpt of Opus McShann

Excerpt of Love Songs

Excerpts of For ‘Bird’ — With Love

* Reflections in D

Saturday, Feb. 10 — Evening

Sunday, Feb. 11 — Matinee

“Works that ignite rapturous responses and rouse the public to its feet out of sheer joy.” The Washington Post

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Constance Stamatiou in Revelations . Photo by Dario Calmese.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Revelations . Photo by Christopher Duggan.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Night Creature . Photo by Christopher Duggan.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Chalvar Monteiro and Jacquelin Harris in Amy Hall Garner's CENTURY . Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's in Alonzo King's Following the Subtle Current Upstream . Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's in Jamar Roberts' Ode . Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Caroline Dartey in Elizabeth Roxas Dobrish's Me Myself and You . Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Constance Stamatiou in Ronald K. Brown's Dancing Spirit . Photo by Paul Kolnik.

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Take a deep dive into Ailey's master work, Revelations , and find out more about the artist.

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Digital Stage Highlights From Revelations

Using African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey's Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Review: A Triumphant Return to the Stage

From Apr. 28 to May 1, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performed in Boston for the first time since 2019. Over the course of their five-show run at the Boch Center’s Wang Theatre, the company showcased more than a dozen works, including returning favorites and Boston premieres. These shows marked the third and final part of Celebrity Series of Boston’s “The Movement Series,” a sequence of spring performances focused on uniting the American and diasporic Black experience. The Saturday matinee, which featured “Blues Suite,” “Pas de Duke,” “Reflections in D,” and “Revelations,” was not one to miss. The dancers were triumphant in their return to the stage, crafting a performance that was equally dynamic, technical, and enchanting.

Alvin Ailey’s choreography excels in its capacity for storytelling. In the first act, “Blues Suite,” the audience was invited to witness moments of tension and sweetness between lovers. Belén Indhira Pereyra and Michael Jackson, Jr. embraced sensuality as they danced to “Backwater Blues.” The pair showed that ailey’s dancers do far more than execute choreography — they must also act. They transitioned seamlessly between sharp movements to indicate conflict and smoother steps to convey that they had come to a resolution. The two dancers also demonstrated the need for strength in addition to artistry. Jackson, on his knees, repeatedly lifted Pereyra over his shoulder, each time evoking a cheer from the crowd that was louder than the last.

“Pas de Duke” was the cleanest and most captivating act of the afternoon. Jacquelin Harris and Chalvar Monteiro displayed incredible control, planting their feet after every turn before floating into poses like an arabesque en releve. The choreography was exciting in its diverse and incredibly challenging movements, emblematic of modern dance’s wide technical range. Monteiro mastered the difficult turning sequence in his solo, earning an ovation from the crowd after landing his final pirouette. Harris exhibited brilliant musicality in her solo, coordinating her movements with every beat of Duke Ellington’s jazz stylings. Her beautiful lines and fluid transitions captured the flirtatious nature of the choreography perfectly.

When Harris and Monteiro came together, their chemistry was undeniable, made stronger by perfectly synchronized movements, stunning lifts, and a playful high-five or “Charlie’s Angels” pose worked into the choreography. The audience witnessed the duo make a physically demanding performance look effortless and fun.

Christopher R. Wilson slowed things down for the third act — “Reflections in D” — bathed in a cool blue light as he danced to more Duke Ellington. Although the tempo of this piece was slower, that does not mean the choreography required any less skill or strength. Wilson’s performance was primed to leave viewers in awe of his power. Because he was donning only a pair of blue pants, Wilson’s musculature could be seen expanding and contracting as he flawlessly transitioned from one step to the next. And much like Harris, he showcased beautiful musicality, hitting every beat with movements that ranged from a sweeping change in position to a subtle tilt of the head.

The show culminated in Ailey’s beloved “Revelations.” While each of the five shows featured a different lineup of choreography, they all ended with the iconic piece — and for good reason. The only word that can sufficiently describe this work is ethereal. The audience cheered even before the curtain went up, greeted by dancers donning simple, earth-toned costumes. Moving gracefully with the gospel sounds of “I Been ‘Buked,” the dancers slid into crisp formations, landing in deep pliés and gracefully extending their arms in a smooth yet commanding manner. Ghrai DeVore-Stokes and Yannick Lebrun were simultaneously angelic and athletic as they danced to “Fix Me, Jesus,” supporting each other’s body weight in lifts made to look much easier than they actually were. For “Wade in the Water,” dancers’ movements were just as fluid as the long pieces of blue silk meant to mimic water behind them. Christopher Taylor, Christopher R. Wilson, and Kanji Segawa showcased athleticism in “Sinner Man” with ascendant jumps and countless turns.

The show ended on a celebratory tone with “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.” The choreography was simple but appeared impactful and impressive when performed by the entire company. Coupled with bright yellow costumes and cheerful music, this last dance was nothing short of euphoric. It comes as no surprise that the audience was moved to clap along with those onstage, swaying in their seats to the beat and smiling even under masks.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater received a standing ovation at the end of their performance, and it was well-deserved — what a fantastic way to celebrate the company’s glorious return to Boston after a three-year hiatus.

—Staff writer Nina M. Foster can be reached at [email protected].

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