Samantha Figgins

Samantha Figgins
Please Credit Photo:  Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins. Photo by Dario Calmese.
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SAMANTHA FIGGINS (Washington, DC) began dancing at Duke Ellington School of the Arts under the tutelage of Charles Auggins and Sandra Fortune-Greene and attended summer intensives at Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. She continued her education at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. There, she performed works by George Balanchine, Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp. Upon graduating cum laude, Figgins became a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, performing works by Dwight Rhoden, Jae Man Joo, and Camille A. Brown. She also performed at the 2014 DanceOpen Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Figgins was featured both on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in Pointe magazine’s “10 Careers to Watch” in 2013. She has worked with Beyoncé and can be seen in the film Enemy Within alongside Tiler Peck and Matthew Rushing. In 2025 she made her choreographic debut on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with the creation of The Holy Blues, in collaboration with Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and Chalvar Monteiro. In 2026, Figgins joined the advisory board for The HuffPost ‘Voices of Disabled People’ where she continues to advocate for the Deaf and Disabled Community. Figgins joined the company in 2014.  

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins in Alvin Ailey's Cry
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins in Alvin Ailey's Cry
Alvin Ailey American Dance ... (Read More) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins in Alvin Ailey's Cry (Hide)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins and Miranda Quinn
Alvin Ailey American Dance ... (Read More) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins and Miranda Quinn (Hide)
Samantha Figgins
Samantha Figgins
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins in Alvin Ailey's Cry
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins in Alvin Ailey's Cry
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Samantha Figgins and Miranda Quinn
Samantha Figgins
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Featured News Releases

Ailey Extension Celebrates Black History Month With The Launch Of Ailey Legacy On-Demand Series And Themed Workshops

(NEW YORK) February 2, 2022 – In celebration of Black History Month, Ailey Extension is launching Ailey Legacy On-Demand, a series of on-demand workshops taught by the stars of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and presenting a variety of workshops and classes that highlight Black contributions to the world of dance. Each day in February students of all experience levels can explore street styles such as hip-hop and Afro’Dance, dive into Afro-Latin techniques from Cuba and Brazil, and immerse themselves in traditional West African dance with Ailey’s elite instructors either in-studio at the Joan Weill Center for Dance – NYC’s largest building dedicated to dance – or virtually from wherever they are located.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater National Tour January 28 - May 8 Celebrates A Decade Of Robert Battle's Leadership And 50th Anniversary Of Alvin Ailey's Cry

NEW YORK – JANUARY 27, 2022 – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, America’s beloved cultural ambassador to the world, returns to stages on a coast-to-coast National Tour starting January 28 in Philadelphia, kicking off Black History Month at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on February 1 , and traveling to cities like Atlanta, Miami, Berkeley, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles before the finale in Newark on May 8. Marking a decade of leading the Company forward, Artistic Director Robert Battle presents Ailey’s renowned artists in a diverse repertory of premieres, new productions, and Ailey classics. Highlights include a Battle 10th Anniversary program; two world premieres adapted from video to stage, For Four by Robert Battle and Holding Space by Ailey Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts; the return of hip-hop innovator Rennie Harris’s acclaimed Lazarus; 50 Years of Cry commemorating Ailey’s beloved classic dedicated to “all Black women everywhere—especially our mothers;” and Ailey & Ellington, spotlighting cherished classics from the series of more than a dozen ballets that Alvin Ailey created celebrating the musical genius of the eminent American composer Duke Ellington. Alvin Ailey’s American masterpiece Revelations, which has inspired generations through its powerful storytelling and soul- stirring spirituals since its creation in 1960, will reach all cities on the North American tour.

Featured Press Coverage

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Authority Magazine - Power Women: Samantha Figgins of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater On How To Successfully Navigate Work, Love and Life As A Powerful Woman

If ever you find yourself in a space where people are uneasy with your presence, shine brighter! Stand in the power of all that you are. And do NOT apologize for it. How does a successful, strong, and powerful woman navigate work, employee relationships, love, and life in a world that still feels uncomfortable with strong women? In this interview series, called “Power Women” we are talking to accomplished women leaders who share their stories and experiences navigating work, love and life as a powerful woman.

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WJLA - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Annual Visit to DC

WASHINGTON (7News) — As we celebrate Black History Month, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is making its annual visit to Washington, D.C. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater "shares the African American cultural experience through performances, training, classes, and community programs," according to its website. The troupe's new artistic director, Alicia Graf Mack, hails from the DMV and is excited to bring the art and performance of the troupe back to the area. "This is such a beautiful responsibility to hold in my hands. I grew up in this area, as you said, and I remember coming to performances in Baltimore and Washington, and having my dreams just enlarged and fulfilled," she said. The troupe is performing at the Warner Theater through Feb. 8