Courtney Celeste Spears is keeping company with legends. She was selected by her company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and among a number of dance legends photographed for Harper’s Bazaar’s August issue.
Tremaine Emory is no stranger to designer collaborations. As a consultant, the omni-talented artist has advised the likes of Kanye West and Frank Ocean and collaborated with brands such as Nike, Adidas, Levi’s and Stüssy. Now, the No Vacancy Inn co-founder and FACE family member has added yet another string to his bow: a super-slick collaboration with Champion. Due to launch in September, the Champion Tears collection takes influence from both the sportswear brand’s archives and one of the giants of 20th century dance: Alvin Ailey. Founder of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York – and one of the most important figures in honouring Black culture through dance – the whole thing is brought to life in a film by director, dancer and star of A24’s upcoming Zola, Taylour Paige.
Expressions of Pride take many forms. Kemberly Richardson introduces us to Alvin Ailey dancer Chalvar Monteiro who exudes pride in performance and choreography for his new work premiering at the Ailey Spring Gala.
Tremaine Emory aims to incite reform from the inside out, utilizing platforms offered by giant conglomerates to recontextuali ze inequity and consider lingering effects of discrimination on Black America. Emory's latest move is in alignment with sportswear giant Champion, lionizing Alvin Ailey and his legendary Dance Theater in line with the forthcoming documentary film that explores Ailey's life and legacy.
Eavesdrop pre-curtain at Bay Area dance shows and you’ll hear audience members sharing their top dance memories. High on almost everyone’s list? Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at UC Berkeley. The company first visited the campus in 1960, two years after its founding, and has come back every year since. And neither Artistic Director Robert Battle nor Cal Performances’ leader Jeremy Geffen were about to let that Bay Area bond lapse in a pandemic, so the dancers have returned virtually in a streaming program that does an astonishing job of relaying their in-person power. The performance premieres Thursday, June 10, with a digital “watch party,” and will be available for streaming through Sept. 8.
Jamar Roberts stands still, all six feet and four inches of him, arms quietly at his sides. As a man's voice is heard—the first two words of text are "Black is"—Roberts steps into a wide stance, arms held out to their fullest wingspan. He fills every inch of the stage with his presence. Then he begins to lower both arms, slowly curving them inward. As if by the flip of a switch, on the words "oh my god," he flexes his wrists, twists his torso, and curves into a deep backbend. His body responds as if an electric current were going through it.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for the performing arts in New York City, with concert venues and Broadway theaters shut down. But those who run the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater were determined not to cancel the Company's traditional holiday shows. The result is Ailey Forward, a series of nine performances online that are available for free. Ailey Forward is a fitting title for these presentations, which extend from now through to the end of the year. The work was filmed at a variety of locations in the city, including Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center overlooking the Hudson River in the Bronx. That's where a new work called "Testament" was filmed, and it is a tribute to Ailey's resilience.
Yannick Lebrun is obsessed with music. "I listen to all kinds—world music, gospel, R&B, reggae, Caribbean, African. There's so much on my playlist," says the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company member. Lebrun relies on different playlists before each performance to boost his energy or help him get into the mood of the piece. "Also, to be able to choreograph and be inspired, I have to have some beautiful music first," he adds. He's set pieces on his co-workers and Ailey II, and for his first performance since the pandemic shutdown, he created a solo to perform at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, in September. "The music inspires my movement."
CNN's Tomeka Jones talks to Jamar Roberts, a dancer and resident choreographer for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, who shares why he expresses his voice through dance.
As part of the free Ailey Forward first-ever virtual holiday season celebrating six decades of Revelations, comes tonight's world premiere of A Jam Session for Troubling Times on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's website. It's the latest work from acclaimed Ailey dancer and choreographer Jamar Roberts. During his Zoom chat with WBGO News Director Doug Doyle, Roberts talked about how the December 14 virtual world premiere (7:30pm) that marks the centennial (dubbed Bird100) of jazz revolutionary saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker.