During a recent free hour after her morning class, before afternoon rehearsals and an evening performance, the dancer Jacquelin Harris was brushing up on some familiar material. It was the third day of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s season at New York City Center, 27 shows in three and a half weeks — a marathon, as always, for the troupe’s 31 dancers.
The Alvin Ailey company member talks to Shondaland about how she choreographed herself a new destiny during the most difficult time in her life. In the ongoing Shondaland series Head Turners, we meet interesting women from every facet of life who are crushing it in their careers. From artists and tech mavens to titans of the boardroom, these women are breaking barriers, and they’ll share how you can too.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company dancer continues the legacy of uplifting Black women in the arts. Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series, Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports.
A career in dance is so demanding—physically and otherwise—that it can be tempting for dancers to dance, dance and only dance. It’s not uncommon to avoid other physical pursuits, whether out of fear of injury, lack of time or the now-debunked idea that certain activities build the wrong kinds of muscles. And yet, many dancers who’ve found other outlets for movement—even beyond the traditionally “dancer-approved” ones like yoga and Pilates—have found them to have a symbiotic relationship with their dance practice, each informing and growing the other. Dance Magazine spoke to four artists - including Ailey's Constance Stamatiou - with unique physical practices about what they’ve learned from them, and how they balance them with dance.
For Christopher Taylor, dancing in the street led to dancing on the stage. Taylor had a blast dancing in Military Park, he says, while growing up in Newark. Now, he makes his debut Wednesday as a member of Ailey II, where he takes the stage at Manhattan’s The Ailey Citigroup Theater, playing until April 3.
Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” is back in the flesh — and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is dancing it as rousingly as ever. If you’ve never seen “Revelations,” or haven’t gotten a dose in a few years, make haste to the Ailey company’s current run at UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances, where this eternal and indestructible 1960 classic is slated to cap every program (there are five of them) on offer through Sunday, April 3. And brace yourself; as one longtime fan was heard telling a newcomer on opening night Thursday, March 29, “You’re about to go to church.”
First-year Ailey II member Hannah Alissa Richardson will join, the celebrated second company to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, as they return to their home, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, for a highly anticipated two-week season featuring 10 performances from March 23 to April 3. In the first New York Season led by Artistic Director Francesca Harper, the gifted 12-member ensemble will showcase their artistry in three programs featuring premieres and returning favorites: Dichotomous, New Lens and Pulse, as well as the special celebrating Robert Battle's 10th anniversary program paying homage to his visionary leadership and Ailey journey, which began in 1999 choreographing Mood Indigo for the second company. Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Alissa Richardson about her career and the upcoming performances by Ailey II.
It was at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre where dancers with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater would unknowingly perform for the last time before a nearly two-year hiatus. Fast forward to today, and they’re back on their first national tour. Ailey's Artistic Director Robert Battle and Chicago-native dancer Solomon Dumas speak with Angel Idowu about the Company's return.
Twenty-five years is a long time to be involved in any discipline. Now imagine having to be in prime physical shape all that time—on the level of an elite athlete. Vernard Gilmore, who grew up in Chicago, has been with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for a quarter-century. He began his training at Curie Performing and Creative Arts High School before studying at the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater and then moving to New York City. Gilmore is currently featured in Alvin Ailey's solo "Reflections in D" and takes center stage in other classics such as Revelations and Blues Suite. Gilmore, who's openly gay, recently talked with Windy City Times about Alvin Ailey, the evolution of dance, the Ailey documentary and his own feelings during the past two years that have challenged everyone.
A local dancer will perform for a hometown crowd when the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater comes to Chicago. Sarah Daley-Perdomo, who grew up in South Elgin and graduated from St. Charles North High School, is a company member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and will perform at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago March 2-6. Daley-Perdomo, 35, started out in ballet when she was five years old and continued her training at the Faubourg School of Ballet in Hanover Park. "It was something I realized I had a talent for and wanted to see how far I could go," she said.