From battling scoliosis at an early age to touring the world with one of the country's premier dance troupes, Samantha Barriento never felt out of tune with her passion for dance. "There is never a day that I question whether or not this was a good decision," Barriento told NBC News.
Whatever you may say about Robert Battle's new "Awakening," you can be sure that it resembles little else in the repertoire of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which opened its annual Berkeley residency Tuesday, March 29, at UC's Zellerbach Hall. That is the first dance Battle has made for the company since he became artistic director five years ago may have something to do with it.
For more than 40 years, Ailey II, the junior ensemble of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has thrilled audiences with its performances. The company travels for most of the year, but comes back to New York City for its two week season every spring.
It's no secret that Ailey II, the Alvin Ailey American Repertory Ensemble, is a launch pad for exciting young dancers and choreographer who are dance's next generation. The company's two-week season, beginning March 30 at the Ailey CitiGroup Theatre, spotlights 12 talented performers in a mix of modern masterpieces, returning favorites and premieres...
Courtney Celeste Spears, recipient of the 2015 Princess Grace Award and dancer with Ailey II, sits down with Chris Glorioso to discuss the upcoming Ailey II dance programs, "All New" and "Returning Favorites," for the 2016 season.
Now approaching its 60th anniversary, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has, since the death of its founder, in 1989, been a troupe of fine dancers in search of choreography. New York City Ballet continues to perform the considerable body of work that George Balanchine left behind; Ailey's company, now helmed by Robert Battle, has not been as fortunate.
When Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater comes to town Tuesday night to perform at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, they’ll bring along their executive director, Bennett Rink. For the Ailey company, it’s the 10th stop on a 20-city tour, but for for Rink, it’s a journey home.
The path to becoming an actor can often lead to something else entirely. While Bennett Rink ended up in New York City, he didn’t find his career on the stage but behind it as executive director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, which performs at the Kentucky Center on Tuesday, March 15.
La talentosa bailarina Samantha Barriento regresa a Nueva York.
During the course of its nearly six decades as a cultural phenomenon, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has created a unique and enduring bond with its audiences. And when the company arrives for its annual Chicago engagement something else pops into place: The Auditorium Theatre instantly becomes the most racially mixed hub in a city that can still be divided.