The last of Alvin Ailey's hand-picked company dancers, Renee Robinson will give her final performance as a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on December 9. Before she departs, Robinson will lead a four-week Revelations master class series at the Ailey Extension.
My love of West African dance far exceeds my capabilities as a practitioner. No matter. Fifteen years had passed since my last class, and I was ready for another try. So one recent afternoon I wrapped a piece of African cloth around my waist and entered a packed studio at the Alvin Ailey extension center in Manhattan.
Attending Indian weddings and ending up the night sweaty and tired from hours of bhangra dancing have been regular parts of my weekend repertory since I was a child. The catchy music can entice even the most die-hard wallflower to move.
Whenever I read about people who are in thrall to a dance craze, my world suddenly seems too small. Oh, to dance the mazurka until my footmen are forced to carry me home on a makeshift gurney at dawn; oh, to spurn a dinner invitation to Scott and Zelda's because I literally cannot stop doing the Charleston.
Hip-Hop dancer and teacher Jonathan Lee shows you how to master floats, clides and slides.
If you prefer to cut a more modern rug, you can try a free class at the Ailey Extension. It's Ticket-to-Dance program allows anyone with an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater or Ailey II ticket stub purchased this season to participate in one of 80 classes offered at the Midtown Manhattan studio.
Little ones often showcase their first dance moves - swaying, bouncing and clapping their hands - before they take their first steps. As they grow, many kids show an interest in further exploring dance, whether classical ballet, modern dance, tap, jazz, hip hop or ballroom.