Dance brought Constance Stamatiou to life. Her journey began as a 5-year-old at Pat Hall's Dance Unlimited off Independence Boulevard, where she took everything from ballet to tap to jazz to gymnastics. Stamatiou returns next week with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Belk Theater on Feb. 25-26 - 7:30p.m. curtain.
When Lucy wanted to find a place in her Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood to send her two young and very active boys, she didn’t have to look very far. Her family lives next to Alvin Ailey, the famous dance school. At the time, she had no idea what a big impact weekly dance lessons would make on her sons’ lives, or how the culture and discipline of dance would shape them as teens who are now in high school. Here’s Lucy’s story.
My first introduction to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater nearly a decade ago was an experience I'll never forget. Even though I knew the rich history of the company and Ailey dating back to 1958, but that knowledge didn't fully prepare me for the powerful impact of the live AAADT performance. Let's just say it was an immense spiritual journey that billowed from the dancers onstage to the audience in TPAC's Jackson Hall.
Dahsir Hausif began dancing the way a lot of young boys do: "My mom jut dragged me to an audition one day," he says, "and I was like, O.K., I guess I'm doing this now." He was 6. At the time, he says, surfing was his main love. But that audition at the Ailey School in New York, from which the most talented of students go on to join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and other famous dance companies, changes his life. What immediately pulled him in was its dedicated boys' program.
It's every young dancer's fantasy: Attend a summer intensive, dazzle the artistic staff with your flawless technique, land a company contract, and grand-jets into the sunset. If only it were that simple, right?... We caught up with six pros who followed the summer-intensive-to-dream-job route to get the inside scoop on how to give yourself a fighting chance at that coveted end-of-summer offer. For Jamaris Mitchell, who's in her first season with Ailey II, attending the company's summer intensive made all the difference.
In March of 1958, Alvin Ailey and a small group of dancers first performed at the 92nd street "Y" on the Upper West Side. Nine years later, he started the Ailey School. Now, 50 years later, the school continues celebrating Ailey's vision. "He could see almost the future in dance, and what he did, he did with such heart and honesty and love that it still is alive today," co-director Tracy Inman said. And it shapes these dancers are both personally and professionally. Young people from all over the world go there to learn and perfect their craft. Guided by Mr. Ailey's mission that dance is for everybody, the young people pour every ounce of their souls and bodies into their craft. The Alley School has trained 75% of the current members of the first company.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City is celebrating 50 years of training students to become professional dancers. Graduates of the renowned dance company have gone on to become successful Broadway performers and entertain people all over the world.
For 50 years, the Ailey School on the west side of Manhattan has provided world class training to dancers of all ages and backgrounds from New York City and around the globe. From Madonna to Jasmine Guy, alumni have gone on to be trailblazers in the industry. Launched by Alvin Ailey in 1969, the school started out with just 125 students and aimed to provide access to arts and dance to under-resourced communities. Ailey’s message of inclusivity is one that resonates to this day with the school’s co-directors, Tracy Inman and Melanie Person.
After all the work that goes into applying to college BFA programs, it can seem like getting that long-awaited acceptance letter is the be-all and end-all. But talk to most seniors, and they'll tell you that acceptance is just the beginning of a whirlwind experience. We asked five senior dance majors from some of the nation's top programs to look back on their college journeys and offer advice to their freshman selves. From The Ailey/Fordham BFA program, we spoke to Meagan King.
When it comes to modern dance, Alvin Ailey was one of the most influential innovators. He created one of the nation’s most respected dance schools, The Ailey School. Teen Kids News talks to Melanie Person, Co-Director of The Ailey School and teacher Shay Bland, who teaches Horton, one of the core techniques in the curriculum.