The Professional Division offers post-secondary, full-time programs that take a conservatory approach to dance training for ages 17-25.
NEW YORK, NY, October 19, 2017 — At a festive ribbon-cutting, celebrated on the evening of October 18, leaders of the Ailey organization joined with dancers, students, donors, and friends from New York City’s dance community to open The Elaine Wynn & Family Education Wing, a 10,000-square-foot expansion of Ailey’s permanent home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance.
By now, Natalya Blaine and her daughter Nasya have their routine down pat. Four days a week, Natalya wakes up, cooks lunch and dinner, then stores the meals in to-go containers as 17-year old Nasya packs up and gets dressed. They load their belongings into their car - the food, Nasya's dance shoes and clothes, Natalya's homework for her master's program - make a quick stop at BJ's for gas, call Natalya's mother to say a prayer, and are on the road by late morning.
Note: This article is presented as part of the ALL ARTS program “Alvin Ailey New Directions” by filmmaker Steven Tabakin. The eight-part digital series follows choreographers Quilan “Cue” Arnold and Maria Bauman as they work with dancers from The Ailey School as part of their New Directions Choreography Lab residencies. Here, Arnold shares further insight into his process.
The story took flight with a chance encounter at the 60th Street post office in Manhattan. It was the mid-'90s and Denise Jefferson, then head of The Ailey School, and Edward Bristow, then dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, would often bump into each other in the neighborhood. At that point, both schools were already looking for ways to expand their relationship, and Jefferson had previously floated the idea of starting a BFA program. While standing in line to buy stamps, Bristow says, their friendly chitchat set in motion an idea to form a planning committee tasked with creating a BFA program that would change the lives of scores of young dancers.
