Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), New York Metropolis Middle’s principal dance firm and America’s cultural ambassador to the world, returns to the New York Metropolis Middle stage for its annual, five-week vacation engagement.
AAADT mentioned on Monday that the Dec. 4 – Jan. 5 engagement celebrates “Legacy in Movement.”
That includes the world premieres of Sacred Songs by Interim Inventive Director Matthew Speeding, Discovering Free by Hope Boykin, Many Angels by Lar Lubovitch, and Al-Andalus Blues by Jamar Roberts, the season additionally consists of the twenty fifth anniversary staging of Ronald Okay. Brown’s rapturous blockbuster Grace and a brand new manufacturing of Elisa Monte’s mesmerizing Treading.
AAADT mentioned reside music might be introduced at choose performances of Discovering Free, Sacred Songs, and Alvin Ailey’s soul-stirring masterpiece Revelations.
“This season we have a good time the lineage and legacy of Mr. Ailey, highlighting his acclaimed works in addition to new ballets by choreographers for whom he paved the way in which,” Speeding mentioned. “As I take a look at the repertory for our season, I’m reminded that dance is each a mirrored image of our previous and a information to our future.
“We’re excited to welcome audiences this vacation season to be impressed by Ailey’s extraordinary artistry and wealthy story, because it continues to be written,” he added.
AAADT mentioned performances kick off with a one-night-only Opening Night time Gala honoring legendary dance educator Jody Gottfried Arnhold.
The particular program will showcase the twenty fifth anniversary manufacturing of Ronald Okay. Brown’s spellbinding Grace with a particular reside music efficiency by Tony® and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Leslie Odom, Jr.
Set to Duke Ellington’s basic “Come Sunday,” Peven Everett’s hit “Gabriel,” and the irresistible pulse of Fela Kuti’s Afro-Pop, Grace depicts people on a journey to the promised land, increasing from a single angel-like determine in white to the fireball depth of 12 highly effective dancers.
Right here, the secular and sacred meet in a tour-de-force connecting African and American dance.
AAADT mentioned the night will conclude with Ailey’s indelible Revelations, accompanied by a reside choir.
Sacred Songs, the world premiere by Speeding, options music used within the unique 1960 premiere of Alvin Ailey’s seminal Revelations however later omitted when the piece was edited into the present model that has captivated audiences for many years.
“Drawing inspiration from the roots of Ailey’s most commemorated and consummate creation, this stirring new work will resurrect and reimagine these spirituals—with the collaboration of musical director Du’Bois A’Eager—as an providing to our current want for lamentation, religion, and pleasure,” AAADT mentioned.
It mentioned reside music accompanies performances on Dec. 20 at 7pm and Dec. 22 at 2pm.
Former Ailey dancer Jamar Roberts presents Al-Andalus Blues, with music from Roberta Flack and Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain setting the tone for a world premiere commissioned by New York Metropolis Middle.
AAADT mentioned the summary ensemble piece journeys again in time to the golden age of Al-Andalus, evoking the northern African Moors who flourished within the south of present-day Spain previous to the Christian Reconquista.
Former firm member Hope Boykin returns to discover private freedoms on the earth premiere Discovering Free, in collaboration with pianist Matthew Whitaker who’s composing an unique rating.
AAADT mentioned this insightful work makes use of Boykin’s movement-language and Whitaker’s jazz and gospel influenced music to look at the challenges and restrictions all through life’s peaks and valleys that propel the journey ahead. Matthew Whitaker will carry out reside onstage on Dec. 13 at 7:30pm and December 14 at 7:30pm.
Many Angels, the primary world premiere for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater by Lar Lubovitch, options the choreographer’s famend lush choreography and musicality set to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.
A choreographer for 60 years, AAADT mentioned Lubovitch has incessantly been requested: “Why do you make dances?”
For Lubovitch, “One thing could exist on the earth merely for the sake of itself. For instance, a dance.”
AAADT mentioned Many Angels is impressed by a query posed by thirteenth century theologian St. Thomas Aquinas, “What number of angels can dance on the top of a pin?” illustrating that some questions haven’t any logical response however are understood as a query of religion. It’s not actually about angels. (Properly, possibly slightly).
Along with Grace, one other favourite returning to the Ailey stage is Elisa Monte’s Treading, a sculptural, mesmerizing duet that includes fluid, intricate actions that mix with Steve Reich’s evocative music to create an aura of thriller and sensuality.
The engagement additionally consists of All New, All Ailey and Ailey Basic applications, in addition to Household Matinee performances every Saturday at 2pm, adopted by a Q&A session with Ailey’s revered dancers.
The beloved Ailey Classics program highlights a choice of repertory spanning the breadth of Ailey’s wealthy catalog, together with excerpts of Memoria, Night time Creature (sections 2&3), Pas de Duke (1st tune), Masekela Langage (Morolo), Opus McShann (Gee Child), Opus McShann (Doo Wah), Love Songs (A Tune for You), For ‘Fowl’ – With Love (A Night time in Tunisia), Hidden Rites (Of Love), For ‘Fowl’ – With Love (Fowl Lives).
The season finale on Jan. 5 is a particular program celebrating Alvin Ailey on his birthday.
Becoming a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this season are Leonardo Brito, Jesse Obremski, Kali Marie Oliver, and Dandara Veiga.
AAADT mentioned all the brand new firm members have robust Ailey backgrounds, as Ailey II alumni (Brito, Oliver), college students from The Ailey College (Brito, Obremski, Oliver, Veiga), or as a graduate of The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program (Oliver). Jessica Amber Pinkett, a former member of Ailey II and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, additionally has returned to the Firm.
AAADT mentioned welcomes Maria Bauman as this yr’s Ailey Artist in Residence within the second yr of this system that invests in and companions with choreographers who replicate Alvin Ailey’s cultural inquiry, participatory values, and worldview wealthy with huge curiosity.
As Artist in Residence, AADT mentioned Bauman is collaborating with a number of facets of the group prematurely of subsequent yr’s residency by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.
Throughout the 2024-25 Season, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will return to Paris, France for performances at Palais des Congrès de Paris, Oct. 18–26.
The corporate’s in depth annual nationwide tour will attain coast-to-coast from January by way of Could 2025. A tour schedule is beneath (topic to vary).
Along with Ailey’s New York Metropolis Middle season, main fall programming consists of Edges of Ailey—opening on the Whitney Museum (99 Gansevoort St., New York, NY 10014) on Sept. 25 — the primary large-scale museum exhibition to have a good time the life, creativity, affect, and enduring legacy of Alvin Ailey.
