Photo courtesy of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Alvin Ailey is one of the most important choreographers in the history of modern dance. In , at just 27 years old, he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey’s vision was of Black bodies unshackled and overflowing with feeling: Confidence… sorrow&#; joy… pride… beauty… possibility.
Raised by a single mother who struggled to provide, Ailey knew hardship growing up in Jim Crow Texas, but his life was rich with culture and love. His world was filled with blues and gospel, juke joints and church. Ailey’s story is one of sacrifice. Possessed by his ambitions, he dedicated himself to his company.
He endured racism and homophobia; addiction and mental illness; and the burden of being an iconic African American artist. In , he tragically succumbed to the AIDS epidemic. Thirty years later, Ailey’s dream lives on. Where other modern dance companies were built to showcase their founders, Ailey saw his own as bigger than himself. In the work of choreographer Rennie Harris, Ailey comes alive for a whole new generation: His faith in the transformative power of dance, his grand embrace, his expression of complete freedom
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Alvin Ailey
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Who Was Alvin Ailey?
Alvin Ailey was a choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in It was a hugely popular, multi-racial modern dance ensemble that popularized modern dance around the world thanks to extensive world tours. His most famous dance is Revelations, a celebratory study of religious spirit. Ailey received the Kennedy Center Honors in A year later, on December 1, , Ailey died of AIDS in New York City.
Early Life
Born on January 5, , in Rogers, Texas, Ailey became one of the leading figures in 20th-century modern dance. His mother was only a teenager when he was born and his father left the family early on. He grew up poor in the small Texas town of Navasota. Ailey later drew inspiration from the Black church services he attended as well as the music he heard at the local dance hall. At the age of 12, he left Texas for Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Ailey proved to be a gifted student in many ways. He excelled at languages and athletics. After seeing the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo perform, Ailey was inspired to pursue dancing. He began studying modern dance with Lester Horton in He joined Horton's dance company the follow
Share the story of Alvin Ailey, Jr. with your students, and assign the related activities as a way to learn more about this creative dancer and choreographer.
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