Later they traveled to Brazil, Europe, and West Africa. Ailey was choreographing dances for other companies too. Ailey also worked on projects with other artists, including one with the jazz musician Duke Ellington for the American Ballet Theater.
For Ailey the decade culminated with the performance of Masekela Language, a dance about the need for racial equality in South Africa, based on the music of Hugh Masekela, a black South African trumpeter who lived in exile for speaking out against apartheid. In her book Julinda Lewis-Ferguson described the piece as "raw, rough, almost unfinished, just like the buildings of the South African townships.
By the late s Ailey's company was one of America's most popular dance troupes. They continued touring around the world, with U. State Department backing. They were the first modern dancers to visit the former Soviet Union since Isadora Duncan's dancers performed there during the s.
In , Ailey's company was asked to return to the City Center Theater in New York City after a performance featuring Ailey's celebrated solo, Cry; danced by Judith Jamison, she made it one of the troupe's best known pieces. Dedicated to "all black women everywhere— especially our mothers," the piece depicts the struggles of different generations of black American women.
It begins with the unwrapping of a long white scarf that becomes many things during the course of the dance, including a wash rag, and ends with an expression of unquestioning belief and happiness danced to the late s song, "Right On, Be Free. I try to hold up the mirror. In , Ailey suffered a mental breakdown which put him in the hospital for several weeks. At the time he had lost a close friend, was going through midlife crisis, and was experiencing financial difficulties.
Still, he choreographed a number of pieces for the company during the s, and his reputation as a founding father of modern dance grew during the decade. Ending a legendary career, Ailey died of a blood disorder called dyscrasia, on December 1, Thousands of people flocked to the memorial service for him held at the Cathedral of St.
John the Divine. His spirit soars in his creations and he has enriched and illuminated our lives. Dance Magazine, December, , pp. All rights reserved. Watch this short documentary , created in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Revelations. After viewing, take some time to reflect. Why is this work considered so important? What three things stand out to you about the history and significance of the piece?
What obstacles did Ailey have to overcome to create such a landmark work? Millions of people—including Oprah and the Obamas—have seen performances of Revelations. Have you? This article is just a brief overview; if you want to know even more about this amazing man, his company and his work, we recommend this extensive performance guide from Cal Performances at UC Berkeley. Apart from getting a handle on the basics, be sure to think about the role you play in the performance. Check out this video from the Ailey company detailing how the audience affects the dancers during Revelations.
How can dance tell stories and preserve histories? Discover dance and its impact on culture by exploring Ancient Egyptian rituals and Native American legends. Learn how dance tells stories and poems through a language of movement and music, and pick up a few moves yourself. Want to understand how dance works? Learn the five elements that make up the foundation of this art form: body, action, time, space, and energy.
Eric Friedman Director, Digital Learning. He stayed in New York, studying ballet, modern dance and acting, including with modern dance innovator Martha Graham. Through the s, Ailey performed on film and on and off Broadway as a dancer and actor and directed and choreographed. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in with the aim of wholly dedicating his work to the enrichment of American modern dance style while retaining the uniqueness of African-American culture.
The company had immediate success with its first performance, Blue Suite, in International acclaim rapidly ensued. Petersburg received a minute ovation and rave reviews. Regarded as his choreographic masterpiece, it is the best-known and most-performed modern dance work.
In , Ailey transformed his company from all African-American to multiracial to reflect his vision of equality. Ailey also pioneered programs that promoted the arts in schools, particularly in low-income communities. He received a multitude of honors, such as the Spingarn Medal of the NAACP, the Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime contribution to American culture through the performing arts and several honorary doctorates.
Youth for Human Rights International is a nonprofit organization founded in to teach youth about human rights and inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace. In , classmate and future collaborator Carmen De Lavallade introduced him to the dance studio of renowned dancer Lester Horton.
At first, Ailey resisted committing himself to the field and attended three different colleges before immersing himself in dance. By , he moved to New York and just four years later founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, a dance company with a vision that would transform African American involvement in modern dance.
From his roots as a slave, the American Negro—sometimes sorrowing, sometimes jubilant but always hopeful—has touched, illuminated, and influenced the most preserves of world civilization. I and my dance theater celebrate this trembling beauty.
Ailey was immediately recognized for his talent, and his dance company performed for eager audiences throughout the United States and around the world.
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