Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will return to the Fabulous Fox Theatre, February 21 – 24, 2019, as part of a 60th Anniversary North American tour, for six performances that promise to uplift, unite and enlighten.
Ailey’s 32 incomparable dancers will celebrate its founder through a variety of works celebrating Alvin Ailey’s life and legacy. The opening night program on February 21 features “Lazarus,” a world premiere by hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris and the Company’s first two-act ballet. Inspired by Ailey and addressing the racial inequities our nation has faced, both in 1958 when the company was founded and today,Lazarus is an ensemble work featuring a soundtrack that melds Nina Simone, Terrence Trent D’Arby, Michael Kiwanuka, Odetta, original music by Darrin Ross, and the voice of Alvin Ailey.
The Friday, February 22 program includes three exciting works: Ailey star Jamar Roberts’ “Member Don’t Get Weary,” a work about the blues created “as a response to the current social landscape in America,” and set to the powerful music of John Coltrane; 2018 Dance Magazine Award recipient Ronald K. Brown’s world premiere “The Call,” a quintet that seamlessly blends modern and West African dance styles in a joyous dance celebrating Mr. Ailey’s guiding vision; and the return of the electrifying “Juba,” Robert Battle’s first work choreographed for the Company back in 2003. This program repeats on Saturday, February 23 at 2p.m.
For one performance only, the “Timeless Ailey” program will bring over a dozen treasures from Mr. Ailey’s rich body of work to the Atlanta stage on Sunday, February 24 at 3 p.m. Excerpts from rarely seen gems, including “Streams,” “Opus McShann,” “The Lark Ascending,” “For “Bird” – With Love,” will be joined by perennial favorites like “Memoria,” “Night Creature,” and “Cry.”
The uplifting finale of each program will be Alvin Ailey’s must-see masterpiece “Revelations,” which has been seen by more audiences around the world than any other modern work. Springing from Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, “Revelations” pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African-American and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition. The American masterpiece was choreographed in 1960 when Ailey was only 29 years old and is as relevant now as ever.
When Ailey and a small group of African-American modern dancers first took the stage at the 92nd Street Y in 1958, the engagement was for one night only — but it turned out to be the start of a new era in the performing arts. Ailey became one of the groundbreaking greats in African-American history, while the work of his Company grew beyond the limits of the stage to encompass education at all levels, community outreach and cultural diplomacy. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater now embodies six decades of achievement, celebrating the human spirit with performances that inspire.
Tickets, on sale now, start at $25.
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