Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Founded in 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World.”  Ailey’s artists have performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents.   Led by Robert Battle, Ailey’s performances celebrate the human spirit through the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition.

Featured News Releases

Portrait Of Ailey, A New Eight-Part Documentary Series Available For Free On PBS LearningMedia

NEW YORK – February 29, 2024 – The compelling story of the life, work, and legacy of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, founder of the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is the subject of Portrait of Ailey, a new eight-part documentary series premiering in February 2024, during Black History Month, and rolling out through September on PBS LearningMedia, a free website with thousands of classroom-ready resources for preK-12 teachers. The series was created by Sylvia Waters, director emerita of the Ailey II company, with archivist Dominique Singer and adapted for use on PBS LearningMedia by The WNET Group’s Kids’ Media & Education team. Portrait of Ailey uses rare historical film and still images as well as contemporary footage to create a sweeping narrative of Mr. Ailey as a performer, choreographer, celebrity, teacher, social activist, arts advocate, and creator of an enduring institution that is currently celebrating its 65th anniversary.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 2024 United States Tour Brings Celebratory 65th Anniversary Season To 21 Cities, January 25 - May 12 With Exciting New Works And Alvin Ailey's Timeless Revelations

NEW YORK – January 24, 2024 — After an acclaimed 65th Anniversary season launch in New York City, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – beloved as one of the world’s most popular dance companies – will continue to grace stages during a 21-city United States tour starting January 25 in Atlanta and continues coast-to-coast to cities like Washington, D.C., Miami, Boston, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, before culminating with a Mother’s Day performance in Newark on May 12. The passionate spirit and extraordinary technique of Ailey’s dancers will be showcased in a diverse repertory of new works, repertory favorites, and Ailey classics.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Returns to Atlanta's Fox Theatre January 25-27, 2024 With Four Show-Stopping Performances

ATLANTA – December 15, 2023 – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world’s most popular dance companies, announces a return to the Fox Theatre, January 25-27 as part of its 65th Anniversary United States tour. The 2024 Atlanta engagement will showcase the unparalleled artistry and technique of Ailey’s extraordinary dancers in four show-stopping performances featuring dazzling premieres, new productions, and repertory favorites sure to thrill returning fans and first-timers alike. Amy Hall Garner debuts her first work for the Company as an Ailey Artist in Residence with CENTURY, inspired by her grandfather's 100th birthday, and Kyle Abraham's returning hit Are You in Your Feelings?, which celebrates Black culture and music. The timeless finale of all programs is Alvin Ailey's must-see masterpiece, Revelations, which has captivated audiences globally since 1960.

Featured Press Coverage

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NPR - A Dance About Gun Violence Is Touring Nationally With Alvin Ailey's Company

Jamar Roberts did not initially know he would create a piece to address gun violence. But he did know he needed dance to cope, after years of headlines about its victims: Michael Brown, Tamar Rice, Philando Castile, Jordan Edwards and many, many more. "It's the first thing I thought I needed to do — just for my own self, to help process what I was seeing in the media," Roberts told NPR. "It didn't really come out like 'Oh, I want to make a dance about this.' I just started sort of moving. It just appeared."

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The Guardian - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Mixed Bill review – community-spirited joy

The pioneering company’s warmth and athletic grace is showcased in a selection of old and new work. There’s something generous about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It’s there in the dancing – full of skill, passion and a charismatic warmth not always seen in contemporary dance companies. It’s there too in the programming: at Sadler’s Wells over the coming week, the company will perform four carefully curated bills, full of rarely seen and new work. At the same time, the young company Ailey II sets off on tour around Britain, with more treats planned.

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The Telegraph - Alvin Ailey, review: the world’s most exciting dance company bring the house down

Of all the troupes who from time to time visit these shores, I’m not sure any is more consistently welcome or rewarding than Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Formed in New York in 1958 by their namesake to give black American dancers a “voice”, this resplendent ensemble is back in England for the first time in four years, following a brief sojourn at the Edinburgh International Festival. One offer during their 12-day stay at Sadler’s Wells is a full four programmes of works, of which Tuesday’s, Contemporary Voices, was the first. And, not for the first time, they royally brought the house down.