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Founded in 1958, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is the largest
modern dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert dance, concert or theatrical dance which includes dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th ...
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
in the United States.Dance Data Project (October 2024)
2024 Largest Contemporary and Modern Companies Report
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ranks #1 in “Largest 50” U.S. Contemporary and Modern Companies (by expenditure). p. 6.
Based in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, the company was founded by
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...
recipient
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cent ...
(1931–1989), a noted choreographer and dancer. The Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, which includes AAADT and Ailey II, the Ailey School, Ailey Extension, AileyCamp, and other operations, is housed in the 87,000 square-foot Joan Weill Center for Dance, one of the largest buildings dedicated exclusively to dance in the United States. AAADT is recognized as a vital American cultural ambassador,"Text - H.Res.1088 - 110th Congress (2007-2008): Recognizing and commending the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 50 years of service as a vital American cultural ambassador to the world." Congress.gov, Library of Congress, 15 July 2008, https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-resolution/1088/text. and has performed for diverse audiences in more than seventy countries around the world.


History

In 1958, Alvin Ailey and a group of young Black modern dancers performed as Alvin Ailey and Company at the
92nd Street Y 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a cultural and community center located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood of the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded in 1874 as the You ...
in New York.Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 2024-25 Press Kit.
/ref>Ailey History
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
Ailey was the company's director, choreographer, and principal dancer. The company started as an ensemble of seven dancers, including Nat Horne, Minnie Marshall, Ella Thompson Moore, and Dorene Richardson, "the only dancer who performed in Alvin Ailey’s two concerts (1958 and 1960) at the 92nd Street Y."City Parks Foundation (August 14, 2019)
THE FIRST AILEY DANCERS: ELLA THOMPSON, NAT HORNE & DORENE RICHARDSON
/ref> In addition to Ailey, the original company worked with guest choreographers."Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: Origins to 1979", ''International Encyclopedia of Dance'', vol. 1. Oxford University Press, New York: 1979. 54–57. For the company's first performance, Ailey's ''Ariette Oubliee'', ''Blues Suite'', and ''Cinco Latinos'' were featured. In 1960, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, later to be renamed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), presented the premiere of '' Revelations'' at Kaufmann Concert Hall in New York.Burford, Mark (December 07, 2021)
Alvin Ailey Finds His Voice
Oxford American, ISSUE 115, WINTER 2021.
Rehearsals for ''Revelations'' were held in the basement of Clark Center for the Performing Arts, which would later serve as the official residence for the company. In 1962, Ailey recast his all-black dance company into a multi-racial group, and the modernized company completed its first international tour to Australia and southeast Asia. The tour of the Lavallade-Ailey American Dance Company, named for Ailey's partnership with Carmen de Lavallade, started in Sydney, Australia, and ended in Seoul, South Korea. In 1964, the company of five women and five men toured as the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. The dancers included Loretta Abbot, Takako Asakawa, Hope Clarke, Joan Peters, and Lucinda Ransom,
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cent ...
, Bill Luther, Hector Mercado, James Truitte, and Dudley Williams, performed in Paris and London. In 1965,
Judith Jamison Judith Ann Jamison (; May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024) was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be the company's artistic di ...
joined the companyKisselgoff, Anna (December 10, 1993)
Review/Dance; With Motion and Song, the Ailey Marks 35 Years
''New York Times''.
and would later serve as the company's first artistic director after
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cent ...
's death in 1989. In 1969, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performed at Broadway's Billy Rose Theater. In 1970, the Ailey company and school relocated to 229 East 59th Street in Manhattan, a renovated church building. In April of that year, a financial crisis caused Ailey to issue a statement that the dissolution of the company might take place. The crisis abated, however, and in 1971 AAADT made its first performance at the
New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama, and the New York City Center 55th Street Theater) is a performing arts center at 131 West 55th Street (Manhattan), 55th Street between Sixth Avenue, Six ...
. In 1974, AAADT had their State Theater at Lincoln Center debut.McDonagh, Don (December 29, 1974).
Alvin Ailey—A Remarkable Year
''New York Times''.
The program featured Ailey's “Feast of Ashes,”
Talley Beatty Talley Beatty (22 December 1918 – 29 April 1995) was born in Cedar Grove, Louisiana, a section of Shreveport, but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is considered one of the greatest of African American choreographers, and also bears the titles da ...
's “The Road of the Phoebe Snow,” John Butler's “Portrait of Billie” revival, the premiere of John Jones's “Nocturne,” and
Joyce Trisler Joyce Trisler (1934–1979) was an American modem dancer and choreographer. Biography Trisler was born in 1934 in Los Angeles, California. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles. Trisler started her career with the Lester Hort ...
's “Journey.” In 1977, the company performed at
President Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Carter served from 1971 to 1975 ...
’s inauguration gala. In 1988, AAADT hosted its 30th-anniversary season gala at the City Center.Kisselgoff, Anna (December 4, 1988)
DANCE VIEW; Ailey: Dancing the Dream
New York Times.
The company and school are located at 45th Street and Broadway, and move the following year into a 36,000 square-foot space at 211 West 61st Street in Manhattan. In 1989, Alvin Ailey died from
AIDS-related complications The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a preventable disease. It can ...
. Judith Jamison, who rejoined AAADT in 1989, replaced Ailey as the artistic director of AAADT.Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
The company was struggling with mounting debts, and the number of company dancers was reduced. In 2000, AAADT launched the silent phase of a five year, sixty-six million dollar capital campaign for a new building that would double its size and an endowment for financial stability.Gardner, Margaret Battistelli (April 1, 2005)
Fluid Fundraising: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's capital campaign was a well-choreographed project that breathed new life into the organization's fundraising plan.
NonProfitPRO.
In 2002, AAADT broke ground on its new building site on West 55th Street. In 2004, the
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
issued a first class postage stamp honoring Alvin Ailey as part of the American Choreographers stamp series, and the
Oprah Winfrey Foundation The Oprah Winfrey Foundation was established in 1987, and is a separate entity from the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation. Select grants Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater In 2004, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation pledged one million dollars to ...
pledged one million dollars to endow a student scholarship at the Ailey School. In 2005, the Ailey organization, including the main company, Ailey II, and the Ailey School, moved into its new West 55th Street home, the Joan Weill Center for Dance, the former WNET-TV studios where AAADT first appeared on television in the early 1960s. In 2008,
Glorya Kaufman Glorya Kaufman is an American philanthropist. Early life Glorya (Pinkis) Kaufman was born to a Jewish family in Detroit, Michigan during the Great Depression.
donated six million dollars to AAADT's educational programs, including support for AileyCamp programs, the Ailey School, and Ailey's BFA program with Fordham University.Cole, Patrick (May 21, 2008)
Dancing Philanthropist Gives $6 Million to Alvin Ailey Troupe
Bloomberg.
The fifth floor lobby in the Weill Center for Dance is named in Kaufman's honor. Also in 2008, the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
passed a resolution officially designating the company a "vital American Cultural Ambassador to the World." In 2011, the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
passed a resolution recognizing the artistic and cultural contributions of AAADT and the 50th Anniversary of the first performance of the Ailey classic '' Revelations''. That same year, Robert Battle, artistic director (2011-2023), established a New Directions Choreography Lab to nurture emerging artists. In 2014, AAADT kicks off a fifty million dollar capital campaign, "Campaign for Ailey's Future," to support artistic, educational, and building expansion projects, and to honor outgoing board chair Joan Weill. Sandy Weill, Joan Weill's husband, provided a lead gift of sixteen million dollars to the campaign. In 2021, AAADT received a twenty million dollar gift from
MacKenzie Scott MacKenzie Scott ( Tuttle, formerly Bezos; born April 7, 1970) is an American novelist, philanthropist, co-founder of Amazon, and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos. As of May 2025, she has a net worth of US$35.9 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionair ...
to support its "Dancing Forward" initiatives.Press release (June 22, 2021
$20 MILLION GIFT FROM MACKENZIE SCOTT TO ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER TO FUND THE COMPANY’S TRANSFORMATIVE “DANCING FORWARD” INITIATIVES
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
In 2024, the
Whitney Museum The Whitney Museum of American Art, known informally as "The Whitney", is a Modern art, modern and Contemporary art, contemporary American art museum located in the Meatpacking District, Manhattan, Meatpacking District and West Village neighbor ...
unveiled "Edges of Ailey," the first major museum exhibition to survey the artistry of Alvin Ailey and AAADT. In November 2024, AAADT announced that
Alicia Graf Mack Alicia Graf Mack (''née'' Alicia J. Graf, born 1978/1979) is an American dancer, teacher, and artistic director. She was a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has performed with Beyonce, John Legend, a ...
, a former Alvin Ailey company member and the dean and director of the dance division at
Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named aft ...
, will take over as AAADT artistic director on July 1, 2025.


Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation

The Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation is the largest modern and contemporary dance organization in the United States and consists of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Camp, Ailey Extension, and Ailey Arts In Education and Community Programs.Fitch Ratings (May 9, 2023).
Fitch Affirms Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, NY at 'AA-'; Outlook Stable


Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater


Performances and tours

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a prominent dance company and global arts institution, has performed for audiences around the world. The following is a sample of significant AAADT performances, residencies, and tours: * 1962: Southeast Asia and Australia tour, as part of President John F. Kennedy’s international program for cultural presentationsOur American Story: Transforming Dance around the World
National Museum of African American History and Culture.
5 Historic Ailey Tours
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
DeFrantz, Thomas F., 'Early Company', Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey's Embodiment of African American Culture (2006; online edn, Oxford Academic, 3 Oct. 2011), https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195301717.003.0003, accessed 17 Nov. 2024. * 1963: International Arts Festival,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
* 1964: Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris; and
Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. It opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, with a capacity of 2,500. The current capacity is 1,416. The title "Shaftesbury Theat ...
, London * 1966:
World Festival of Negro Arts The World Festival of Black Arts (French: ''Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres''), also known as FESMAN or FMAN, has been a series of month-long culture and arts festivals taking place in various parts of Africa. The festival features participant ...
,
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
,
Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
* 1967: 10-country tour of Africa, including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and Kenya, for the
U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...
* 1968:
Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...
, earning awards for "best choreographer" and "best company" * 1968: President Lyndon B. Johnson, White House * 1970: International Dance Festival,
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
* 1970: Soviet Union (USSR) * 1977:
President Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Carter served from 1971 to 1975 ...
, White House * 1978: Prince of Morocco, New Year’s Day * 1985: China * 1989: Grand Palais Theatre, Paris, in celebration of the Bicentennial of the French Revolution * 1990: Fifth Annual Formosa Arts Festival, Taiwan * 1994: Inaugural gala for
President Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the attor ...
* 1997: South Africa * 2003:
White House State Dinner A state banquet is an official banquet hosted by the head of state in their official residence for another head of state, or sometimes head of government, and other guests. Usually as part of a state visit or diplomatic conference, it is held ...
honoring President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya * 2004: China and Singapore * 2015: Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa * 2022: 1st Annual BAAND Together Dance Festival,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
, the first shared performance of AAADT,
American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...
, Ballet Hispánico,
Dance Theatre of Harlem Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is an American professional ballet company and school based in Harlem, New York City. It was founded in 1969 under the directorship of Arthur Mitchell and later partnered with Karel Shook. Milton Rosenstock served ...
, and
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
. * 2023: National Governors Association Winter Meeting at the invitation of First Lady Jill Biden,
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...


Repertory and choreographers

Alvin Ailey created seventy-nine dances for the company that bears his name. He maintained that the company was not solely a repository for his choreography, and sought the contributions from other choreographers. Today, AAADT has a repertory of nearly three hundred works by more than one hundred choreographers, including: *
Kyle Abraham Kyle Abraham (born August 14, 1977) is an American choreographer and dancer. He founded his own company A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (formerly Abraham.In.Motion) in 2006 in New York City and has produced many original works for A.I.M such as ''The Radio ...
*
Karole Armitage Karole Armitage (born March 3, 1954) is an American dancer and choreographer currently based in New York City. She is artistic director of Armitage Gone! Dance, a contemporary dance company that performs several times annually in New York City as ...
*
Aszure Barton Aszure Barton is a Canadian-born choreographer. Career Aszure Barton was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She received her formal training at the National Ballet School in Toronto, where, as a student, she helped originate the ongoing Steph ...
*
Talley Beatty Talley Beatty (22 December 1918 – 29 April 1995) was born in Cedar Grove, Louisiana, a section of Shreveport, but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is considered one of the greatest of African American choreographers, and also bears the titles da ...
*
Maurice Béjart Maurice Béjart (; 1 January 1927 – 22 November 2007) was a French dancer, choreographer and Theatre director, opera director who ran the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. He developed a popular expressionistic form of modern ballet, tac ...
*
Mauro Bigonzetti Mauro Bigonzetti (born 1960) is an Italian ballet dancer and choreographer. He trained at the ballet school of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and entered their company in 1979. In 1983 Bigonzetti joined the Reggio Emilia company Aterballetto, renown ...
*
Hope Boykin Hope Boykin is an American dancer, choreographer and former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Early life and education Boykin was born in Durham, North Carolina, where she started taking dance classes at the age of four. She we ...
* Camille A. Brown * Ronald K. Brown * Jacqulyn Buglisi * John ButlerKisselgoff, Anna (December 9, 1994)
DANCE REVIEW; Ailey Troupe Opens In Trademark Fashion.
New York Times.
*
Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter, composer and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few h ...
* Hope Clarke *
Merce Cunningham Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other discipl ...
* Asadata Dafora * Rovan Deon * Gary Deloatch * Kervin Douthit-Boyd *
Ulysses Dove Ulysses Dove (January 17, 1947 in Columbia, South Carolina – June 11, 1996 in Manhattan) was a choreographer. Dove began his dance training at Boggs Academy in Georgia. Dove gave up his premedical studies at Howard University to transfer t ...
*
Katherine Dunham Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 – May 21, 2006) was an African American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, and social activist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century and directed her own dance compan ...
* Garth Fagan *
George Faison George W. Faison (born December 21, 1945) is an American dancer, choreographer, teacher, and theater producer, and winner of a 1975 Tony, a Drama Desk Award, and a 1991 nominee for the Emmy Award for choreography. He was a featured dancer with ...
*
Louis Falco Louis Falco (August 2, 1942 – March 26, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer. Life and career Louis Falco was born in New York City of southern Italian immigrant parents. He began his study of dance in the 1950s at The Henry Street ...
* Francesca Harper * Rennie Harris *
Lucas Hoving Lucas Hoving (September 5, 1912 – January 5, 2000) was a modern dancer, choreographer and teacher most famous for the roles he created as an original member of the José Limón Dance Company. Hoving performed opposite Limón in several of the ...
* Abdur-Rahim Jackson *
Bill T. Jones William Tass Jones, known as Bill T. Jones (born February 15, 1952), is an American Choreography, choreographer, director, author and dancer. He is the co-founder of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. The company's home in Manhattan. J ...
*
Alonzo King Alonzo King, born in Georgia to civil-rights activists Slater King and Valencia King Nelson, is an American dancer and choreographer based in San Francisco. King grew up in Georgia and California, and, as an adult, decided his contribution wo ...
* Pauline Koner *
Jiri Kylian Jiri () is a municipality in Dolakha District in the Bagmati Province of central Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population of 13,638 people. Jiri, which lies about 190 kilometers from Kathmandu, is the main gateway to the ...
* Rael Lamb *
José Limón José Arcadio Limón (January 12, 1908 – December 2, 1972) was a dancer and choreographer from Mexico and who developed what is now known as 'Limón technique'. In the 1940s, he founded the José Limón Dance Company (now the Limón Dan ...
*
Lar Lubovitch Lar Lubovitch (born April 9, 1943) is an American choreographer. He founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, the company has performed in all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 co ...
* Brian McDonald *
Wayne McGregor Sir Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a British choreographer and director who has won multiple awards. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. McGregor was appointed Comma ...
* Dianne McIntyre *
Donald McKayle Donald McKayle (July 6, 1930 – April 6, 2018) was an American modern dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and writer best known for creating socially conscious concert works during the 1950s and '60s that focus on expressing the human con ...
* Elisa Monte *
Robert Moses Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid-20th century. Moses is regarded as one of the most powerful and influentia ...
* Jennifer Muller *
Ohad Naharin Ohad Naharin (; born 1952) is an Israeli choreographer, contemporary dancer, and creator and teacher of a unique system/language/pedagogy of dance called Gaga. He served as artistic director of Batsheva Dance Company from 1990; he stepped down i ...
* David Parsons * Rudy Perez *
Eleo Pomare Eleo Pomare (20 October 1937 – 8 August 2008) was a Colombian-American modern dance choreographer. Known for his politically-charged productions depicting the Black experience, his work had a major influence on contemporary dance, especially Bl ...
* Dwight Rhoden * Kelvin Rotardier *
Paul Sanasardo Paul Sanasardo (born 15 September 1928) is an American dancer, choreographer and dance teacher of Italian descent. Life and career Sanasardo was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Sicilian family from Palermo, Italy. He attended the School of the A ...
* Gustavo Ramirez Sansano *
Hofesh Shechter Hofesh Shechter (; born 3 May 1975) is an Israeli choreographer, dancer and composer based in London. He is the founder and artistic director of the Hofesh Shechter Company. Early life Hofesh Shechter was born in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1975. At ...
*
Michael Smuin Michael Smuin (October 13, 1938 – April 23, 2007) was an American ballet dancer, choreographer and theatre director. He was co-founder and director of his own dance company, the Smuin Ballet in San Francisco. Biography Born in Missoula, Montan ...
* Lynn Taylor-Corbett * Paul Taylor *
Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp (; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the compa ...
*
Hans van Manen Hans Arthur Gerard van Manen (; born 11 July 1932) is a Dutch ballet dancer, choreographer and photographer. He studied under Sonia Gaskell and Françoise Adret. Van Manen wrote many ballets. He worked for the Dutch National Ballet from 1973 to ...
*
Christopher Wheeldon Christopher Peter Wheeldon (born 22 March 1973) is an English international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Early life Born in Yeovil, Somerset, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at th ...
* Billy Wilson * Kris World *
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (born December 21, 1950) is an American dancer, teacher and choreographer of modern dance. She is the founder of the Urban Bush Women dance company. Biography One of six children, she was born Willa Jo Zollar in Kansas City ...
Cal Performances (March 13, 2018)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Chronological Repertory of Works Performed at Cal Performances
The company keeps Alvin Ailey's works, including ''Revelations'' (1960), ''Night Creature'' (1974) and ''Cry'' (1971), in continuous performance. ''Memoria'' was one of Alvin Ailey's balletic pieces, with long lines and a clear technical style different from his usual jazz character style of swirling patters, strong, driving arm movements, huge jumps, and thrusting steps. This dance was later adopted into the repertory of the
Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet ( Danish: ''Den Kongelige Ballet'') is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world a ...
. ''Cry'' is a three-part, 17-minute solo created for
Judith Jamison Judith Ann Jamison (; May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024) was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be the company's artistic di ...
. It was meant to pay homage to "all Black women everywhere, especially our mothers" and can be seen as a journey from degradation to pride, defiance, and survival.


Ailey II

In 1974, Ailey created the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (later renamed Ailey II). In 1980, the second company and the Ailey School relocated to four new studios in a building on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
.


The Ailey School

The Ailey School was established in 1969, the same year the company moved to the
Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM was chartered in 18 ...
. The Ailey School is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). The school is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an institution of higher education and is eligible to participate in Title IV programs. In 1998, the Ailey School and Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC),
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
launched a
Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students pursuing a professional education in the visual arts, Fine art, or performing arts. In some instances, it is also called a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA). Background ...
(BFA) degree program. The program is recognized as one of the preeminent BFA dance programs in the country.Kaufman, Adam (July 24, 2024)
The Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Turns 25
''Fordham Magazine''.


AileyCamp

In 1989, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey is founded and develops into the national AileyCamp program. By 2016, AileyCamp expanded to ten cities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Berkeley/ Oakland, CA; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, KS; Kansas City, MO; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; and Seattle/Tacoma, WA. In 2023, AileyCamp Atlanta launches a partnership as part of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ Year of the Youth initiative.


The Ailey Extension

The Ailey Extension was created in 2005. Ailey Extension offers instruction in more than 25 different dance and fitness techniques, including Ballet, Hip-Hop, Horton, House, Jazz, Masala Bhangra, Samba, West African, and Zumba.


Joan Weill Center for Dance

Since 2005, the Ailey organization has been headquartered at the Joan Weill Center for Dance, which was originally designed as a 77,000 square-foot building. The Weill Center features state-of-the-art dance studios, a performance space with a seating capacity of 275 people, classrooms, a costume shop, physical therapy facilities, faculty and student lounges, and administrative offices.The Joan Weill Center for Dance
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
In the late 1990s, following their
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and
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tours and
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residency, AAADT's leadership determined that it needed a larger space for rehearsals, school performances, production materials, and offices. The board of trustees established a campaign steering committee to identify potential major donors. Joan Weill, who served fourteen years as chairwoman of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation,Pogrebin, Robin (November 13, 2014)
A $40 Million Thank You for Joan Weill’s Service to Ailey Foundation
''New York Times''.
and her husband, Sandy Weill, co-chaired the building capital campaign,Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Launches Campaign With $40 Million. November 18, 2014
Philanthropy News Digest.
and donated a total of eighteen million dollars to the effort.


The Elaine Wynn and Family Education Wing

In 2017, AAADT unveiled The Elaine Wynn and Family Education Wing, a 10,000-square-foot expansion to the Weill Center.
Elaine Wynn Elaine Farrell Wynn ( Pascal; April 28, 1942 – April 14, 2025) was an American billionaire businesswoman, art collector, philanthropist and education reformer. She co-founded Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts with her former husband, Steve Wynn ...
is a major donor to AAADT. The Wynn Wing adds three floors to Weill Center and features four additional dance studios, two new flexible classrooms, and administrative offices.


Leadership


Artistic director

*
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cent ...
(1931–1989), founder and artistic director, 1965-1989. * Robert Battle, artistic director, 2011–2023. *
Judith Jamison Judith Ann Jamison (; May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024) was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be the company's artistic di ...
(1943-2024), principal dancer, 1965-1989; artistic director emerita, 1989-2011. * Matthew Rushing, principal dancer, 1992-2010; rehearsal director, 2010-2020; associate artistic director, 2020-2023; Interim Artistic Director, 2023-2024.Our People. Alvin Ailey.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Foundation.
*
Alicia Graf Mack Alicia Graf Mack (''née'' Alicia J. Graf, born 1978/1979) is an American dancer, teacher, and artistic director. She was a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has performed with Beyonce, John Legend, a ...
, principal dancer, 2005-2008, and 2011-2014; artistic director, 2025- ANNOUNCING OUR NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.


Associate artistic director and rehearsal director

* Masazumi Chaya, dancer, 1972-1987, rehearsal director, 1988-1990, and associate artistic director, 1991-2019. * Ronni Favors, Rehearsal Director


Ailey II

* Francesca Harper, artistic director, Ailey II, 2021-. * Troy Powell, artistic director, Ailey II, 2012-2020, who was fired after allegations of sexual misconduct involving students and other young dancers surfaced online.Fantz, Ashley, and Casey Tolan and Alessandra Freitas (July 20, 2020)
Alvin Ailey dance theater official fired after sexual misconduct allegations
CNN
* Sylvia Waters, dancer, 1968-1974, and artistic director emerita, Ailey II, 1975-.


Ailey School

* Ana Marie Forsythe, faculty and Horton department chair, 2024 Awardee of Distinction, ''Dance Teacher'' * Tracy Inman, co-director, Ailey School, 2010-. * Denise Jefferson (1944-2010), director, Ailey School, 1984-2010. *
Pearl Lang Pearl Lang (May 29, 1921 – February 24, 2009) was an American dancer, choreographer and teacher renowned as an interpreter and propagator of the choreography style of Martha Graham, and also for her own longtime dance company, the Pearl Lang ...
, co-director, Ailey School, 1969-? * Melanie Person, co-director, Ailey School, 2010-.


Board of trustees

The following is a partial list of trustees who have played a major role in AAADT's history. * Simin N. Allison (-2024) and Herbert M. Allison (1943-2013), former members, board of trustees * Katherine G. Farley, former member, board of trustees * Bruce S. Gordon, former member and vice chair, board of trustees, 1999-?Sulcas, Roslyn (June 2008)
50 & Fabulous
Town and Country.
* Barbara Jonas (1933-2018), former member, board of trustees, whose husband Donald Jonas made a donation in her honor to endow all performances of ''Revelations''. * Anthony S. Kendall, president, board of trustees, 2024Ailey Board of Trustees Chairwoman Daria L. Wallach and President Anthony S. Kendall. Photo by Pete Monsanto.
/ref> * Philip Laskawy, chairman(1994-?); chairman, executive committee (-2006-);chair emerita, board of trustees Our People
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
* Debra L. Lee, president, board of trustees, 2014-2018 * Harold Levine (1922-2017), chair, board of trustees, 1989-1993Kisselgoff, Anna (December 12, 1992)
Review/Dance; An Ailey Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie
New York Times.
* Henry McGee, president (-2006-) * Stanley Plesent (1926-2022), chair, board of trustees, 1973-1989 * Daria L. Wallach, chair, board of trustees, 2014- * Joan Weill, chair, board of trustees, 2000-2014


Executive director

* Ivy Clarke (1916-1994), general manager / executive director, 1968-1975. * Barbara B. Hauptman (1946-2024), executive director, 1994-1995. * Michael Kaiser, executive director, 1990-1993. * Sharon Gersten Luckman, who joined the company in 1992; executive director, 1995-2013.Press release (October 17, 2012
ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION NAMES BENNETT RINK AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Will Take the Helm of the Ailey Organization As Sharon Gersten Luckman Steps Down After 18 Years of Leadership In The Beginning of 2013
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
* Bennett Rink, who joined the company in 1994; executive director, 2013-.


Dancers


Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

* Leonardo BritoAlvin Ailey Company Dancers
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Foundation.
* Patrick Coker * Shawn Cusseaux * Sarah Daley-PerdomoSeattle Theatre Group
encore Stages Spring 2018.
* Caroline T. Dartey * Isaiah Day * Coral Dolphin * Solomon Dumas * Samantha Figgins * James Gilmer * Vernard J. Gilmore * Ashley Kaylynn Green * Jacquelin Harris * Michael Jackson, Jr. * Yannick Lebrun * Xavier Mack * Renaldo Maurice * Corrin Rachelle Mitchell * Chalvar Monteiro * Jesse Obremski * Kali Marie Oliver * Alisha Rena Peek * Jessica Amber Pinkett * Miranda Quinn * Hannah Alissa Richardson * Deidre Rogan * Constance Stamatiou * Christopher Taylor * De'Anthony Vaughan * Dandara Veiga * Isabel Wallace-Green * Christopher R. Wilson


Ailey II

* Kamani Abu, apprenticeAiley II Dancers
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
* Carley Brooks * Meredith Brown * Jennifer M. Gerken * Alfred L. Jordan II * Xavier Logan * Kiri Moore * Corinth Moulterie * Naia Neal, apprentice * Xhosa Scott * Adanna Smalls, apprentice * Kaleb K. Smith, apprentice * Kayla Mei-Wan Thomas * Darion Turner * Eric Vidaña * Jordyn White


Former dancers

A partial list of former Alvin Ailey dancers with their years in the company. * Loretta Abbot *
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cent ...
* Sarita Allen * Guillermo A. Asca (1994-2014)BRAVO Season Guide (Spring 2006).
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Detroit Opera House. 17-22. “Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre.”
* Marilyn BanksAiley, Alvin, Ulysses Dove, Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Danmarks radio, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, RM Arts (Firm), and Kultur International Films. 1990. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Directed by Thomas Grimm. West Long Branch, NJ: Kultur. * Don Bellamy * April Berry * Olivia Bowman-Jackson (2001-2011) * Jeroboam Bozeman *
Hope Boykin Hope Boykin is an American dancer, choreographer and former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Early life and education Boykin was born in Durham, North Carolina, where she started taking dance classes at the age of four. She we ...
(2000-2020) * Clifton Brown * Olivia BrownAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 50 Years Cultural Ambassador to the World Online Exhibition
Library of Congress.
* Sean Aaron Carmon * Debora Chase * Masazumi Chaya * Hope Clarke * Courtney Brene Corbin * Carmen De Lavallade * Gary Deloatch * Joan DerbyAlvin Ailey's Revelations. 1960 performance credits.
a studio in covent garden. May 18, 2013.
* Merle Derby * Rosalyn Deshauteurs (2000-2006-?) * Samuel DeshauteursMarshall, Alexandra (April 6, 2009

''Boston Globe''.
* Ghrai DeVore * Khilea Douglass * Antonio Douthit * Kervin Douthit-Boyd (2004-2015) Kervin Douthit-Boyd
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.
*
Ulysses Dove Ulysses Dove (January 17, 1947 in Columbia, South Carolina – June 11, 1996 in Manhattan) was a choreographer. Dove began his dance training at Boggs Academy in Georgia. Dove gave up his premedical studies at Howard University to transfer t ...
* Patrick Dupond, guest artist * Linda-Denise Evans * Jay Fletcher * Ralph Glenmore * Alicia Graf Mack * Jacqueline Green * Daniel Harder * Collin Heyward * Gene Hobgood * Nathaniel "Nat" Horne * Herman Howell * Zach Law Ingram (2004-2006-?) * Kristen Irby * Abdur-Rahim Jackson (2001-2006-?) * Chris Jackson (2004-2006-?) * Megan Jakel *
Judith Jamison Judith Ann Jamison (; May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024) was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be the company's artistic di ...
* Wesley Johnson * Gwynenn Taylor Jones (2004-2006-?) * Michael Joy * Mari Kajiwara * Willy Laury (2004-2011) * Bill Luther * Roxanne Lyst (2004-2006-?) * Amos J. Machanic, Jr. (1996-2011) * Alicia Graf Mack * Deborah Manning * Minnie Marshall * Clover Mathis * Ashley Mayeux * Michael Francis McBride * Keith McDaniel * Rachael McLaren * Leonard Meek * Hector Mercado * Ella Thompson Moore * Christa Mueller * Akua Noni Parker * Danica Paulos * Kenneth "Kenny" Pearl * Belén Pereyra-Alem *
Harold Perrineau Harold Perrineau (born August 7, 1963) is an American actor. His breakout role was in the independent film ''Smoke'' (1995), for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. He went on to appear as Mercutio ...
* Joan Peters * Karine Plantadit * Troy Powell * Lucinda Ransom * Nancy Redi * Briana Reed (1998-2006-?) * Dwight Rhoden * Takako Asakawa RichardsRevelations: Takako Asakawa, Hope Clarke, Lucinda Ransom, Joan Peters, Loretta Abbot (seated), 1964
Jack Mitchell Photography of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Collection. National Museum of African American History and Culture.
*
Desmond Richardson Desmond Richardson is an American dancer, actor and co-founder, and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has mastered a wide range of dance forms including hip hop, classical, modern, classical ballet, and contemporary bal ...
(1987-1994) * Dorene Richardson * Jamar Roberts (2002-2006-?) * Samuel Lee Roberts * Renee Robinson (1981-2012) * Elizabeth Roxas * Matthew Rushing(1992-2010) * Uri Sands * Wendy White Sasser * Ramon Segarra * Kanji Segawa * Maxine Sherman * Glenn Allen Sims (1997-2006-?) * Linda Celeste Sims (1996-2006-?) * Dwana Adiaha Smallwood (1995-2007) * Stephen Smith * Courtney Celeste Spears * Estelle Spurlock * Sarah Stackhouse * Jermaine Terry * Fana Tesfagiorgis * Asha Thomas * Michael Thomas * Nasha Thomas * Clive Thompson * Mel Tomlinson *
Joyce Trisler Joyce Trisler (1934–1979) was an American modem dancer and choreographer. Biography Trisler was born in 1934 in Los Angeles, California. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles. Trisler started her career with the Lester Hort ...
* James Truitte (1960-1968) * Andre Tyson * Desire Vlad * Jacqueline Walcott (1958-1959) * Sylvia Waters * Myrna White-Russell * Dereque Whiturs * Dudley Williams * Tina Monica Williams (2000-2006-?) * Dion Wilson (2001-2006-?) * Richard Witter * Donna Wood (1972-1985) * Sara Yarborough * Tina Yuan


Awards and Honors

* 1982: United Nations Peace Medal * 2001: National Medal of Arts, Judith Jamison and Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, the first dance organization to receive the honor.Lifetime Honors - National Medal of Arts
* 2015: National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, AileyCamp Miami, recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama * 2023: Outstanding Company and Best Modern Choreography (Kyle Abraham, Are You in Your Feelings?), 2023 National Dance Awards, UK Critics’ Circle * 2024: AileyDance for Active Aging received a resolution from the Newark Municipal Council for its contributions to the senior community in Newark, New Jersey.


See also

*
Culture of New York City New York City has been described as the cultural capital of the world. Its urban culture is reflected in its size and ethnic diversity. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world ...
* Masazumi Chaya * Carmen De Lavallade *
Judith Jamison Judith Ann Jamison (; May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024) was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be the company's artistic di ...
* Revelations


References


External links


Repertory of the Company

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Channel on YouTube

Fordham University Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program affiliationArchival footage of Matthew Rushing performing in Alvin Ailey's ''Revelations'' in 2007 at Jacob’s Pillow Dance FestivalArchival footage of Ailey II performing in Alvin Ailey's ''Revelations'' in 1988 at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
* Map: {{Authority control 1958 establishments in New York City African-American arts organizations African-American dance Dance companies in New York City Modern dance companies Contemporary dance companies Dance education in the United States African-American theatre United States National Medal of Arts recipients