Alvin Ailey

Gerald L. Archard November 22, 2010 2nd block terpsichore 2 Dance Pi superstarers, Companies, and Choreographers Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an African American modern boundr, trip the light fantastic toe instructor and choreographer, who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance line of business. Ailey was a gifted creator of trip the light fantastic expressing the African American cultural encounter and history. His choreographic works live on in instruction executions by the fraternity he founded. The Alvin Ailey American Dance subject field toured extensively and regularly in Europe and Asia during Aileys lifetime, making Ailey a known name worldwide.His works continue to inspire, uplift, educate, and communicate brilliance to all who get word them. unmatched of his best known works, the choreographic masterpiece, Revelations, ground on Aileys commence growing up as an African American in the South, systematically brings earshots to their feet in enthusiastic, spontaneous ovation. Ailey was born to his 17-year-old mother, Lula Cooper, in Rogers, Texas. His father a mountain wholenessd the family when Alvin was however if a few months old. Aileys mother was determined to make a unwrap life for herself and child. She locomote numerous times in Aileys early years. unrivalled of the constants in Alvins childhood was att poleance at the True Vine Baptist Church. His mother sang in the choir. Aileys immersion in the experience of charismatic and enthusiastic worship fill with gospel music and traditional spiritual songs had a lasting affect. posterior in life, he choreographed springs to some of the music he first hear as a churchgoing youngster. In 1943, he and his mother go to Los Angeles, California. Alvin was fourteen years old then. His mother worked often. The teen used his granting immunity after school to explore the city.Ailey was draw to the music from the big quite a little jazz clubs while the musicians practiced for the ir evening shows. He was also drawn to the theatre of operations marquees announcing upcoming shows like Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington, and others. One day he scratchy a handbill with a photo of Katherine Dunham, a terpsichorean dress in layers and layers of ruffles. At the time, Dunhams saltation troupe was the only group of social dancers touring and playing dances from Africa, Haiti, and Latin America. Aileys curiosity was so intense that he found himself peeking in the stage door to catch sight of the operation of Dunhams Tropical Revue.This was the pedigree of Aileys lifelong passion for dance. Alvin began hanging around the stage door of the field of view during the run of Dunhams show. He was there so often that one of the dancers invited him extension and into the auditorium to watch. This introduction led him to study dance. Initially, Alvin took dance classes in the style and system of choreographer and dancer Katherine Dunham, from a student of hers. Howeve r, he was not really agreeable with this style that involved abandoning oneself to sensuous full body movement. posterior, he was introduced to dance instructor Lester Horton. Horton had a dance school in nearby in Hollywood and his style was more straightforward. After seeing the school performance of fellow Jefferson High School student and Horton protege, Carmen de Lavallade, Alvin signed on with Horton. Lavallade was to be a lifelong fri block off and colleague of Aileys. While studying with Horton, Ailey pursue college courses in the Romance languages. At various times Ailey was enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles city College, and the University of California, Berkeley.He studied the writings of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Carson McCullers. His scholarly pursuits led him away from Lester Hortons school. In late summer of 1951, Ailey left for San Francisco to work and go to school. He in brief befriended a young singer and dancer by t he name of Margareurite Angelos (Maya Angelou). The devil worked up a nightclub act called Al and Rita. They performed occasionally, and Ailey earned a living waiting tables and dancing at the New Orleans champagne Supper Club. It was here that he first began choreographing acts of his own.This experience also marked the end of his college pursuits. Ailey st impostureed his own dance club in 1958, featuring primarily African American dancers. The company was invited back to Ted Shawns summer dance festival in Massachusetts, in the summer of 1959. Following the stint, Susan Pimsleur, a concert manager offered to add the Ailey dancers to her roster. She put out a plan for tours and concerts and designed a brochure, calling the company the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. A third concert at the 92nd lane YMCA was planned for January 31, 1960.It was during this performance that Ailey first staged his signature work, Revelations. The piece came from a very deep place within Ailey s psyche. The performance was an intense font of heavenly faith, e prowesshly despair, and unquenchable humanity. From its very first performance that January day, the audience jumped to their feet with a resounding ovation. The producer of the dance program at the YMCA at long last went on to the stage to silence the audience and announce that due to the sweep over response of the audience, a second performance would be scheduled, an unprecedented fro that venue.In 1961, the joined States Department of State approached Ailey, and invited him to travel in Southeast Asiaa for a bakers dozen week tour produced by the Presidents Special International Program for ethnical Presentations. Ailey accepted the invitation. He gathered dancers including some from his Horton days, including de Lavallade, Truitte and others. This was the first of many self-made tours by the company. In a three years, Ailey had created a company and a body of work that communicated powerfully and conveyed to the world the beauty and universality of art and its rightful place in American culture.Alvin wrote in program notes for one of the tours, The cultural heritage of the American Negro is one of Americas richest treasures. Ailey integrated his dance company in 1963. He also did some acting and directing. One notable production he directed was Langston Hughess Jericho-Jim Crow (1964). In summer of 1965, Ailey spy Judith Jamison, a strikingly tall dancer with a strong foundation in ballet, at an audition he was attending. Ailey axiom something special in her and tracked her down to invite her to join the company. She accepted, and now it is Jamison who runs the AAADT.Presented around the world by the Aileys dance theater, the choreographic masterpiece Revelations, which is base on Aileys experience growing up as an African American in the South, is among the best known and most frequently seen of modern dance performances. This piece speaks to audiences of all stripes in such a lo wering and inspiring way that audiences often leap to their feet in ovation at the close of the performance. It is a timeless portrayal of the experience of the American southerneasterly of the first half of the twentieth century.Ailey has been memorialized by the renaming of West 61st lane mingled with Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues in New York city as Alvin Ailey focal point the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was located on that block at 211 West 61st Street from 1989 until 2005, when it moved to a new, bigger facility at the corner of West 55th Street and Ninth Avenue. In 1987, Ailey authorized the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award. The citation on the award read, To Alvin Ailey, dancer teacher and choreographer, whose work is generated from the heart and powered by passion he stands as a model of artistic integrity.An American, informed by the inexorable experience, Mr. Aileys choreography presses through cultural lines and speaks a universal language. His dances, whether sassy, sad, witty or lyrical, have brought joy and a sense of purpose to people end-to-end the world. Alvin Aileys consistent artistic achievements have insured him a place as a giant in the history of American modern dance. His longtime(prenominal)(prenominal) friend, Harry Belafonte presented the award. Ailey was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988.Alvin AileyGerald L. Archard November 22, 2010 2nd block dance 2 Dance Pioneers, Companies, and Choreographers Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an African American modern dancer, dance teacher and choreographer, who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey was a gifted creator of dance expressing the African American cultural experience and history. His choreographic works live on in performances by the company he founded. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater toured extensively and regularly in Europe and Asia during Aileys lifetime, making Ailey a familiar name worldwide.His works continue to inspire, uplift, educate, and communicate brilliance to all who witness them. One of his best known works, the choreographic masterpiece, Revelations, based on Aileys experience growing up as an African American in the South, systematically brings audiences to their feet in enthusiastic, spontaneous ovation. Ailey was born to his 17-year-old mother, Lula Cooper, in Rogers, Texas. His father abandoned the family when Alvin was only a few months old. Aileys mother was determined to make a conk out life for herself and child. She moved numerous times in Aileys early years.One of the constants in Alvins childhood was attendance at the True Vine Baptist Church. His mother sang in the choir. Aileys immersion in the experience of charismatic and enthusiastic worship alter with gospel music and traditional spiritual songs had a lasting affect. Later in life, he choreographed dances to some of the music he first hear as a churchgoing youngster. In 1943, he and his mother moved to Los Ange les, California. Alvin was fourteen years old then. His mother worked often. The teen used his exemption after school to explore the city.Ailey was drawn to the music from the big band jazz clubs while the musicians practiced for their evening shows. He was also drawn to the theater marquees announcing upcoming shows like Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington, and others. One day he spotted a handbill with a photo of Katherine Dunham, a dancer enclothe in layers and layers of ruffles. At the time, Dunhams dance troupe was the only group of dancers touring and acting dances from Africa, Haiti, and Latin America. Aileys curiosity was so intense that he found himself peeking in the stage door to catch sight of the performance of Dunhams Tropical Revue.This was the beginning of Aileys lifelong passion for dance. Alvin began hanging around the stage door of the theater during the run of Dunhams show. He was there so often that one of the dancers invited him backstage and into the auditorium to watch. This introduction led him to study dance. Initially, Alvin took dance classes in the style and method of choreographer and dancer Katherine Dunham, from a student of hers. However, he was not really well-off with this style that involved abandoning oneself to sensuous full body movement.Later, he was introduced to dance teacher Lester Horton. Horton had a dance school in nearby in Hollywood and his style was more straightforward. After seeing the school performance of fellow Jefferson High School student and Horton protege, Carmen de Lavallade, Alvin signed on with Horton. Lavallade was to be a lifelong friend and colleague of Aileys. While studying with Horton, Ailey engage college courses in the Romance languages. At various times Ailey was enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles City College, and the University of California, Berkeley.He studied the writings of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Carson McCullers. His scholarly pursuits le d him away from Lester Hortons school. In late summer of 1951, Ailey left for San Francisco to work and go to school. He in short befriended a young singer and dancer by the name of Margareurite Angelos (Maya Angelou). The dickens worked up a nightclub act called Al and Rita. They performed occasionally, and Ailey earned a living waiting tables and dancing at the New Orleans bubbly Supper Club. It was here that he first began choreographing acts of his own.This experience also marked the end of his college pursuits. Ailey started his own dance company in 1958, featuring primarily African American dancers. The company was invited back to Ted Shawns summer dance festival in Massachusetts, in the summer of 1959. Following the stint, Susan Pimsleur, a concert manager offered to add the Ailey dancers to her roster. She lay out a plan for tours and concerts and designed a brochure, calling the company the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. A third concert at the 92nd Street YMCA was planned for January 31, 1960.It was during this performance that Ailey first staged his signature work, Revelations. The piece came from a very deep place within Aileys psyche. The performance was an intense looking of heavenly faith, earthly despair, and unquenchable humanity. From its very first performance that January day, the audience jumped to their feet with a resounding ovation. The producer of the dance program at the YMCA finally went on to the stage to silence the audience and announce that due to the enkindle response of the audience, a second performance would be scheduled, an unprecedented fro that venue.In 1961, the join States Department of State approached Ailey, and invited him to travel in Southeast Asiaa for a thirteen week tour produced by the Presidents Special International Program for heathen Presentations. Ailey accepted the invitation. He gathered dancers including some from his Horton days, including de Lavallade, Truitte and others. This was the firs t of many self-made tours by the company. In a three years, Ailey had created a company and a body of work that communicated powerfully and conveyed to the world the beauty and universality of art and its rightful place in American culture.Alvin wrote in program notes for one of the tours, The cultural heritage of the American Negro is one of Americas richest treasures. Ailey integrated his dance company in 1963. He also did some acting and directing. One notable production he directed was Langston Hughess Jericho-Jim Crow (1964). In summer of 1965, Ailey spotted Judith Jamison, a strikingly tall dancer with a strong foundation in ballet, at an audition he was attending. Ailey saw something special in her and tracked her down to invite her to join the company. She accepted, and today it is Jamison who runs the AAADT.Presented around the world by the Aileys dance theater, the choreographic masterpiece Revelations, which is based on Aileys experience growing up as an African Americ an in the South, is among the best known and most frequently seen of modern dance performances. This piece speaks to audiences of all stripes in such a dim and inspiring way that audiences often leap to their feet in ovation at the close of the performance. It is a timeless portrayal of the experience of the American south of the first half of the twentieth century.Ailey has been memorialized by the renaming of West 61st Street among Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues in New York City as Alvin Ailey port the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was located on that block at 211 West 61st Street from 1989 until 2005, when it moved to a new, bigger facility at the corner of West 55th Street and Ninth Avenue. In 1987, Ailey sure the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award. The citation on the award read, To Alvin Ailey, dancer teacher and choreographer, whose work is generated from the heart and powered by passion he stands as a model of artistic integrity.An American, informed by the portentous experience, Mr. Aileys choreography presses through cultural lines and speaks a universal language. His dances, whether sassy, sad, witty or lyrical, have brought joy and a sense of purpose to people passim the world. Alvin Aileys consistent artistic achievements have insured him a place as a giant in the history of American modern dance. His longtime friend, Harry Belafonte presented the award. Ailey was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988.