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(NewsNation) — Nearly four decades after his death, Alvin Ailey’s legacy lives on at his American Dance Theater in New York City.
Ailey is the pioneering choreographer who, 65 years ago, founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It started with a small gig in Manhattan, where he’d gathered fellow Broadway dancers.
The world-renowned Ailey Company is now celebrating its 65th anniversary and is embarking on a national tour, stopping at more than 20 cities with new and classic pieces to honor its founder.
Ailey is an activist and visionary who used dance to showcase the Black experience. His impact has resonated far beyond choreography and dance.
Ailey’s most popular piece, “Revelations,” is being featured during the 65th anniversary tour. It “explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul,” according to the tour news release.
Since its creation in 1960, “Revelations” has been seen by more people worldwide than any other modern dance work.
It moves audiences with its “powerful storytelling,” “soul-stirring music” and evokes “timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence.” The piece pulls from Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the South and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas.
The piece pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community while exploring the emotional spectrum of the human condition. Audience members are encouraged to cheer, sing along and dance during the show.
Ailey was born in Roger, Texas in 1931. Living in the rural South inspired some of his most memorable works. In 1958, he founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to fulfill his vision of a company “dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience.”
Ailey pioneered programs promoting arts in education and those benefiting underserved communities. He established The Ailey School in 1969, which offers world-class training to students ages 3-25.
Ailey died Dec. 1, 1989. The New York Times wrote: “You didn’t need to have known (him) personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”
