Alvin Ailey

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Alvin Ailey, Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American modern dancer and choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He died of AIDS, at the age of 58.

Biography

Born in Rogers, Texas on January 5th, 1931, Alvin Ailey was introduced to dance by performances of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. His formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton's classes by his friend, Carmen de Lavallade.

When Mr. Ailey began creating dance, he drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work- Revelations.

Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Alvin Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the company continues Mr. Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones to add to the repertoire. In all, more than 200 works by over 70 choreographers have been performed by the Company.

See also

• Modern dance
• Postmodern dance
• 20th century concert dance
• List of dance companies

External links

• American Ballet Theater biography
• Kennedy Center biography
• Body and Soul: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from the Smithsonian Institution
• NPR: Holiday Dance at the Alvin Ailey Theater
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

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Last updated on Thursday March 06, 2008 at 13:46:26 PST (GMT -0800)
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