Connecting with audiences is at the heart of the Ailey experience, so Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s much-anticipated return to their home stage is a reason to rejoice. Revel in the passion these dancers bring to each program, the skill and artistry no shutdown can diminish, and the palpable joy of live performance as the Company presents a 3-week season featuring premieres by Robert Battle, celebrating his 10th season as Artistic Director, and Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts, whose acclaimed work explores these turbulent times. The season also includes returning favorites by Aszure Barton, Rennie Harris, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, plus classics by Mr. Ailey including the tour-de-force Cry (celebrating its 50th anniversary) and the beloved Revelations, a universal anthem of resilience that resounds anew in 2021.
Premieres
Artistic Director Robert Battle’s For Four captures the pent-up energy of a world cooped up during the pandemic, expressing the drive to perform and the electricity of dancers coming together to create.
Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts’ Holding Space is about healing and the quest for sustainable pathways towards wholeness.
New Productions
Alvin Ailey’s Pas de Duke is a modern dance translation of a classical pas de deux that captures the sassy sophistication of Duke Ellington’s jazz music.
Alvin Ailey’s Reflections in D is a strong yet serene solo that highlights the power and grace of the male dancer.
Alvin Ailey’s The River is a sweeping full-company work that suggests tumbling rapids and meandering streams on a journey to the sea, set to Duke Ellington’s first symphonic score written for dance.
Artistic Director Robert Battle’s Unfold is a sensuous, swirling duet that evokes the tenderness and ecstasy in Gustave Charpentier’s aria “Depuis Le Jour” sung by the incomparable Leontyne Price.
COVID Safety Information:
City Center will operate a fully vaccinated venue.
Approved masks must be worn by audience members, staff, and crew at all times while inside New York City Center. Artists, crew, staff, and audience members will need to provide proof of their full Covid-19 vaccination (two weeks after receiving a one-dose vaccine or both doses of a two-dose vaccine, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organization). Children under 12 will be able to attend once they are fully vaccinated.
Please note: CDC guidelines state that bandanas, gaiters, or masks with vents/valves are not approved masks. If you do not have an approved mask, City Center will provide one for you.
Age Guidance: 12
Audience Advisory:
PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY FOR SECURITY SCREENING to avoid any delay entering the theater. All bags will be screened upon arrival at NY City Center’s main entrance.
Performance Schedule:
For a full schedule, visit: https://www.alvinailey.org/new-york-city-center