AILEY II – THE NEXT GENERATION OF DANCE – RETURNS TO THE AILEY CITIGROUP THEATER MARCH 26–APRIL 6

Rising Stars Take Center Stage in Two Dynamic Programs—Echoes and New Vintage

Company’s 2024-25 Season is Dedicated to the Life and Legacy of
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison 

Tickets Now on Sale!

On the heels of a 28-city tour, Ailey II, the next generation of dance, returns to the Ailey Citigroup Theater from March 26–April 6 for its annual New York season. Led by Artistic Director Francesca Harper, 12 of the country’s most talented young dancers will bring their “off-the-charts-energy” to two dynamic programs, Echoes and New Vintage, spotlighting a premiere by Houston Thomas and returning favorites byAlvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Baye & Asa, and Ms. Harper. 

“Ailey II is thrilled to come back to our home stage after an incredible tour across the country as we leap into our sixth decade,” says Francesca Harper. “We are eager to welcome both our loyal supporters and new audiences to experience the exciting artistry of Ailey II through two programs that bridge the past and present, celebrating how each generation shapes the future. Whether audiences find joy, connection, or a sense of empowerment, I want them to carry that discovery into their lives long after they leave the theater.”

For more than five decades, Ailey II has merged the spirit and energy of the country’s best early-career dance talent with the passion and artistry of today’s most outstanding choreographers. Founded in 1974 as a bridge between The Ailey School and the professional dance world, the company embodies Alvin Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all people.

The Ailey Citigroup Theater engagement opens on Wednesday, March 26 at 7:30pm with Echoes, symbolizing the enduring resonance of humanity and Ailey II connecting generations through storytelling, cultural preservation, and innovation. The program showcases Francesca Harper’s Luminous, a work that pays homage to the 50th anniversary of Ailey II and the artists who paved the way for future generations; Houston Thomas’ world premiere Down the Rabbit Hole, inspired by The Matrix film series, which explores how technology weaves into the fabric of daily life, transforming how we as humans interact and function; and Alvin Ailey’s Streams, an abstract exploration of bodies in space danced to a percussion score by Miloslav Kabelac and inspired by bodies of water that correlate to the changing tides within us.

On Thursday, March 27 at 7:30pm Ailey II will present New Vintage, a program that highlights the evolution of the company’s tradition of risk taking by celebrating the dynamic voices of our founding figures alongside those of today’s most daring choreographers. Works featured include a solo excerpted from Judith Jamison‘s Divining, her first choreographic work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1984; Ailey Highlights, a collection of excerpts from three classic works choreographed by Alvin Ailey between 1958 and 1972; Baye & Asa’s John 4:20, an expanded duet the choreographers originally created in 2018; and Thomas’ Down the Rabbit Hole.

New Yorkers have 14 chances to witness these “impressively trained dancers up close” (The Wall Street Journal) who come from near (Brooklyn native Corinth Moulterie) and far (Houstonian Jennifer M. Gerken).Tickets starting at $62.25 (includes $3.25 service fee) are on sale now and can be purchased at ailey.org/aileyiinyc or by phone at 212-405-9082. Detailed schedule below.

All programs are approximately an hour and 45 minutes, including two intermissions.