Celebratory Opening Night Gala Honors the Incomparable
Ailey Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison
65th Anniversary Season Features World Premieres by
Artistic Director Robert Battle, Amy Hall Garner, and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish
Launch of New Ailey Artist in Residence Program Spotlighting Amy Hall Garner, Maria Bauman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar Over Three Years
Highlights Include Ailey’s Masterpiece Revelations and Ailey & Jazz Program with Live Music, New Productions of Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Jamar Roberts’s Ode, and Hans van Manen’s Solo
Tickets starting at $32 are on sale September 19
NEW YORK, July 27, 2023— Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Center’s Principal Dance Company and America’s cultural ambassador to the world, announces a much-anticipated 65th anniversary season at its New York City Center “home” from November 29 – December 31. The engagement features world premieres by Artistic Director Robert Battle, former Ailey company member Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish and the versatile Amy Hall Garner— the first awardee of a new Ailey Artist in Residence program. New productions of Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Jamar Roberts’s Ode, and Hans van Manen’s Solo will be staged. A dozen works by Alvin Ailey will be represented, including highlights programs of Ailey Classics and Ailey & Jazz with live music. Mr. Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations will be performed throughout the season, with soul-stirring live music on the opening night and first weekend.
Artistic Director Robert Battle said, “We are thrilled to once again greet our audiences for a full-length, five-week holiday season at City Center, with programs that express the spirit of hope, renewal, and community that are so much a part of Mr. Ailey’s legacy. This is a moment to move forward, to expand, to look with fresh eyes at wonderful dances by Mr. Ailey and esteemed choreographers in our circle, and to welcome works by outstanding choreographers who are being represented by us for the first time. Above all, this is a moment to pay tribute to the amazing women who have made Ailey what it is today, on our stage, in the studios and classrooms, and throughout the entire organization. We dedicate this season to the women of Ailey.”
Performances begin with a one-night-only Opening Night Gala honoring Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison in her 80th year, featuring an original work created for the occasion. Details will be announced at a later date.
Leading the season is the world premiere of a new ballet by Robert Battle with an original score by acclaimed composer and longtime collaborator John Mackey. Drawing from folk dance and the roots of modern dance and evoking the feeling of a ritual, this new work explores the ways in which community connections are renewed after prolonged social separation, ultimately inviting the audience into a close experience with the performers.
As part of its 65th anniversary season, Ailey also announces a new Ailey Artist in Residence program, expanding its investment in and partnership with choreographers who reflect Alvin Ailey’s cultural inquiry, participatory values, and worldview rich with vast curiosity. Created to dovetail with Mr. Battle’s New Directions Choreography Lab, the first cycle of the Ailey Artist in Residence program will welcome choreographers Amy Hall Garner, Maria Bauman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, each of whom will be in residence for one year over the next three seasons. Ailey Artists in Residence will have the opportunity to impact all aspects of the organization, making their presence felt throughout the year.
Amy Hall Garner will kick off her residency with her first work for the Company to debut at City Center. CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy.
“Like so many people, I have always felt there was magic in the name ‘Alvin Ailey’—two words that signify a special depth of emotion, freedom of expression, and uncompromising honesty, all conveyed with such virtuosity that your breath stops. It is a profound honor to be named an Ailey Artist in Residence and to share this designation with other extraordinary dance makers. At the start of my participation in this wonderful residence program, and after previously choreographing for Ailey II and The Ailey School, I am endlessly grateful for now being able to celebrate my first premiere for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.”
Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish will premiere a new duet titled Me, Myself and You. A dreamlike dance about reminiscence, it is set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” conjuring the memories of love and passion for a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
New productions this season include Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, which joins in the season’s tribute to the women of Ailey by evoking the elegance, dignity, and generosity of Judith Jamison and borrowing the title of her autobiography. Other new productions are Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, an audacious, non-stop piece with movement abstract but steeped in meeting that mirrors life’s boisterous waves; Jamar Roberts’s Ode, a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of gun violence set to Don Pullen’s Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots) with an all-female cast; and the seven-minute tour-de-force Solo by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet.
A “Pioneering Women of Ailey” program on December 19th will feature special performance excerpts celebrating Carmen de Lavallade, Judith Jamison, Denise Jefferson, and Sylvia Waters. This season’s beloved Ailey Classicsprogram highlights a selection of repertory spanning the breadth of Mr. Ailey’s rich catalog, including excerpts of Memoria, Night Creature (sections 2&3), Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage (Morolo), Opus McShann (Gee Baby), Opus McShann (Doo Wah), Love Songs (A Song for You), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), Hidden Rites (Of Love), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (Bird Lives). A celebrated Ailey & Jazz program will include live music performed by the Future of Jazz Orchestra to accompany dynamic performances of Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature and excerpts of Pas de Duke (1st song), Masekela Langage, Opus McShann (Doo Wah), A Song for You, For ‘Bird’ – With Love (A Night in Tunisia), For ‘Bird’ – With Love (Bird Lives), and Reflections in D.
Joining Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this season are four new members, including an alumnus of AileyCamp who is the third former camper to join the Company. Isaiah Day, a fourth-year student at The Juilliard School, will graduate in 2024 and has been trained under the direction of former Ailey company member Alicia Graf Mack. Coral Dolphin is a founding member of Ballet Hispanico Dos who previously worked with Ronald K. Brown. De’Anthony Vaughan joins the Company after having trained at AileyCamp and The Ailey School. And Isabel Wallace-Green is a summa cum laude graduate of The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program.
This season marks the 12th year of the New Directions Choreography Lab (NDCL), a creative residency program hosted by Robert Battle and The Ailey School to cultivate an environment in which choreographers are free to take creative risks and explore new ideas. In 2023-2024, NDCL welcomes four new awardee/advisor pairs: Babacar Top and Dean Moss, Marla Phelan and Stefanie Batten Bland, Ingrid and Tony and Darshan Singh Bhuller, and Burr Johnson and Melanie George.
Beloved as a vital “American cultural ambassador to the world,” the Company embarks on its first International Tour since the onset of the pandemic, traveling from August 23 to September 23 to Edinburgh, Scotland; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; and Tel Aviv, Israel. The announcement of the international tour and 65th anniversary season comes as Ailey launches summer 2023 programs that include performances in Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival (July 25-29, 2023) and the organization’s free summer dance celebration Ailey Moves NYC! (July 31 – August 5, 2023), six days of free performances, dance classes, and workshops throughout the city’s five boroughs.
Tickets to Ailey’s New York City Center season start at $32 and go on sale Tuesday, September 19 at the New York City Center box office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or at www.alvinailey.org or www.nycitycenter.org. Discount tickets are available for Ailey Super Fans who purchase tickets for more than one performance, students with an appropriate ID, and groups of 10 or more (discounts do not apply to $32 tickets). For group sales, call 212-405-9082 or email groupsales@alvinailey.org. Ailey Young New York invites those between the ages of 21 – 35 to purchase 50% off tickets ($80 and over) for all performances December 1 – December 31 with promo code MODERN (up to 4 tickets). For further information about Ailey’s New York City Center season, please visit www.alvinailey.org.
Press materials and photos are available at pressroom.alvinailey.org.
Photo Credits: Members of the Company in Alvin Ailey’s For ‘Bird’ – With Love; 2023-2024 Season Image. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Constance Stamatiou; Jeroboam Bozeman and Constance Stamatiou in Alvin Ailey’s Masekela Langage. All Photos by Dario Calmese.
Subject to Change
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE – TICKETS ON SALE SEPTEMBER 19
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Nov 29 – Dec 31, 2023, at New York City Center
131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York, NY
(212) 581-1212 / www.nycitycenter.org
CALENDAR LISTING INFORMATION
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, beloved as one of the world’s most popular dance companies, returns to New York City Center November 29 – December 31, 2023, for an engagement that has become a joyous holiday tradition. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, Ailey’s extraordinary dancers will move audiences with world premieres by Battle, Amy Hall Garner, and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish along with new productions and a variety of repertory favorites. For this 65th anniversary season, highlights of a dozen works by founder Alvin Ailey will be presented in special programs, including performances featuring music by jazz greats and his American masterpiece Revelations, both danced to live music at some performances. Tickets starting at $32 go on sale September 19 at the New York City Center Box Office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or online at www.alvinailey.org or www.nycitycenter.org. For further information, visit www.alvinailey.org.
Performance Times:
Opening Night Gala (November 29) 7pm (note earlier curtain time)
Tuesday – Thursday evenings 7:30pm
Wednesday matinee (Dec. 20 & 27) 2pm
Friday & Saturday evenings 8pm
Saturday Family matinees 2pm
Sunday matinees 3pm
New Year’s Eve matinee 2pm
The 2023 Winter Season is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The creation of a world premiere by Robert Battle is supported by commissioning funds from New York City Center.
Music for New Battle has been made possible by a commissioning grant from the O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation.
The new production of Dancing Spirit is supported by Dr. Crawford Parker and the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey through the generosity of its donors.
The new production of Ode was made possible with generous support from Simin N. Allison, Judith McDonough Kaminski & Joseph Kaminski, Denise Littlefield Sobel, Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach, Tracy Elise Poole, and The Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Nicolas Rohatyn New Works Endowment Fund.
The creation of Ode was supported by commissioning funds from New York City Center.
Solo was made possible, in part, by The Fred Eychaner New Works Endowment Fund.
The creation of Are You in Your Feelings? was supported by commissioning funds from New York City Center. The world premiere of Are You in Your Feelings? was made possible with major support from Michele & Timothy Barakett, Melinda & Paul Pressler, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Nicolas S. Rohatyn New Works Endowment Fund, and The Pamela D. Zilly & John H. Schaefer Endowment Fund. Additional support was provided by an Anonymous Supporter, The Fred Eychaner New Works Endowment Fund and The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey – Sara and Bill Morgan New Works Endowment Fund.
Cry was made possible with generous support from Judith McDonough Kaminski and Joseph Kaminski.
The original production of Cry was made possible, in part, by a grant from Ford Foundation.
In a Sentimental Mood was made possible with support from Maury & Joseph Bohan, Peter S. Croncota, The Ellen Jewett & Richard L. Kauffman New Works Endowment Fund, Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Red Moose Charitable Fund, and Denise Littlefield Sobel.
Funds for Memoria were provided, in part, by Ford Foundation. The creation of Memoria was made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Night Creature was made possible, in part, by a grant from Ford Foundation and with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Generous support for Reflections in D was received from Laren and Jesse Brill.
All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Major support of Roy’s Joys was made possible by Elaine & Larry Rothenberg.
Major support of this production of Survivors is made possible by Judith McDonough Kaminski & Joseph Kaminski, and Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach.
WORLD PREMIERES
New Ballet (Title TBD)
Choreography by Robert Battle
Artistic Director Robert Battle explores the ways in which community connections are renewed after prolonged social separation, crafting a work that draws on folk dance and the roots of modern dance to create a ritual-like feeling in which the audience is ultimately invited into a close experience with the performers. An original score by frequent collaborator John Mackey sets the atmosphere for this ensemble work.
CENTURY
Choreography by Amy Hall Garner
Amy Hall Garner’s first work for Ailey is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a pure dance work celebrating life, resilience, and joy.
Me, Myself and You
Choreography by Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish
A dreamlike duet by former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, Me, Myself and You is a dance about reminiscence. Set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” it conjures the memories of love and passion for a woman asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
NEW PRODUCTIONS
Dancing Spirit (2009)
Choreography by Ronald K. Brown
Ronald K. Brown pays tribute to Judith Jamison’s profound influence with a moving work that echoes the title of Jamison’s autobiography. Set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, Brown’s evocative choreography uses movement from Cuba, Brazil, and the United States to conjure dancing spirits who embody Jamison’s elegance, dignity, and generosity.
Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000)
Choreography by Alonzo King
Alonzo King’s work investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit. Described by choreographer Alonzo King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King’s movement — abstract but steeped in meaning — sets the dancers in constant flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.
Ode (2019)
Choreography by Jamar Roberts
Former Ailey dancer Jamar Roberts offers a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of growing gun violence. This tender, engrossing work will be staged with an all-female cast and features a jazz score—Don Pullen’s “Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots)”—and Roberts’s own costume designs.
Solo (1997)
Choreography by Hans van Manen
Hans van Manen divides his dynamic Solo among three dancers in a tour-de-force that challenges the Ailey men’s daring, agility, and grace. This explosive display of virtuosity and wit, set to a Bach violin suite, launches the performers into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality.
RETURNING FAVORITES
Are You in Your Feelings? (2022)
Choreography by Kyle Abraham Music: Various Artists
Acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham’s recent popular work is a celebration of Black culture, Black music, and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a “mixtape” of soul, hip-hop, and R&B, it explores the connections among music, communication, and personal memory. “A lot of these songs are the songs that I play when I’m at my lowest and at my highest. I wanted to find a way to thank those artists for their music and thank our culture for their contributions to this world in which we live.” -Kyle Abraham
Cry (1971)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro, Voices of East Harlem
In 1971, Alvin Ailey choreographed Cry as a birthday present for his mother on his stunning muse, the legendary Judith Jamison, who has taught the treasured role to subsequent generations of Ailey women. This physically and emotionally demanding tour-de-force 16-minute solo—dedicated to “all black women everywhere—especially our mothers”—went on to become an enduring work of American art. Made up of three parts—the first is set to Alice Coltrane’s “Something about John Coltrane,” the second to Laura Nyro’s “Been on a Train,” and the last to the Voices of East Harlem singing “Right On, Be Free.”
In a Sentimental Mood (2022)
Choreography by Jamar Roberts Music: Duke Ellington and Rafiq Bhatia
An intimate scene from the domestic life of a couple becomes an exploration of love and desire in this duet by Jamar Roberts. Using an original composition by Duke Ellington and four jazz standards given an avant-garde twist by composer Rafiq Bhatia, Roberts bridges the past and present, making these musical classics freshly relevant and timely.
Memoria (1979)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Keith Jarrett
In the tumultuous time of 1979 when Mr. Ailey’s great, perennial friend from his Lester Horton days, choreographer Joyce Trisler, died prematurely, he began choreographing Memoria. Later, he wrote, “Memoria is about Joyce’s life, my memories of her, my image of her. Although these are very abstract images, nobody has ever asked me what Memoria is about. People everywhere understand it. Making the dance was a very deep and wrenching experience for me.” The ballet is structured in two parts—”In Memory” and “In Celebration”—to the sublime music of Keith Jarrett. Memoria marked the first time Mr. Ailey combined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with Ailey II and advanced students from The Ailey School.
Night Creature (1975)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Duke Ellington
A bubbly champagne cocktail of a dance, Night Creature perfectly fuses Alvin Ailey’s buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington’s sparkling music in a definitive homage to The Duke’s jazz that remains one of Mr. Ailey’s most popular works. Ellington said “night creatures, unlike stars, do not come OUT at night—they come ON, each thinking that, before the night is out, he or she will be the star.” The large ensemble work is full of stars—strutting, leaping, and slinking using modern dance, classical ballet, and jazz.
Roy’s Joys (1997)
Choreography by Twyla Tharp Music: Roy Eldridge
This silky, sultry work embodies the spontaneity of a 1940s and 50s jazz soundtrack by Roy Eldridge. Mixing vernacular dance with ballet and modern technique, it exudes an easy, carefree energy that shows Tharp at her rollicking best.
Survivors (1986)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey and Mary Barnett Music: Max Roach, strings orchestrated by Peter Phillips
Alvin Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela is, more broadly, a portrait of people transformed by injustice. Max Roach’s richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up those who resist oppression in any form.
SIGNATURE MASTERPIECE
Revelations (1960)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Traditional Spirituals
More than just a popular dance work, Revelations has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans and acclaimed as a must‐see for all. Alvin Ailey’s signature masterpiece is a tribute to his heritage. Using African American spirituals, the work fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience. Audiences cheer, sing along, and dance in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ‘Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS & SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Opening Night Gala (Nov. 29 at 7pm)
One-night-only Opening Night Gala honoring Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison in her 80th year features an original work created for the occasion. Followed by a dinner-dance at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, the special evening supports the creation of new works and Ailey’s extensive educational and training programs for young people.
Family Matinee Series (Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 @ 2pm)
On Saturday afternoons, bring the whole family to enjoy the performance and stay for a free Q & A with Ailey dancers in the theater following the inspiring finale of Revelations, acclaimed as a must-see for all ages.
“Pioneering Women of Ailey” (Dec. 19 @ 7:30pm)
The organization celebrates the phenomenal women of Ailey with a special program of performance excerpts paying tribute to Carmen de Lavallade, Judith Jamison, Denise Jefferson, and Sylvia Waters.
Christmas Eve Performance (Dec. 24 @ 3pm)
Dance into the holidays with a festive All Ailey program featuring Night Creature, Cry, Survivors, and the timeless masterpiece Revelations.
New Year’s Eve Performance (Dec. 31 @ 2pm)
Join Ailey for a very special New Year’s Eve performance, featuring the Robert Battle premiere, Ailey Classics highlights, and Revelations.
Revelations – performed with live music – Nov. 29, Dec. 1, 2 mat & eve, and 3 mat
Ailey & Jazz performed with live music – Dec. 15, 16 mat and 17 mat
“Ailey Classics” Programs – Dec. 2 mat, 10 mat, 23 mat, 27 mat
“All Ailey” Programs – Dec. 9 mat, 20 mat, 24 mat
“All New” Programs – Dec. 21 (A), 23 eve (B), 27 eve (B), 30 mat (B)
ABOUT ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor, and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company is now led by Robert Battle, whom Judith Jamison chose to succeed her on July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate), and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the world during extensive tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and The Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.
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