Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's New York City Center season celebrating 50 years of the timeless masterpiece Revelations, will launch on Wednesday, December 1st with an Opening Night Gala Benefit honoring Joan H. Weill on her 10th anniversary as Chairman of Ailey's Board of Trustees. The one-night-only opening performance at New York City Center, with appearances by Artistic Director Judith Jamison and Honorary Chairs Robin Roberts and Alfre Woodard, will be followed by a Gala dinner-dance at the Hilton New York attended by prominent figures in the worlds of entertainment, business, philanthropy and politics.
The special performance at New York
City Center, 131 West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) will begin at 7:00pm with the premiere of The Hunt, an explosive tour-de-force for six men by
Robert Battle - his first work staged on the Company since becoming Artistic Director Designate. The night will also feature a new production of
Alvin Ailey's Cry, an iconic solo choreographed as a birthday present for his mother in 1971 and made famous by
Judith Jamison. As a rousing finale, Ailey's beloved Revelations will be performed with live on-stage music by the Grammy award winning group Sweet Honey In The Rock for the first time ever!
Afterwards, over 1000 guests will arrive for the gala party at the Hilton New York, 1335 Sixth Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets, for dinner and dancing in the Grand Ballroom, with décor inspired by the timeless masterwork, Revelations. The Gala has been completely underwritten by Ailey's Board of Trustees and other generous donors so that all ticket sales and contributions will go directly to support Ailey's educational programs, including: AileyCamp, a tuition-free innovative summer day camp for inner-city youth in New York City and nine other cities around the country; scholarships at The Ailey School for talented young students who would not otherwise have access to high-caliber dance training; and Arts In Education programs in public schools and communities across the U.S. that help young people explore their creative potential and build self-esteem.
The night will honor
Joan Weill whose tireless efforts and astounding generosity have helped Ailey grow by leaps and bounds. "Joan has had a profound impact on the organization and we're endlessly grateful to her," said Sharon Gersten Luckman, Ailey's Executive Director. "She is a wonderful Board Chair with clear vision and terrific judgment. As Ailey continues to set the global standard for phenomenal dance, we look forward to Joan's passionate and grounded leadership for years to come."
Under Weill's leadership, Ailey's annual Opening Night Benefit Gala at New York
City Center has tripled in size, becoming one of the city's most high-profile events each December. Another of her many notable accomplishments as Chairman is her central role in creating a permanent home for the Ailey organization. Along with husband Sanford "Sandy" Weill, Mrs. Weill was a leading force in the planning and fundraising for the building which now bears her name. The
Joan Weill Center for Dance, which opened in 2005, is the country's largest facility dedicated to dance. "Alvin had big dreams and his dreams have come true at the
Joan Weill Center for Dance," said Artistic Director
Judith Jamison. "I thank her from the bottom of my heart for understanding his dreams and my vision and for supporting us wholeheartedly with passion and with grace."
For gala benefit tickets (including the performance and seated dinner), starting at $500.00 and up, please call (212) 405-9031. For performance-only tickets, starting at $70, call CityTix (212-581-1212), order online (www.citycenter.org) or visit the New York
City Center box office.
Gala Benefit Co-Chairs: Simin & Herb Allison, Jessica & Natan Bibliowicz, Kathryn & Kenneth Chenault, Agnes &
Gerald Hassell, Linda & Sandy Lindenbaum, Gabriella E. Morris & Dennis J. Brownlee, and Sanford Weill & The Weill Family Foundation.
Opening Night Gala Benefit sponsors: Simin & Herb Allison,
American Express, BNY Mellon, Linda & Sandy Lindenbaum, and Prudential Financial, Inc.
Alvin Ailey DANCE FOUNDATION ACKNOWLEDGES THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR SPECIAL SUPPORT OF THE OPENING NIGHT GALA BENEFIT:
THE PRUDENTIAL FOUNDATION is the sponsor of
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's New York Season
DIAGEO for providing the spirits for the Gala Dinner-Dance following the performance
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), 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. The Company has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. 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 nation's largest building dedicated to dance-named The
Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.AlvinAiley.org
