Review: ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER at The Kennedy Center Opera House – February 4th

The excitement was overflowing in The Kennedy Center Opera House as the annual Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater program began. The audience was so heavily anticipating the start that they found every excuse to cheer — they even applauded the sponsor acknowledgement. 

Opening night was a strong showcase of four productions that embodied the power and nuance of spirituality. Minimalist costuming and set design made the messaging of the pieces stand out and let the talent of the dancers pull focus. The production was pure humanity and made the audience feel the range of human emotion, from giddiness to discomfort to reverence. There were no additive frills, just unfiltered excellence. 

In the opening piece, Grace, initially choreographed by Ronald K. Brown in 1999 and revived in 2024, the stage was draped in black except for an illuminated Rothko-esque rectange that shifted shades with the scenes. Dancers flittered in and out of the wings dressed in sinful reds followed by pure whites in a journey from damnation to salvation, and all were led by the angelic figure Jacquelin Harris, who never lost power during the whole routine. Framed by Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday,"  the scenes culminated a unifying embrace that held palpable forgiveness and love. 

A brief intermission let dancers and audience catch their breath before Treading, an intimate duet first created by Elisa Monte in 1979. Clad in skin-toned, skin-tight bodysuits, Harris and Yannick Lebrun slid through sequences of acrobatics that made the audience gasp. You could see the physical demands of the partnered positions as there was some shakiness, but it was almost thematic for the raw, explorational energy of the piece.    

The program lightened the energy with Solo, choreographed by Hans van Manen in 1997 and tracked by high-energy violin solos composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. While perhaps not as thematically consistent to the program as a whole, it was an amusing performance of masculinity featuring three energetic entertainers. Christopher R. Wilson, James Gilmer, and Patrick Coker were eager to impress as they darted across the stage. The men took up as much space as possible with twirls and outstretched limbs, earning laughter and cheers from the crowd. 

The finale needed no introduction, as Revelations has been seen by over 25 million people in 71 countries. Created by theater founder Alvin Ailey in 1960, the piece takes you through time as a testament to the power of faith in even the darkest experiences. Set to African American gospel songs and spirituals, the production flowed seamlessly through itself: The sorrowful pleading of “Fix Me, Jesus” was diluted by the cleansing calm of “Wade in the Water,” which contrasted with the panic and fear of the dancers during “Sinner Man” that was abated by the jovial energy of “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.” The dancers consistenty had the perfect energy for each piece, stretching limbs to the sky to reach for salvation and spinning with joy once they attained it. 

The performers had such divine presence that their efforts produced the longest standing ovation, loudest cheers, and most consistent clap that I have ever been a part of. Applause for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater persisted into the encore and long after the curtains closed. 

Runtime: 2 hours, including 4 productions and 2 intermissions

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