Ailey All Access Premieres the Streaming of Donald Byrd's GREENWOOD

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was born out of the Civil Rights Movement when visionary founder Alvin Ailey saw the need to celebrate the lives and stories of African-Americans and understood the power of dance as a weapon for social change. During this challenging time, the Company continues to use dance to inspire, educate, and unite all in a universal celebration of the human spirit through Ailey All Access, a series of online offerings including free streaming of performances, conversations, short films created by the dancers, classes, and more. To observe Juneteenth this week, Donald Byrd's powerful Greenwood, a riveting ensemble work that draws on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre as a source, will make its broadcast premiere beginning Thursday, June 18 at 7pm EDT.

As Americans continue to come together to demand equal justice for all, the thought-provoking work will be available online through Thursday, June 25th at 6:30pm EDT, along with videos that invite viewers behind-the-scenes at the Ailey studios during the creative process, a short film that re-enacts the incident sparking the bloodshed, and a conversation with Artistic Director Robert Battle and Donald Byrd on Greenwood. Set to music by Israeli violist and composer Emmanuel Witzthum, Greenwood navigates through one of the worst incidents of racial violence in US history and explores the story through different lenses of those who were affected. A TONY nominee (The Color Purple), Bessie Award-winner (The Minstrel Show), and 2019 Doris Duke Artist Award recipient, Byrd is celebrated for exploring complex societal issues through dance. To learn more about Greenwood and the history of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, as well as to access questions to spark discussions, viewers can visit Ailey's blog.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war ended and those enslaved were emancipated. Born in Rogers, Texas, Mr. Ailey drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals and gospels as inspiration for many of his classic works, including the timeless American masterpiece, Revelations, which is needed more than ever during these trying times. Springing from the remembrances of attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Rogers, Texas, the soul-stirring ballet pays tribute to the African-American heritage - "sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful." Mr. Ailey speaks further about the influence of his roots in interviews featured in The Ailey Spirit Benefit global broadcast, along with a variety of new videos inspired by 60 years of Revelations, viewable here until Thursday, June 18 6:30pm EDT.

In addition to this week's special broadcast, celebrate the love between a father and his children during Ailey Extension's Dance with Dad for Father's Day workshop led by Maguette Camara this Sunday, June 21 from 12pm-1pm EDT. Featuring live drumming, this class will teach students the fundamentals of traditional West African dance in a high-spirited, high-powered rhythmic dance experience. This family friendly virtual class is open to dancers of all ages and experience levels. For more details about Ailey's additional live and on-demand virtual classes - which include Horton, ballet, hip hop, vogue, samba, West African and more styles taught by Ailey Extension's elite instructors - please visit aileyextension.com/keepdancing.

In these extremely difficult times, Ailey will continue to share revelations in an effort to raise spirits as we move forward together. To enjoy a variety of digital content, follow Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Ailey Extension on Facebook and Instagram, Ailey II on Facebook, and The Ailey School on Instagram, as well as visit Ailey All Access and www.alvinailey.org regularly for updates.

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