Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 2020 U.S. Tour Kicks Off During Black History Month

Following five-weeks of exceptional performances in New York City, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will continue its "Ailey Revealed" season during a 21-city North American tour which kicks off during Black History Month. The 2020 engagement opens on February 4th at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with a gala to benefit Ailey's D.C. programs, including the creation of new works, Arts-In-Education activities, and scholarships to talented young area dancers to attend The Ailey School in New York. Other major cities throughout the tour include Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Seattle, Houston, and Boston, culminating with a Mother's Day performance in Newark on May 10th.

Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, Ailey's 32 renowned dancers will elevate a legacy of innovation and excellence in artistry with diverse works by preeminent choreographers, including world premieres that shine a spotlight on social issues, new productions, returning favorites, and timeless treasures by Alvin Ailey.

"It is my pleasure to bring the unique perspectives of so many important choreographers to stages across the country, including the powerful voices of Donald Byrd examining the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts creating an ode to all those impacted by gun violence," said Artistic Director Robert Battle. "I know the brilliance of Ailey's dancers will bring audiences to their feet as they continue to further Alvin Ailey's legacy of holding up a mirror to society while uplifting hearts and minds with their unparalleled artistry. I also look forward to working with the incomparable Matthew Rushing, whose storied history with Ailey begins a new chapter during his first tour as Associate Artistic Director."

Matthew Rushing became Associate Artistic Director in January 2020, after performing with the Company starting in 1992 and serving as Rehearsal Director and Guest Artist since 2010. During his time with the Company he was regarded as one of the great male American modern dancers, receiving the prestigious Dance Magazine Award, and choreographed three ballets for Ailey.

World premieres taking center stage include celebrated choreographer Donald Byrd's Greenwood, an enlightening ensemble work drawing on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre as a source. With music by Israeli violist and composer Emmanuel Witzthum, Greenwood navigates through one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. 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 an "unabashed eclectic" (The New York Times) adept at creating compelling characters and addressing social issues.

Ailey dancer and first-ever Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts's world premiere Ode is a powerful and poetic meditation on the beauty and delicacy of life in a time of growing gun violence. Like his critically-acclaimed Members Don't Get Weary (2017), Ode features Robert's own costume designs for the cast of six and is set to a jazz score - Don Pullen's "Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots)." It is the first in a series of three works he will be creating after stepping into the new role of Resident Choreographer. A member of the Company since 2002, Roberts has become renowned for his powerful performances on world stages, including at The White House and as a guest start with London's Royal Ballet, and in 2015 received the prestigious New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award for Outstanding Performer.

The lasting impact of a teacher's influence on a young child is at the heart of the exuberant Ounce of Faith by Darrell Grand Moultrie. TONY nominee Camille A. Brown's quietly lyrical City of Rain honors the struggles and grace of a close friend, Greg 'Blyes' Boomer, who passed away due to an illness that paralyzed him from the waist down. Set to an original composition by Jonathan Melville Pratt entitled "Two Way Dream", this re-staged production utilizes the vulnerable physicality of 10 dancers to pay tribute to Boomer's story. Internationally renowned choreographer Aszure Barton's BUSK invites audiences to enjoy the fragility, tenderness, and resilience that exist within the human experience. Set to a spirited score, BUSK has been described as watching the physical unfurling of the human psyche. Under Barton's direction, every facet of the dancers' bodies and minds are engaged and the complex layering of movement reveals the inherent wisdom of the body.

New productions include Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison's first choreographic effort, Divining, which displays the musical sophistication and complexity of movement that marked her as a promising dancemaker. Set to the music of Kimati Dinizulu and Monti Ellison African polyrhythms and complex movement lend the pulsating, strikingly modern work an air of mystery while the title suggests a search or quest. Lar Lubovitch's sensually athletic duet Fandango will also grace the stage. Lubovitch explores the infinite possibilities of partnering with the dancers' bodies coming together as if propelled by the lush intensity of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero".

Alvin Ailey's American Masterpiece Revelations will reach all cities on the North American tour. Since its creation in 1960, Revelations has inspired generations through its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring spirituals. Springing from Ailey's childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African-American and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition. Revelations has been performed as part of Opening Ceremonies of the 1968 Olympics, for six sitting presidents at various events, at the inaugurations of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and at The White House Dance Series: A Tribute to Judith Jamison, presented by then First Lady Michelle Obama. Acknowledging its lasting significance after five decades, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing the artistic and cultural contributions of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the 50th Anniversary of the first performance of Revelations.

The Ailey organization is excited for the continuation of Destination Dance in Atlanta. As the choreographer and cultural leader Alvin Ailey said, "Dance came from the people, and it should always be delivered back to the people." The goal of Destination Dance Ailey Atlanta is to engage Atlanta's vibrant cultural community through partnerships between Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - which has been performing in the city since the 1970s - and Atlanta-based cultural, civic, and educational organizations. Using dance as the centerpiece for engagement, the partner organizations present performances, classes and workshops for the public, education programs in schools, conversations with artists and civic leaders, and more. Destination Dance "connects the dots" between these various activities, and promotes them through the press, email, social media, and a website. The initiative brings together all aspects of the organization (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Extension, and Ailey Arts In Education.

Ailey Extension will step out of New York City and into select tour cities across the country to offer dance workshops to teens and adults of all backgrounds and levels with Ailey Experience. The workshops give dancers ages 8+ the opportunity to study with leading instructors and former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company members. Students will learn the rich history of Ailey's signature style and how he changed the perception of American modern dance.

Tour audiences are also invited to partake in the "Ticket to Dance" promotion during their next visit to New York City. The offer allows audience members to try their first Ailey Extension class FREE with an Ailey performance ticket stub (offer is good for 60 days from the performance date for first time students, and when purchasing a 10-class card for returning students). The Ailey Extension has fulfilled Alvin Ailey's life‐long commitment of bringing dance to everyone by offering "real classes for real people," with over 90 classes per week in more than 25 different dance and fitness techniques.

The Ailey Organization continues its mission of using dance to educate young people through special activities, including master classes, student performances, lecture demonstrations throughout the tour, and innovative curriculum- based residencies for public students. Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach residency utilizes Alvin Ailey's signature work, Revelations, as the inspirational framework for a comprehensive study of language arts, social studies, and dance. This program is designed to promote student learning by engaging their analytic and creative thinking skills, while introducing them to the work and mission of Alvin Ailey. In addition, students from AileyCamp - a free summer program that helps underserved youth reach their full potential - will witness the magic of the Company's live performances. AileyCamp will return to various cities across the country next summer.

The Ailey School, official school of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater offering world-class dance training to students ages 3-25 - will conduct auditions for the 2020-2021 academic programs as well as the 2020 summer intensive in conjunction with the tour in cities including Atlanta, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami and New York. The mission of The Ailey School is to make dance accessible to outstanding students through a curriculum of rigorous and diversified dance training. Annually, The Ailey School trains more than 3,500 students, offering over 400 classes a week. Nearly 70% of current Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater members received their pre-professional training from The Ailey School. For further information regarding the audition schedule, please click here.

In 1958, Alvin Ailey and a small group of dancers took the stage in New York and forever changed American dance and culture. One of the country's groundbreaking greats, his Company inspires all in a universal celebration of the human spirit using the African-American cultural experience and the modern dance tradition. More than 60 years after its founding, Ailey continues to move forward under the leadership of Robert Battle, revealing time and again why Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the world's most beloved dance companies. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.

Tour Dates

Feb 4-9: Washington, DC - The Kennedy Center

Feb 11-12: Chapel Hill, NC - Memorial Hall University of North Carolina

Feb 14-16: Memphis, TN - Orpheum Theatre

Feb 18: Orlando, FL - Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Feb 20-23: Atlanta, GA - The Fox Theatre

Feb 25-26: Charlotte, NC - Belk Theater, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

Feb 28-29: Nashville, TN - Andrew Jackson Hall, Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Mar 4-8: Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

Mar 10-11: Iowa City, IA - Hancher Auditorium, University of Iowa

Mar 13-14: Dallas, TX - Winspear Opera House

Mar 18-22: Los Angeles, CA - Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA Music Center

Mar 25: Palm Desert, CA - McCallum Theatre

Mar 27-28: Las Vegas, NV - Reynolds Auditorium, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

Mar 31-Apr 5: Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach Hall, University of California at Berkeley

Apr 18-19: Seattle, WA - The Paramount Theatre

Apr 22: San Antonio, TX - Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-B Performance Hall

Apr 24-25: Houston, TX - Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts

Apr 28: Amherst, MA - Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, UMASS

Apr 30-May 3: Boston, MA - The Wang Theatre, Boch Center

May 5: Pittsburgh, PA - Benedum Center for the Performing Arts

May 8-10: Newark, NJ - Prudential Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center

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