01/12/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/12/2022 19:01
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
presents
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Robert Battle, Artistic Director
Matthew Rushing, Associate Artistic Director
Engagement features:
Four dynamic programs including the return of
Alvin Ailey's unforgettable Revelations on every program
D.C. Premieres of Ailey Resident Choreographer
Jamar Roberts' Holding Space and Artistic Director Robert Battle's For Four
Celebrating 50 Years of Alvin Ailey's Cry and
a Decade of Robert Battle's Leadership with a 10th Anniversary Program
February 1-6, 2022
In the Kennedy Center Opera House
(WASHINGTON)- The acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns February 1-6 to the Kennedy Center Opera House stage, led by Robert Battle on his 10th anniversary as Artistic Director, with seven performances featuring a mix of new productions, a D.C. premiere, and enduring favorites.
During the Center's 50th anniversary season, Ailey marks its seventh decade and 50-year relationship with the Center. The eponymous company performed in the Center's 1971 opening performance of Leonard Bernstein's MASS, which significantly featured the commission of new choreography by Alvin Ailey. The company has had a long-standing impact on the world of modern dance and a unique role in celebrating the African American cultural experience.
The company's performances include 13 works along with Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations, which will be performed as the finale for all seven programs. In addition, two of the works were created on video during the COVID-19 pandemic and later staged in-person. A full performance schedule can be found here.
Program One: 50 Years of Cry + New Works
Program one, February 1 and February 5 evenings, includes:
Program Two: Classic & Contemporary
Program two, February 2 evening, includes Alvin Ailey's Cry along with:
Program Three: Ailey & Ellington
Program three, February 3 evening and 5 matinee, includes Alvin Ailey's Blues Suite along with three new productions of ballets from Ailey celebrating the musical genius of American composer Duke Ellington,:
Program Four: Battle 10th Anniversary
The February 4 evening and February 6 matinee performances highlight works from Battle's tenure as Artistic Director. Performances include the Love Stories finale and For Four in addition to:
and three works last seen on the Kennedy Center stage in 2018:
Choreographed when he was only 29 years old, Alvin Ailey's Revelationsis an intimate reflection inspired by childhood memories of attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas and by the work of writers James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. Set to a suite of traditional spirituals, Revelationsexplores the emotional spectrum of the human condition, from the deepest of grief to the holiest joy and has been seen by more people around the world than any other modern work.
A visionary choreographer who used his artistry to celebrate his African American heritage and change American dance and culture, Alvin Ailey is the focus of the acclaimed new documentary film AILEY, streaming on PBS and Hulu thru February 11, which explores the man, his work and its powerful legacy which continues today in the inspiring performances of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Dancers from the D.C. metropolitan area include: Ghrai DeVore-Stokes & Jermaine Terry joined in 2010 (Washington, D.C.); Samantha Figgins joined in 2014 (Washington, D.C.); Jacqueline Green joined 2011 (Baltimore, MD); Courtney Celeste Spears joined in 2018 (Baltimore, MD); and Corrin Rachelle Mitchell and Miranda Quinn joined in 2019 (Baltimore, MD).
Ticket Information
Tickets start at $49. Tickets can be purchased at the Kennedy Center box office or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600. Patrons living outside the Washington metropolitan area may dial toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
Funding Credits
Ailey Tour Sponsor and Supporter of the Kennedy Center is Bank of America.
Support for Dance at the Kennedy Center is provided by Suzanne L. Niedland.
For further information about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, visit alvinailey.org or for additional press materials, please visitpressroom.alvinailey.org
For more information about the Kennedy Center, visitwww.kennedy-center.org.