Today the company has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents - and to millions more through television broadcasts. Elegant, electrifying, and marvelously athletic, this always dazzling company arrives with programs that include some of their newest works as well as company classics like Ailey's masterwork, Revelations, set to African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues.
Artistic Director Robert Battle recently visited the White House and accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the nation's highest civilian honor - on behalf of Alvin Ailey. Bestowed 25 years after the passing of the Company's legendary founder, President Obama proclaimed that "through him, African-American history was told in a way that it had never been told before -- with passionate, virtuoso dance performances that transfixed audiences worldwide." Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's national tour begins at the start of Black History Month and carries on the legacy of uplifting, uniting and celebrating the human spirit as Ailey's extraordinary dancers bring life to a wide variety of premieres, new productions and classic works.
The Associated Press proclaimed that "...the timing could hardly be more apt for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's new civil rights-themed piece" ODETTA a world premiere choreographed by renowned Ailey dancer Matthew Rushing. The tribute is set to the musical repertoire of celebrated singer and civil rights activist Odetta Holmes, who was known as "the voice of the Civil Rights Movement" and anointed as "the queen of American folk music" by Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Pleasure of the Lesson, the Company's first collaboration with Robert Moses, will also be presented on tour for the first time. Known for his sophisticated and sexy choreography, the new work was created with a cast of ten dancers for the Company's 2014 Koch Theater engagement.
"Revelations is one of the great works of the human spirit," The New York Times writes, "The aspects of humanity it demonstrates — sincerity, idealism, ecstasy, among others — build up to a powerful moral statement that audiences love."
Recommended for grades 6-12.
Mother's Day Brunch Buffet
Sunday, May 10
11am to 2pm
NICO Kitchen + Bar
Prior to the Sunday performances, come early and treat Mom to the full "Ailey experience" - an exquisite Mother's Day Buffet at our own NICO Kitchen + Bar. $35 per person; children (age 14 and under) $20 (gratuity not included).
Shopping Indulge yourself and the ones you love! Shop at a unique boutique of products and services from local vendors, featuring gift items to make Mom feel like a queen! Snap a memory picture at our free photo station. These and other attractions are found in the lobby prior to all performances of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located at One Center Street in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey -- where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey's Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted over eight million visitors (including more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit www.njpac.org or call 888.GO.NJPAC for more information.
