Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack with members of the Company. Photo by Andrew Eccles
(NEWARK, NJ) -- Beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater completes its 20-city coast-to-coast United States tour at Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) from Friday-Sunday, May 8-10, 2026. In what has become a Mother's Day weekend tradition for tri-state residents, the AILEY Company returns for the 27th time as NJPAC's Principal Resident Affiliate, performing annually at Prudential Hall since 1997 (except for 2020-21 pandemic shutdown).
The passionate spirit and incredible technique of AILEY's dancers will be showcased in three performances featuring different programs of exciting new works by today's top contemporary choreographers – Jazz Island by Maija García, Embrace by Fredrick Earl Mosley, Difference Between by Matthew Neenan, and Song of the Anchorite by Jamar Roberts. The season, programmed jointly by artistic director Alicia Graf Mack and associate artistic director Matthew Rushing, also features the company premiere of Medhi Walerski's Blink of an Eye. The finale of all programs is Alvin Ailey's soul-stirring, must-see American masterpiece, Revelations, which has captivated audiences globally since 1960.
The Company's milestone season raises the curtain on AILEY's next era under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, the renowned dancer and educator, guided as ever by Alvin Ailey's pioneering legacy. A star performer on the AILEY stage, where she enjoyed a spectacular career between 2005 and 2014, Ms. Graf Mack was brought into the Company and mentored by the incomparable Judith Jamison. After Ms. Graf Mack's retirement from performing, she went on to distinguish herself as the Dean and Director of the Dance Division of The Juilliard School. She now returns to AILEY as only the fourth Artistic Director in the Company's nearly 70-year history, going back to Alvin Ailey himself.
Alicia Graf Mack said, "This monumental season draws deeply on Alvin Ailey's legacy rooted in celebrating the resilience of the human spirit, while extending its truth and bold virtuosity to reflect this moment in time and our hopes for the future. Each new creation shares the utterly distinctive voice of its choreographer, testifying to the vitality of the tradition Mr. Ailey gave us and the gifts of spirit that Judith Jamison so lovingly nurtured. Along with Matthew Rushing and the company of brilliant dancers whose artistry moves us all, I am proud and excited to be taking our next steps forward on a United States tour sharing Alvin Ailey's gift to the world with audiences from coast-to-coast that ends with a finale at NJPAC, where the company is proud to be Principal Resident Affiliate".
Performances take place Friday, May 8 at 8:00pm; Saturday, May 9 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, May 10 at 3:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) is located at One Center Street in Newark, New Jersey.
The return to NJPAC also marks the homecoming of Newark's very own Christopher Taylor, an AILEY Company dancer since 2022 who studied at AileyCamp in Newark when he was 11 years old. "My mom and I used to see Ailey at NJPAC on Mother's Day, so performing here with the company is such a full-circle moment," said Taylor. "Furthermore, I performed at NJPAC in AileyCamp for many years. My roots are back home. I'm an example of a Newark native who had goals, and I accomplished them. This alone inspires people, and I know because I've been inspired by watching Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a kid. I'm honored and humbled to be able to perform for my city."
Additional NJPAC activities include: the free, family-friendly AILEY DAY of community dance classes (Apr 11), a Schooltime Performance for local students (May 8), and the annual summer AileyCamp in Newark for youth ages 11-14 (Jul-Aug).
NEW JERSEY PREMIERES
Jazz Island – Maija García's first work for AILEY, a Caribbean folktale comes to life through ancestral rhythms and divine intervention. Inspired by Geoffrey Holder's "Black Gods, Green Islands" and featuring an original score by Etienne Charles, this theatrical staging explores the spiritual dimensions of human drama and the connective force of love across the Afro-Caribbean diaspora.
Embrace – Embrace by Frederick Earl Mosley examines the ups and downs of human connections—messy, beautiful, and everything in between. Set to popular songs by Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush, Des'ree, Ed Sheeran, and P!nk, this world premiere explores what it takes to love deeply, heal fully, and embrace the journey with open arms.
Difference Between – Matthew Neenan's choreographic debut with AILEY features his signature wild abandon and gestural playfulness. In this world premiere, acclaimed singer and composer Heather Christian contributes her raw power to an intricate world of strange tensions, potent griefs, and quiet loves.
Song of the Anchorite – Renowned AILEY choreographer Jamar Roberts gives a fresh take on the 1961 solo Hermit Songs, Alvin Ailey's reaction to a set of medieval religious texts and the haunting song cycle by Samuel Barber that they inspired. The result is a powerful meditation on passion and devotion danced to music by jazz trumpeter Avishai Cohen.
COMPANY PREMIERE
Blink of an Eye (2011) – In an intriguing piece that probes the relationship between dance and music, Medhi Walerski lays bare the strength and vulnerability inherent in the creative process. The timeless beauty of J.S. Bach's violin sonatas and partita anchors the athletic movement that is both precise and expansive.
REPERTORY FAVORITES
Grace (1999) – This new production marks the 25th anniversary of Ronald K. Brown's rapturous work fueled by Duke Ellington's classic "Come Sunday," Peven Everett's hit "Gabriel," and the irresistible pulse of Fela Kuti's Afro-Pop. Here, the secular and sacred meet in a tour-de-force connecting African and American dance.
Revelations (1960) – More than just a popular dance work, Revelations has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans and acclaimed as a must-see for all. Alvin Ailey's signature masterpiece is a tribute to his heritage. Using African American spirituals, the work fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience. Audiences cheer, sing along, and dance in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive "I Been 'Buked" to the rousing "Wade in the Water" and the triumphant finale, "Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham."
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by US Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," grew from a now-fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Forged during a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, the company was established to uplift the African American experience while transcending boundaries of race, faith, and nationality with its universal humanity. Before his untimely death in 1989, Mr. Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and for 21 years she brought the company to unprecedented success. Alicia Graf Mack, widely celebrated for her dance artistry during her years with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, was appointed Artistic Director of AILEY as of July 1, 2025.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year-end holiday tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate), and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the world during extensive tours.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is an anchor cultural institution for both the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. It is an artistic, cultural, educational and civic center where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings communities together both on and off of our campus – on stages, in schools and community settings – providing access to the arts for 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 Social Impact programs, NJPAC leverages the arts to advance positive outcomes in education, health and well-being, civic engagement and community development. NJPAC has attracted more than 12.7 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997.
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