Alvin Ailey, a name synonymous with both world-class ballet and the black American experience, celebrated its school’s 50th anniversary.
Alvin Ailey is a name synonymous with both world-class ballet and the black American experience. Ailey founded his dance company in 1958 to showcase the best black talent, and, in 1969, a school of dance. And last night, the company celebrated its school’s 50th anniversary, at Lincoln Center.
The night saw a premiere by Troy Powell, a dancer and choreographer who has enjoyed a long history with the dance troupe. When he was 9 years old, Powell was scouted by Ailey himself. Soon after, Powell was awarded a scholarship to the Ailey School and migrated up the ranks of Ailey’s programs. Today, he serves as the artistic director of Ailey’s second company, Ailey II. “He was like a lifesaver,” Powell says of Ailey, who acted as the father figure Powell was lacking.
As a part of the Ailey Spirit Gala, an annual celebration raising funds for scholarships like the one Powell received, Powell choreographed, a dynamic autobiographical ballet chronicling a young boy’s journey from the schoolyard to the stage. It incorporated Ailey dancers of all ages, beginning with pint-size boys and girls. The main character conveys a break from traditional masculinity and an entrance into the world of dance.
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