Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, America’s
beloved cultural ambassador to the world, completes its 22-city
coast-to-coast North American tour at the New Jersey Performing Arts
Center (NJPAC). Led by
Artistic Director Robert Battle, Ailey returns to the
NJPAC stage for the 24th time with exciting premieres, a
powerful new production, and repertory favorites including Alvin
Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece Revelations. Other NJPAC
activities include Ailey Day, April 29 (a free community day of dance
classes), a Schooltime Performance May 12 for young students, and its
annual summer AileyCamp June 26-August 4. (Please scroll down for the
complete schedule and program.)
Audiences will have two opportunities to experience the Jersey Premieres program
(Fri., May 12, 8pm and Sun., May 14 at 3pm), featuring acclaimed choreographer
Kyle Abraham’s Are You in
Your Feelings?, a celebration of Black culture, Black
music, and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a
“mixtape” of soul, hip-hop, and R&B from featuring
beloved musical artists like Jhené Aiko, Drake, Lauryn Hill, Kendrick
Lamar, Jazmine Sullivan, and Summer Walker, the critically applauded
work explores the connections among music, communication, and
personal memory. The program also welcomes In a
Sentimental Mood by Jamar Roberts, an intimate
scene from the domestic life of a couple that becomes an exploration
of love and desire. The work is set to an original composition by
Duke Ellington and four jazz standards given an avant-garde twist by
composer Rafiq Bhatia.
The Classic
Ailey program (Sat., May 13, 8pm) highlights the new
production of Survivors
(1986), Alvin
Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage
and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, which will be seen
this season for the first time since 1988. A soundtrack of Max Roach’s
richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s powerful vocals sets the
emotional tone for a work that presents a portrait of people
transformed by injustice and lifts up those who resist oppression in
any form. This program also features two Alvin Ailey classics set to
the musical genius of Duke Ellington: Reflections
in D, a strong yet serene solo
known to highlight the grace, artistry, and power of the male dancer
and Night
Creature, a bubbly champagne cocktail of a dance that
perfectly fuses Ailey’s buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington’s
sparkling music.
The inspiring finale of all performances is Alvin Ailey’s
must-see American masterpiece Revelations, which has
uplifted audiences in every city on the tour. Since its creation in
1960, Revelations
has been seen by more people around the world than any
other modern dance work moving audiences with its powerful
storytelling and soul-stirring music, evoking timeless themes of
determination, hope, and transcendence. 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.
Ailey’s 32
extraordinary dancers include two New Jersey natives: Montclair’s Chalvar
Monteiro
and Newark’s Christopher
Taylor,
who will make his NJPAC debut as a member of the
renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 2011, Taylor's
journey to dance began when he attended the inaugural AileyCamp Newark,
and continued training at The Ailey School on scholarship, before
dancing with Ailey II for two seasons. Alongside Company member
Solomon Dumas, Taylor is only the second former AileyCamper to join
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Although AileyCamp is not meant
to be a training ground for professional dancers, some students are
awarded scholarships to further study at The Ailey School or pursue
training at other accredited dance schools and have later performed
with professional dance companies.
About Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater
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 earned a reputation as
one of the finest international ambassadors of American culture,
promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience
and the preservation and enrichment of American modern dance. Now in
its seventh decade, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues to
move forward under the leadership of Artistic Director Robert Battle,
along with Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, a renowned former
dancer who is marking his 30th anniversary with Ailey this
season. In 2014, Robert Battle accepted the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, on behalf of the late
Alvin Ailey, a trailblazing artist who is the subject of the
acclaimed documentary Ailey,
currently streaming on Hulu. For more information on Ailey’s upcoming
performances, visit www.alvinailey.org.
About
M&T Bank
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Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the
District of Columbia.
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Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. © 2019 M&T Bank.
Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown
Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and
the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey –
where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every
day. 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
nearly 10 million visitors (including over 1.7 million children)
since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting
relationships with each of its constituents. www.NJPAC.org
Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater @ NJPAC
- Fri 5.12 @
12:30 p.m. SchoolTime Performance Open to schools
only (not general public)
- Fri 5/12 @
8:00 p.m. New
Jersey Premieres In a Sentimental
Mood / Are You in Your Feelings? / Revelations
- Sat 5.13 @
8:00 p.m. Classic Ailey Night Creature,
Reflections in D / Survivors / Revelations
- Sun 5.14 @
3:00 p.m. New
Jersey Premieres In a Sentimental
Mood / Are You in Your Feelings? / Revelations
Additional Offering
- Sat 4.29 @
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Ailey Day
A favorite annual event for families in the Newark area, this free
program offers dance classes for children and adults taught by Ailey
Arts In Education Teaching Artists and more. - 6.26-
Fri 8/04 AileyCamp Newark
A unique summer day camp program for at-risk children, AileyCamp is
held in ten cities across the country including Newark. In
partnership with Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs,
NJPAC founded this six-week program for Newark kids in 2011.
Repertory Notes:
New Jersey Premieres:
- Are You in Your
Feelings? —Acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham’s
newest work is a celebration of Black culture, Black music, and
the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a
“mixtape” of soul, hip-hop, and R&B it explores the
connections among music, communication, and personal memory. “A
lot of these songs are the songs that I play when I’m at my
lowest and at my highest. I wanted to find a way to thank those
artists for their music and thank our culture for their
contributions to this world in which we live.” – Kyle Abraham,
choreographer of Are
You in Your Feelings?
- In a Sentimental Mood
— An intimate scene from the domestic life of a
couple becomes an exploration of love and desire in the world
premiere by Jamar
Roberts. Using an original composition by Duke Ellington and
four jazz standards given an avant-garde twist by composer Rafiq Bhatai,
Roberts bridges the past and present, making these musical
classics freshly relevant and timely.
New Production:
- Survivors (1986 / New
Production 2022) Alvin
Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound
courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela is,
more broadly, a portrait of people transformed by injustice. Max Roach’s
richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals
set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up
those who resist oppression in any form.
Repertory Favorites:
- Night Creature (1974 / Ailey Company
Premiere 1975) A bubbly champagne cocktail of a dance, Night Creature perfectly
fuses Alvin
Ailey’s buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington’s
sparkling music in a definitive homage to The Duke’s jazz that
remains one of Mr. Ailey’s most popular works. Ellington said,
“night creatures, unlike stars, do not come OUT at night—they
come ON, each thinking that, before the night is out, he or she
will be the star.” The large ensemble work is full of stars –
strutting, leaping, and slinking using modern dance, classical
ballet, and jazz.
- Reflections
in D (1962 / New Production 2021) Alvin Ailey
originally created this stunning, masterful expression of Duke Ellington’s
music in 1962 as a strong yet serene solo for himself. Known to
highlight the grace, artistry, and power of the male dancer, the
three-minute ballet has been called “a tone poem, a quiet,
sparking jewel” by Judith Jamison. Reflections in D has been
performed over the years by some of the most formidable of Ailey
dancers, including Dudley Williams and Matthew Rushing.
- Revelations (1960) An American
class acclaimed as a must-see for all, Alvin Ailey’s
signature masterpiece is a tribute to his heritage and genius.
Choreographed when he was only 29 years old, Revelations is
an intimate reflection that explores the emotional spectrum of
the human condition, from the deepest of grief to the holiest
joy. Using African-American religious spirituals, this suite is
a classic tribute to the resolve and determination of a people. Revelations has
been seen by more people around the world than any other work of
modern dance.
NJPAC
One Center Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
www.njpac.org or 888.GO.NJPAC
(888.466.5722)
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most
diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural,
educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances
and events enhance and transform lives every day. 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, which have reached almost 2
million children, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and
arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 10 million visitors
since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting
relationships with each of its constituents.
Follow NJPAC Online:
Website: njpac.org
Twitter: @NJPAC
Instagram: @NJPAC
Hashtag: #NJPAC
Facebook: facebook.com/NJPAC
YouTube: NJPACtv
Follow NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity Series Online:
Website: njpac.org/takeastand
Hashtag: #NJPACTakeAStand Youtube: Standing in Solidarity playlist
NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey; a short walk
from the Newark Penn Station stop by Newark-bound PATH Train or
Amtrak.
Location and Directions:
Detailed instructions on approaching the venue by car, by bus, by
foot or by rail:
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/directions
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/public-transportation
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/buy-parking
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