In 1958, Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to carry out his vision of preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and its contribution to enriching American modern dance heritage.
Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. His experiences of life in the rural South would later inspire some of his most memorable works. He was introduced to dance in Los Angeles by performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company. His formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend Carmen de Lavallade. Horton, the founder of one of the first racially-integrated dance companies in the United States, became a mentor for Ailey as he embarked on his professional career in dance.
![“I’m just baring my chest to the world and giving my all”. [Ailey] has a clear-eyed vision and [is] unapologetic,” And I think that embodies who he was and the type of vision he had for the company.” Combs, a curator at the Smithsonian’s National…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e1763ebb5dd4f1a8524683d/1614449215095-IYBLWV3GP743XSCK0OTM/pasted+image+0+%281%29.png)
“I’m just baring my chest to the world and giving my all”. [Ailey] has a clear-eyed vision and [is] unapologetic,” And I think that embodies who he was and the type of vision he had for the company.” Combs, a curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, said of the above photo.
Ailey established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974. Ailey was a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education, particularly those benefiting underserved communities.
Throughout his lifetime, Ailey was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture.
“Revelations” (below) by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is celebrating seven decades of this choreographic masterpiece. This work has become a lasting cultural treasure beloved by generations and has been presented at the White House on many occasions, including the presidential inaugurations of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. In 2014, Ailey posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America.
When Alvin Ailey died on December 1, 1989, The New York Times said of him, “you didn’t need to have known Alvin Ailey personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”
This is a celebration of the life and art of Alvin Ailey, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Black History Month.
