I just discovered the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, which is a modern dance company that’s been performing since 1958. I became very interested in modern dance after we went to see Parson’s Dance at Bryant Park and Fall for Dance. Although I enjoy watching dances with graceful music as is characteristic of ballet, I find modern dance more exciting because I feel like the dancers aren’t as limited as ballerinas. They can flex their feet and have more angular and dramatic movements.
Linda Celeste in "Cry"
That being said, I’m very excited about Alvin Ailey’s new season. Performances start December 1st, and the Alvin Ailey website already has clips of some of the dances they will be performing. The first dance, The Hunt, is about the predatory side of human nature. The concept of the dance reminds me of Sutra by Sidi Larbi, a dance that Professor Smaldone posted about before, but the movements are more traditional compared to the flips and jumps in Sutra. Another dance that I liked was Cry. It starts out with a female solo, and it is amazing to see how can she express so much emotion through her movements.
I think the Alvin Ailey Dance Company is definitely worth checking out, and I would love to go to one of their performances.
Link to Alvin Ailey Site, with Clips
