Artistic Director Judith Jamison said, “Alvin Ailey gave a chance to people to tell their stories. Dance is for everyone. What began as a black movement has now become a part of a colorful changing society.” In these three sentences, Jamison touches upon opportunities, racism, and equality. Through all three performances, all of these elements are shown.
Being a dancer myself, I looked forward to attending an Alvin Ailey performance. I made sure I was on time and in the right location. As soon as the performance started, the lights dimmed and “Anointed” began. What captured me about “Anointed” was their ability to express their emotions fully and clearly. When Linda Sims, the female character, leaves Jamar Roberts, the main male character, his body expressed longing and despair. He hunched back and stretched out arms show sorrow and desire. Then Linda changes the color of her costume to purple, a vibrant color that catches the eyes of the audience. As the music increases in rhythm, the movements react respectively. The characters leap, run, spin, and constantly move all around the stage. They don’t leave any stage space untouched. All these movements express a feeling of rejuvenation and inspiration. I was sincerely, so amazed at their ability to tell a story with such passion. I realized then that I wasn’t just watching any other dance company, I was watching Alvin Ailey, a company filled with love for their dances and their dances.
When the next program began, “The Prodigal Prince”, I immediately noticed their costumes. This time around, I noticed how their costumes defined their character. Hector Hyppolite wears a bright red costume that attracts the audience’s attention. Erzulie Freda Dahomey wear an intricately designed blue gown with a seemingly heavy headset. Her complexity in her costume shows her importance in society. She is a goddess and throughout the performance, she never loses her poise, always with her head held high. On the other hand, Saint John the Baptist has a simple white costume showing innocence and purity in his role in society. The costumes get brighter and more vibrant as the virgin women walk in with red hand prints. The story although confusing, is eye-catching and emotive. I couldn’t wait to watch the final dance, “Revelations.”
“Revelations” captured my attention the most, as most other people would agree. I can go on and on about every aspect of this dance that I loved but that wouldn’t make this a review. The bright yellow dresses, the fans, the white costumes, the umbrella, and the red and black costumes were all just additions to what really made this dance stand out.
In “Revelations”, all the dancers weren’t African-American. There were other races dancing onstage. Although the dance was choreographed to represent different parts of an African-American life, the dance incorporated all dancers to show the way society has changed. There are more opportunities presented to all minorities. There are more successful professional dancers that aren’t Caucasian. And moreover, they were all a part of a dance company, a family. I could not help but smile with the people onstage. I knew they enjoyed every minute they were onstage. I knew the audience was enjoying this happiness emitted through the bright smiles of all the dancers. In the final song, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham,” I could feel the passion and I simply, was mesmerized by it.
I realized why the Alvin Ailey dance company was such a success. They gave opportunities to such talented, underrated people. Then within the company, relationships were built into a family that shared the same passion of dancing. Someday, I hope that I will find something I have a passion for just like the dancers of Alvin Ailey.
