Press Release Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns! Two special programs with world premieres, new productions and Ailey classics - Feb 25 & 26

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

presents

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

A moment of hometown pride celebrating Miami natives Robert Battle, Ailey’s artistic director on his 10^th anniversary,

and Jamar Roberts, Ailey’s resident choreographer, in a farewell performance after nearly two decades

Two Special Programs with World Premieres, New Productions and Ailey Classics

Brought to Life by Ailey’s Renowned Dancers

Offering first-time virtual performance for students during Black History Month, and Ailey documentary release on PBS

February 25 at 8 p.m.
February 26, 2022 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tickets: $25, $45, $65, $79, $95, $125*
Ziff Ballet Opera House

MIAMI – February 7, 2022 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County (@arshtcenter) is pleased to announce the return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (@alvinailey) to the Ziff Ballet Opera House stage on February 25 and 26for three performances. The much-anticipated homecoming engagement celebrates Miami’s own Robert Battle on a decade as Artistic Director and Ailey Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts in a farewell appearance, along with the 50^th anniversary of Alvin Ailey’s Cry. Known for bringing audiences to their feet, Ailey’s extraordinary dancers will perform new and classic works with their trademark technical brilliance and passionate artistry.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is presented as part of the Arsht Center’s Knight Masterworks Dance Series.

Tickets are $25, $45, $65, $79, $95, $125*, and may be purchased at the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at arshtcenter.org.

“Alvin Ailey’s vision provided the opportunity for generations of artists to use dance to inspire, unite and enlighten,” stated Artistic Director Robert Battle. “Despite the twists and turns on the road we have all traveled together, we are excited to be returning to my hometown of Miami while finding new ways to share artistry that renews our spirit of courage, hope and joy. I am deeply humbled to have led this seminal Company for a decade, joined by incomparable dancers and choreographers like Jamar Roberts on a journey of discovery that extends from the powerful works of our founder to the important voices of today – an ongoing dance dialogue that shines a light on the strength and resilience of our common humanity around the world.”

The homecoming engagement opens on Friday, February 25^th at 8 p.m. with a Battle 10^th Anniversary program commemorating 10 years of Artistic Director Robert Battle’s visionary leadership that has moved the Company forward in exciting ways into a seventh decade. The program features Robert Battle’s world premiere For Four, which captures the pent-up energy of a world cooped up during the pandemic set to a Wynton Marsalis jazz score written in 4/4 time. In addition to a new production of Robert Battle’s sensuous, swirling duet Unfold, evoking the tenderness and ecstasy in Gustave Charpentier’s aria “Depuis Le Jour” sung by the incomparable Leontyne Price, signature works will be performed like Ella, In/Side, Love Stories finale, Mass, and Takademe. Battle 10^th Anniversary program repeats on Saturday, February 26^th at 2 p.m.

Ailey Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts, after making an indelible mark as a dancer over two decades, shares a farewell with audiences in his hometown in a special performance on Saturday, February 26 at 8 p.m. The program features both world premieres translated from dance films to the stage this season and celebrates 50 years of Cry, Alvin Ailey’s beloved classic dedicated to “all Black women everywhere— especially our mothers.” The 16-minute tour-de-force solo, created on his stunning muse, Judith Jamison, was an instant sensation when it debuted in 1971 and went on to become an enduring work of American art. Along with Robert Battle’s For Four, the presentation features Jamar Roberts’ Holding Space, which examines the ways in which we can collectively accommodate one another to better traverse this new and unprecedented terrain. The program will open with Jamar Roberts performing a solo he created for himself set to music by pianist Jason Moran and titled You Are The Golden Hour That Would Soon Evanesce.

The uplifting finale of all performances is Alvin Ailey’s American masterpiece Revelations, created in 1960, which has inspired generations through its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring spirituals. Since its debut in 1960, Revelations has been seen by more people than any other modern dance work and has moved audiences through 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.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater national tour is supported by Bank of America. The company is and presented at the Arsht Center with support from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Knight Foundation.

In the Community: Schools and Senior Centers

In addition to the uplifting performances on stage, the Arsht Center will bring Ailey teaching artists to select Miami-Dade County Schools and senior centers as part of Ailey’s Arts in Education & Community Program residency, Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach. With the goal of taking Ailey’s legendary artistry into the community, the interactive school workshops will take place for two weeks beginning February 14. Schools include Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School, Miami Norland Middle School, Booker T. Washington Senior High School and Rainbow Park Elementary. Senior centers being visited include Arcola Lakes Senior Center and a session with a group of senior dancers, the Miami Gardens Super Soul Steppers at the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation’s Arts and Recreation Center. Participating schools will experience the curriculum designed to utilize Mr. Ailey’s signature work, Revelations, as the inspiring theme for a comprehensive, sequential, in-depth study of language arts, social studies and dance.

Virtual Student Performance

To help further engage with the magic of Ailey, a virtual school-time performance will be made available for the first-time ever to Miami-Dade public and private schools during Black History Month. Filmed at New York City Center, the educational experience moderated by Artistic Director Robert Battle will welcome viewers behind the scenes to see the elements and hear from the people who create an Ailey experience. Special performances of classic works that Alvin Ailey created based upon his “blood memories” of growing up in rural Texas are featured with excerpts of Blues Suite and the must-see masterpiece Revelations.

Ailey Documentary Film

The legendary choreographer continues to interest audiences of all ages. Ailey, a documentary about legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey (1931-1989), recently opened the 36^th season of the PBS American Masters series with its nationwide broadcast on PBS stations running now through February 11 and online. American Masters: Ailey is a portrait of the trailblazing artist who founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 during the Civil Rights Movement. The film traces the full contours of this brilliant and enigmatic man whose search for the truth in movement resulted in enduring choreography that centers on the Black American experience with inimitable grace and power. Told through the choreographer’s own words and featuring evocative archival footage, historic performances and interviews with those close to him, director Jamila Wignot weaves together a biography that connects Ailey’s past to our present with an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today, following innovative hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris as he conceives a new dance, Lazarus, inspired by Ailey’s life.

Wignot said, “Ailey’s dances – celebrations of African American beauty and history – did more than move bodies; they opened minds. His dances were revolutionary social statements that staked a claim as powerful in his own time as in ours: Black life is central to the American story and deserves a central place in American art and on the world stage.”

Arsht Center Commitment to Health and Safety

The Arsht Center remains deeply committed to the health and peace of mind of our guests, artists and staff. Based on guidance from national and local health officials, masks and proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test are required. Guests may volunteer proof of vaccination in lieu of a negative test. Learn more here. This event will be seated at full capacity. We will also maintain enhanced cleaning, sanitation and air filtration procedures. Any policy changes will be sent directly to ticketholders and updated regularly at arshtcenter.org/covid-19.

Click here for PDF

Click here for image package

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami- Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

###

AboutUs

Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami- Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.

Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts education.

Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations.

The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, Free Gospel Sundays, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.