Press Release Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Celebrates 65 Years of Extraordinary Dance - February 2-3, 2024

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

presents

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

Celebrating 65 years of extraordinary dance!
New works and Ailey classics including the South Florida premieres of
Amy Hall Garner’s CENTURY, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s Me, Myself and You, and
Ode by former Ailey dancer and Miami native, Jamar Roberts

Alvin Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations is inspiring finale of each performance launching Black History Month at the Arsht Center

February 2 and 3 at 8 p.m.

February 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $25, $45, $65, $79, $95 and $125*

Part of 2023-2024 Dance@Arsht Series

Ziff Ballet Opera House

 

MIAMI – January 19, 2024 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County (@arshtcenter) is proud to present the return of ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER (@alvinailey) to the Ziff Ballet Opera House stage on February 2 and 3 for three performances as part of the company’s momentous 65^th Anniversary Season. The engagement will showcase the passionate spirit and extraordinary technique of Ailey’s dancers in three exciting performances featuring new works and repertory favorites including Ailey’s classic Revelations and Ode, highlighting an all-female cast choregraphed by Miami native and former Ailey dancer, Jamar Roberts.

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

The 65^th season includes exciting new works commissioned especially for Ailey – Amy Hall Garner’s rousing, high-spirited tribute to her grandfather, CENTURY, and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s dreamlike reminiscence of romance, Me, Myself and You – alongside new productions of Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit, Solo by Hans van Manen and Ode by Miami’s own Jamar Roberts, a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of growing gun violence.

Each program provides audience members the opportunity to experience the power of Alvin Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece Revelations, acclaimed around the world for sending hearts soaring and lifting audiences to their feet with its perfect blend of reverent grace and spiritual elation. Since its debut in 1960, Revelations has been moving audiences with its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music, evoking timeless themes of determination, hope and transcendence. An intimate reflection of Mr. 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 community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition. 

In addition to the uplifting performances on stage, Ailey Arts In Education & Community programs brings Ailey’s legendary artistry into the community, schools, and engages young people throughout the year with programs like AileyCamp Miami. Offered in 10 cities nationwide and celebrating its 35^th anniversary this summer, AileyCamp is a full scholarship six-week summer program for students ages 11-14 that uses the art of dance as a means to stretch their minds, bodies, and spirits. Hosted by the Arsht Center, AileyCamp Miami participants will join National Director Nasha Thomas for a reunion on Saturday, February 3 at the Arsht Center, to experience an uplifting performance by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s new season recently launched at New York City Center with a five-week holiday engagement. The 21-city United States tour  culminates with a Mother’s Day performance on Sunday, May 12.

Friday, February 2 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 3 at 2 p.m.

Pre-show activities on opening night, February 2: 

Before the Friday night performance on February 2, the Arsht Center will celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Alvin Ailey and the African American cultural experience through a pre-show activation on the plaza in partnership with BOMA (Black Owned Media Alliance). Beginning at 6:00 p.m., Step Into Dance – A Tribute to Black History Month will feature a Revelations Celebration workshop where the community can learn choreography from the masterpiece followed by performances from the Florida Memorial University marching band, dance and step teams. Admission to the pre-show activation is free with a ticket to that evening's performance. 

6:00 p.m. – Revelations Celebration Community Workshop – Led by Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs Master Teacher and former Ailey dancer, Nasha Thomas

7:15 p.m. – Step team performance – Florida Memorial University  

7:25 p.m. – ROAR Elite Marching band performance – Florida Memorial University 

CENTURY

Amy Hall Garner’s first work for Ailey, CENTURY, is a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100^th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and others, CENTURY is a pure dance work celebrating life, resilience and joy.

Me, Myself, and You – pause – Solo

Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s Me, Myself and You is a dreamlike duet about reminiscence. Set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In a Sentimental Mood,” it conjures memories of love and passion for a woman asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.

Hans van Manen divides his dynamic Solo among three dancers in a tour de force that challenges the Ailey men's daring agility and grace. This explosive display of virtuosity and wit launches the performers into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality. 

Revelations

Using African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”

Saturday, February 3 at 8 p.m.

Dancing Spirit

Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit pays tribute to Ailey Artistic Director Emerita, Judith Jamison’s profound influence, using movement from Cuba, Brazil and the United States to conjure dancing spirits who embody Jamison’s elegance, dignity and generosity. 

Ode

Former Ailey dancer Jamar Roberts’ Ode offers a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of growing gun violence. This tender, engrossing work will be staged with an all-female cast and features a jazz score by Don Pullen and Roberts’ own costume designs. 

Revelations 

Using African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”

@ArshtCenter                       #ArshtCenter

*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 State of 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.

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About Us
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.

ABOUT ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, recent posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company was led until 2023 by Robert Battle, whom Judith Jamison chose to succeed her on July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents—as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms—promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago; The Fox Theatre in Atlanta; Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate, and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the United States and the world during extensive yearly tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.