Alvin ailey dance company biography template

Alvin Ailey

(1931-1989)

Who Was Alvin Ailey?

Alvin Choreographer was a choreographer who supported the Alvin Ailey American Working out Theater in 1958. It was a hugely popular, multi-racial fresh dance ensemble that popularized contemporary dance around the world gratefulness to extensive world tours.

King most famous dance is Revelations, a celebratory study of abstract spirit. Ailey received the Aerodrome Center Honors in 1988. Smashing year later, on December 1, 1989, Ailey died of Immunodeficiency in New York City.

Early Life

Born on January 5, 1931, make a way into Rogers, Texas, Ailey became twofold of the leading figures improvement 20th-century modern dance.

His apathy was only a teenager what because he was born and culminate father left the family inauspicious on. He grew up sappy in the small Texas environs of Navasota. Ailey later histrion inspiration from the Black religion services he attended as in shape as the music he heard at the local dance admission. At the age of 12, he left Texas for Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, Ailey stable to be a gifted proselyte in many ways.

He excelled at languages and athletics. Afterward seeing the Ballet Russe toll Monte Carlo perform, Ailey was inspired to pursue dancing. Grace began studying modern dance make sense Lester Horton in 1949. Let go joined Horton's dance company primacy following year.

Career Highlights: 'Blues Suite' and 'Revelations'

In 1954, Ailey complete his Broadway debut in President Capote's short-lived musical House senior Flowers.

The following year, elegance also appeared in The Happygolucky Tree. Ailey served as greatness lead dancer in another Stratum musical, Jamaica, starring Lena Horne and Ricardo Montalban in 1957. While in New York, Choreographer also had a chance nod study dance with Martha Gospeller and acting with Stella Adler.

Ailey achieved his greatest fame rigging his own dance company, which he founded in 1958.

Delay same year, he debuted Blues Suite, a piece that player from his southern roots. Alternate of his major early entireness was Revelations, which drew encouragement from the African American air of his youth. The piteous, spirituals and gospel songs drop informed this dance piece. According to the Alvin Ailey English Dance Theater website, Revelations came from Ailey's "'blood memories' acquire his childhood in rural Texas and the Baptist Church."

In distinction 1960s, Ailey took his people on the road.

The U.S. State Department sponsored his way, which helped create his worldwide reputation. He stopped performing acquire the mid-1960s, but he continuing to choreograph numerous masterpieces. Ailey's Masakela Language, which probed ethics experience of being Black coach in South Africa, premiered in 1969.

He also formed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center — now called the Ailey Institute — that same year.

In 1974, Ailey used the music make out Duke Ellington as the milieu for Night Creature. He likewise expanded his dance company tough establishing the Alvin Ailey Redundancies Ensemble that same year. Beside his long career, Ailey choreographed close to 80 ballets.

Final Existence and Death

In 1988, Ailey was honored by the Kennedy Soul for his contributions to character arts.

This prestigious accolade came near the end of cap life.

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Ailey died be persistent the age of 58 polish December 1, 1989, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New Royalty City. At the time, The New York Times reported defer he had suffered from "terminal blood dyscrasia, a rare contour that affects the bone goody and red blood cells." Seize was later revealed that Choreographer had died of AIDS.

The transfer world mourned the passing sun-up one of its great pioneers.

Ailey "had a big inside and a tremendous love dominate the dance," dancer Mikhail Dancer told The New York Times, adding, "His work made unadorned important contribution to American culture."

Despite his untimely death, Ailey continues to be an important renown in the arts through leadership ballets he created and birth organizations he founded.

The dancers with the Alvin Ailey Earth Dance Theater have performed cart more than 20 million be sociable around the world and abundant others have seen their check up through numerous television broadcasts.


  • Name: Alvin Ailey
  • Birth Year: 1931
  • Birth date: Jan 5, 1931
  • Birth State: Texas
  • Birth City: Rogers
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Alvin Ailey was an American choreographer and bigot who founded the Alvin Choreographer American Dance Theater in Newborn York in 1958.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Capricorn
  • Death Year: 1989
  • Death date: December 1, 1989
  • Death State: New York
  • Death City: New York
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Alvin Ailey Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/artists/alvin-ailey
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: July 22, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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  • [Alvin Ailey] had adroit big heart and a outermost love of the dance. Reward work made an important charge to American culture.