Building Worlds through Dance: The Legacy of Alvin Ailey

Online, via Zoom

Open to all members

Tuesday, August 27 at 12 pm
Wednesday, September 11 at 12 pm
Tuesday, September 17 at 6 pm

Join Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow Jacqueline Cofield in this multifaceted exploration of Alvin Ailey’s world and enduring impact on the arts. This virtual program introduces Ailey’s profound legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern dance ahead of the opening of the Museum’s fall blockbuster exhibition, Edges of Ailey. Members will be captivated by Ailey’s ability to intertwine dance, music, and visual art to create a powerful form of storytelling—from his early influences and the formation of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to his collaboration with visual artists and engagement with broader cultural and social dynamics.

Delve into Ailey’s iconic works, such as Blues Suite and Revelations, reflecting Black culture and history, and highlighting themes of migration, spirituality, and liberation. Draw connections to the work of visual artists that you’ll see in the galleries—including Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Faith Ringgold, and more—to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Ailey’s artistic vision transcended the boundaries of dance. Exploring themes of Blackness, gender, and collaboration in Ailey’s practice, this program offers an opportunity to engage deeply with the artist’s vision and the cultural values he championed.

Jacqueline M. Cofield (she/her) is a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art and a recent doctoral alum of Columbia University’s Teachers College. Her research amplifies underrepresented voices in art history, connecting culture, learning, and societal transformation. Cofield’s award-winning dissertation, Beyond Beauty: Black Women Artists’ Epistemologies and Aesthetic Praxes, examines the perspectives and practices of Black women artists and their curricular implications. A documentary filmmaker, podcaster, educator, and curator, she engages in transdisciplinary work across art history, Black studies, and museum education. Cofield’s dedication to nurturing global artistic dialogues is evident in her curatorial and museum training at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Studio Museum in Harlem. Her work emphasizes inclusivity, cultural diplomacy, and the transformative power of the arts, inspiring and educating diverse audiences worldwide. Cofield is also an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Hunter College.