Edges of Ailey | Art & Artists

Sept 25, 2024–Feb 9, 2025

All

10 / 10

Previous Next

Throughout the presentation of Edges of Ailey, a robust performance program in the third-floor theater unfolds alongside the multimedia exhibition on floor five—both inspired, motivated, and organized by Alvin Ailey’s belief in building a platform for Black modern dancers and choreographers. The repertory of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is an embodied archive, doubling as a vital, ongoing repository for canonical dances, revivals, and new commissions alike. This series of performances operates in the same vein, bringing together for the first time the AAADT with eleven leading choreographers. For their plurality of styles and approaches, these choreographers have been commissioned to create new or restage existing works inspired by Ailey’s life, influences, and themes.

The AAADT will have weeklong residencies at the Whitney each month to showcase the company’s breadth of offerings, from performances of classic and contemporary works by the first company and Ailey II, its junior counterpart; to workshops offered by the Ailey School, a key training ground for dance since 1969; and its educational initiatives like the Extension program, which offers classes to the public for all ages.

The performance program was chosen by the Dance Advisory Committee, comprised of Ailey artistic leadership and Adrienne Edwards, curator of Edges of Ailey. Taken as a whole, this program attests to Ailey’s profound presence—whether as influence, imprint, or shadow—in contemporary dance.

View the performance schedule and book tickets

Two dancers perform a dramatic pose; the woman in a long dress and the man shirtless, both wearing harnesses, against a minimalist backdrop.

Black and white photo of a shirtless man with short hair, looking over his shoulder against a plain background.

A dancer in loose pants arches backward with arms extended, captured in a dramatic black-and-white photograph.

A pianist plays a grand piano while a dancer in a tank top and pants performs a ballet move on stage.

Four people sit in chairs on a stage, with one person lying on the floor. Tables with candles and bottles are in the background.

A group of dancers in flowing costumes and leotards perform on stage, raising their arms towards the sky in a circle formation.

Performers on stage in dramatic poses, with arms outstretched and expressive movements, set against a dark background.

Six people pose around a ladder, with three women seated, two women standing, and one man sitting on the floor, all in vintage attire.

A man kneels on stage, holding a hat. Three other performers with instruments are on ladders in the background.

Black and white photograph of a dance performance with three male and three female figures arranged in a group on stage, hands outstretched above.

Five dancers in a dramatic pose on stage, arms outstretched, creating a symmetrical formation under spotlight in a black and white setting.

A woman in a feathered headdress and white dress dances with two men in top hats and gloves on stage, with chairs and lights in the background.

Edges of Ailey | Art & Artists

Edges of Ailey | Art & Artists

Performance Program

10

Artists

On the Hour