Alvin Ailey: the beauty of Black expression

Rock my soul in the Bosom of Abraham from “Revelations” was a theatrical performance full of color and sound that got the crowd standing up and clapping to the beat. Even though there was no talking, the movements of the dancers, the melody of the music, and the captivating colors conveyed a message of hope and that a bright new day was coming. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gave a performance that lasted approximately two hours at the Boch Wang Theater. In those two hours, the dancers performed three different sections, “Roy’s Joy,” “Survivors,” and “Revelations.” Each one had their own unique story. 

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was founded by Alvin Ailey in 1958 to embrace his experience as an African-American in American modern dancing. Alvin Ailey (born January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas) had a formal dance education and went on to perform in four Broadway shows. Ailey supported programs that furthered art in education for distinctly those in underserved communities. Over the course of Ailey’s dance career, he choreographed many dances like “Revelations,” “Cry,” “Memoria,” and so many more. Through Ailey’s remarkable work, he has received awards like the presidential medal of Freedom in 2014. Sadly Ailey passed in 1989, but his legacy still lives on. 

Alvin Alley is a performance I recommend people go and see. In each dance, the audience can clearly see the effort the dancers put into every single move because each move was in coordination with the music to make an intricate story. There was no need for a voice or a narrator because the movements of the dancers and the music told everything that needed to be told. Alvin Alley shows that story-telling comes in all forms. In “Roy’s Joy,” the dancers appealed to the audience with a broken love story through the dancer’s push and pull movements. With each twist and turn, you can not help but be invested in how the story will end. 

A high-quality show is expected with Alvin Ailey since it is a well-known dance company and Alvin Ailey delivers a top-notch performance. The presentation of the dance from the lights to the performance location appeal to every human sense. 

Learning more about the history of Alvin Ailey has made me see the significance of the African-American experience in dance and increased my understanding of the stories behind the dances performed. 
The Alvin Ailey dance theater is currently performing at the Boch Wang Theater in Boston, MA for their 22-23 season. To learn more you can visit Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.