February 08, 2007 -

OTTAWA -- America’s premier modern dance company, under the artistic direction of Judith Jamison, thrills audiences with an exuberant fusion of modern, jazz, ballet, and African dance. Alvin Ailey’s entire body of work (almost 80 creations) celebrates the uniqueness of African-American culture and the richness of the American modern dance heritage. Performing with unparalleled grace, passion, and artistry, the dancers of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) are at their breathtaking best performing an evening of mixed repertoire in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Tuesday February 20, 2007 at 20:00. From jazz-inspired works and intimate portraits to explosive epics teeming with passion, “one cannot deny the genius behind Ailey’s…stirring eloquence,” says the Washington Post.

Stunning, kinetic, powerful – since 1958, this hugely popular company continues to be renowned for dazzling choreography and soul-stirring, high-energy performances. Under the artistic direction of Judith Jamison since Alvin Ailey’s death in 1989, the company honours Ailey’s legacy while also renewing its repertoire and roster of dancers. AAADT has performed for an estimated 21 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa.

Presented in conjunction with Black History Month, the mixed programme includes Night Creature and The River (both choreographed by Alvin Ailey to the music of Duke Ellington), Solo (choreographed by Hans van Manen – for 3 male dancers – to the music of Bach), and Alvin Ailey’s signature piece Revelations. A rousing, radiant, joyfully triumphant crowd-pleaser set to the glorious music of African-American spirituals, Revelations communicates universal emotions, leaving audiences around the world swaying, clapping, and screaming for more.

Musical genius Duke Ellington said that “Night creatures, unlike stars, do not come OUT at night-they come ON, each thinking that before the night is out he or she will be the star,” and Night Creature is the definitive Alvin Ailey homage to the exuberance of The Duke’s jazz. A wedge of dancers with flaunting hips, shimmying shoulders, and weaving torsos morph into a textbook example of classical ballet technique -- the dance captivates with sexy nocturnal rituals that propel the movement into a fast-paced climatic catharsis. It’s absolutely Ailey.

Hans van Manen divides his kinetic Solo among three male dancers in a tour de force that challenges their daring agility and grace. A virile game of testosterone-fuelled one-upmanship, this explosive display of virtuosity and wit launches the men into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality. The San Francisco Examiner declared that Solo “epitomizes dance at its essence”.

Another legendary collaboration between Alvin Ailey and Duke Ellington, The River celebrates birth, life and rebirth. Ailey’s choreographic allegory combines modern dance, classical ballet, and jazz to convey the mutability of water on its voyage to the sea — much like the journey of life. The River “shows Mr. Ailey at his inventive best,” declared The New York Times.

In Revelations, spirituals triumphantly sing of woe, knowing that rivers will be crossed and that the Promised Land is just beyond the stream. As African-American writer Langston Hughes observed, “The words ride on the strongest of melodies, the melody of faith.” Alvin Ailey was just 29 years old when he created this masterpiece, his tenth ballet, in 1960. His inspiration came from memories of childhood Baptist services in Texas, where he would absorb “some of the most glorious singing to be heard anywhere in the world.” He was also influenced by the paintings of Pieter Brueghel, Oriental theatre, and his acquaintance with writers James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. Revelation has easily withstood the test of time – 47 years after its creation, audiences still leave their seats applauding with abandon.

“No one inhabits the stage like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater… these dancers turn every movement onstage into a testament for living.”

San Francisco Chronicle

“…the company is showing signs of moving up to a new level. Its performances are enjoyed by teeming audiences nationally and internationally …its dancers are better than ever, with the marvelous athleticism, vivid personalities and sleek sensuality the company has long fostered, now infused with the presence of starry newcomers…”

John Rockwell, The New York Times, December 2006

“…the Ailey dancers offered Parisians a fresh definition of sensuality in motion…. a lyrical expression of a river's progress … The River had the audience on its feet applauding.”

Alan Riding, The New York Times, July 2006

“…this work instantly takes the audience to a special time and place. With few props: some chairs, a parasol, a hat, we are taken to the heart of an entire people and culture. Great choreography and convinced artists will do that. One gesture less and Revelations would be diminished, one gesture more and it would be superfluous.”

Anjuli Bai, Ballet.magazine

Public Modern Technique Class
for dance students and dancers aged 16 and up
taught by Matthew Rushing of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3:30-4:30 pm ~ Monday, February 19
Rehearsal Hall B ~ Free

Space is limited. Please reserve a place by emailing Renata Soutter at soutter@magma.ca or by leaving a message in NAC voicemail box 613-947-7000 ext. 588

Night Creature (1975)
CHOREOGRAPHY Alvin Ailey
MUSIC Duke Ellington
ORIGINAL COSTUMES Jane Greenwood REVIVAL COSTUMES Barbara Forbes
LIGHTING Chenault Spence

Solo (2005)
CHOREOGRAPHY Hans van Manen
STAGED BY Mea van Dijken Venema
MUSIC Johann Sebastian Bach
COSTUME DESIGN Keso Dekker LIGHTING Joop Caboort

The River (1970, 1981)
CHOREOGRAPHY Alvin Ailey
RESTAGED BY Masazumi Chaya
COMPOSER Duke Ellington
COSTUMES A. Christina Giannini LIGHTING Chenault Spence

Revelations (1960)
CHOREOGRAPHY Alvin Ailey
MUSIC Traditional spirituals
ORIGINAL DÉCOR and COSTUMES Lawrence Maldonado
REVIVAL DÉCOR and COSTUMES Ves Harper
LIGHTING Nicola Cernovitch

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Night Creature, Solo, The River, and Revelations in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Tuesday February 20, 2007 at 20:00. Tickets are $54, $51, $40 and $31 for adults and $28.25, $26.75, $21.25, and $16.75 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card). Tickets are available at the NAC Box Office (in person) and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at (613) 755-1111; Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website at www.nac-cna.ca. Same-day Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13-29) are $10 at the NAC Box Office between 14:00 and 18:00 on the day of performance only, upon presentation of a valid ‘Live Rush’ card. Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices to all NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances; to reserve your seats, call (613) 947-7000 ext. 384 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

New! Dinner packages at Kinki, Social, and Meditheo are available with the purchase of tickets to any NAC Dance performance. Book your package by visiting Ticketmaster at one of the following links: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/promo/24375, http://www.ticketmaster.ca/promo/24364, or
http://www.ticketmaster.ca/promo/b5kfde

Photos for all dance events can be viewed and downloaded at: www.nac-cna.ca/media/

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Information:
Gerald Morris
Marketing and Media Relations,
NAC Dance Department
(613) 947-7000, ext. 249
gmorris@nac-cna.ca

ALVIN AILEY
Born in Rogers, Texas on January 5, 1931, Alvin Ailey was introduced to dance by performances of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. His formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton's classes by his friend, Carmen de Lavallade.

When Mr. Ailey began creating dance, he drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work, Revelations.

Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Alvin Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the company continues Mr. Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones to add to the repertoire. In all, more than 200 works by over 70 choreographers have been performed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

In 1989, after the death of Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison was appointed Artistic Director. Ms. Jamison wrote in her autobiography, Dancing Spirit, "I hope I'm a continuation of Alvin's vision. He has left me a road map. It's very clear. It works."

JUDITH JAMISON
Judith Jamison was appointed Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in December 1989 at the request of her mentor, Alvin Ailey. A native of Philadelphia, she studied with Marion Cuyjet, was discovered by Agnes de Mille and made her New York debut with American Ballet Theatre in 1964. She became a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1965 and danced with the company for 15 years to great acclaim. Recognizing her extraordinary talent, Mr. Ailey created some of his most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour de force solo, Cry.

After leaving the Company in 1980, Ms. Jamison appeared as a guest artist with ballet companies all over the world and starred in the hit Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies. In 1988, she formed her own company, The Jamison Project; a PBS special depicting her creative process, Judith Jamison: The Dancemaker, aired nationally the same year.

As a highly regarded choreographer, Ms. Jamison has created works for many companies. Love Stories, with additional choreography by Robert Battle and Rennie Harris, is her most recent ballet. In 2002, HERE . . .NOW was commissioned for the Cultural Olympiad. She choreographed Double Exposure for the Lincoln Center Festival in July 2000. Divining (1984), Rift (1991), Riverside (1995), Sweet Release (1996) Echo: Far From Home (1998) and Hymn (1993), her stirring tribute to Mr. Ailey, are other major works she has choreographed for the company.

Ms Jamison is a master teacher, lecturer, and author. Her autobiography, Dancing Spirit, was edited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and published by Doubleday in 1993. She is the recipient of many awards and honorary degrees, including a prime time Emmy Award and an American Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography in the PBS "Great Performances: Dance In America" special, A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, and an honorary doctorate from Howard University. In December 1999, Ms Jamison was presented with the Kennedy Center Honor, recognizing her lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. In 2001, she received the Algur H. Meadows Award from Southern Methodist University and was presented with a National Medal of Arts, the most prestigious award presented to artists in the United States. Ms Jamison carried the Olympic torch during the relay prior to the opening ceremonies in Salt Lake City in 2002. In 2003, she received the ‘Making a Difference’ Award by the NAACP ACT-SO. Most recently, Ms Jamison received the Paul Robeson Award from the Actors' Equity Association in recognition for her outstanding contribution to the performing arts and commitment to the right of all people to live in dignity and peace.

Today, Judith Jamison presides over a renewed Ailey organization, artistically and fiscally invigorated. Her presence has been a catalyst, propelling the organization in new directions -- the development of the Women's Choreography Initiative; performances at the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2002 Cultural Olympiad; and two unprecedented engagements in South Africa. Most recently, she led the Company on a tour of mainland China, the company's first visit there in almost 20 years. Ms Jamison has continued Mr. Ailey's practice of showcasing the talents of emerging choreographers from within the ranks of the company. As Artistic Director of The Ailey School, official school of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, she has helped to implement a multicultural curriculum including salsa and the dances of West Africa and South India. She is an advocate for education in the arts and was a guiding force in establishing the B.F.A. program with The Ailey School and Fordham University, which offers a unique combination of world-class dance training and a superior liberal arts education. Following the tradition of Alvin Ailey, Ms Jamison is dedicated to asserting the prominence of the arts in our culture, spearheading initiatives to bring dance into the community and programs that introduce children to the arts. She remains committed to promoting the significance of the Ailey legacy -- dance as a medium for honouring the past, celebrating the present and fearlessly reaching into the future. The recent move to Ailey's permanent home, a state-of-the-art building located at 55th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan, was a realization of a long-awaited dream.