8/23/24 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Happy Birthday Dudley Williams

By Walter Rutledge

Alvin Ailey dancer emeritus Dudley Williams would have celebrated his 85 birthday on August 18th. And although time is a very fickle and forgetful mistress Dudley remains of one the stars of the “Golden Age” of the Ailey company. His name is synonymous with dancers and choreographers such as Talley Beatty, John Butler, Louis Falco, George Faison, Miguel Godreau, Judith Jamison, Linda Kent, Kelvin Retardier,|Clive Thompson, Sara Yarborough, Estelle Spurlock and Donna Wood to name a few.

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8/21/17 (REPOST) O&A NYC DANCE: Alvin Ailey- Cry

By Walter Rutledge

JamisonWaldman_556126a

In 1971, Alvin Ailey created Cry, one of his signature dance works, as a birthday present for his mother Lula Elizabeth Ailey. Ailey dedicated the ballet to “all black women everywhere — especially our mothers.” The three-part ballet, set to popular and gospel music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and Chuck Griffin, depicts a woman’s journey through the agonies of slavery to an ecstatic state of grace. Cry premiered at New York City Center on May 4, 1971. Continue reading

3/23/16 O&A NYC DANCE: Donald McKayle and Rainbow Round My Shoulder honored at Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance Performance

Rainbow 1

On Tuesday March 22 the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company performed Donald McKayle’s 1959 modern dance classic Rainbow Round My Shoulder during Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance New York City season. The presentation is part of the Taylor Company’s initiative to present new works by emerging choreographers and modern dance masters. This is the second season of the initiative; season one featured an impressive performance of Doris Humphrey’s Passacaglia and Fugue by the Jose Limon Dance Company.

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Following the performance a reception honoring McKayle was held at the Koch Theater, Lincoln Center. McKayle (84) was greeted by well wishers, and a surprising number of dancers who had performed the work over the past 56 years including former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performers Donna Wood, Elizabeth Roxas, Ailey 2 Artistic Director Emerita Sylvia Waters and Tony Award Winner George Faison. You have two more opportunities to see Rainbow Round My Shoulder on Thursday, March 24 and Saturday March 26. DON’T MISS IT! (Review of Rainbow Round My Shoulder and related interviews to follow shortly.) For tickets visit www.boxoffice.dance.

 

Rainbow Round My Shoulder photo by Sara D. Davis/ ADF 2011

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12/26/14 O&A Shall We Dance Friday: Alvin Ailey- Cry

Shall We Dance

JamisonWaldman_556126a

In 1971, Alvin Ailey created Cry, one of his signature dance works, as a birthday present for his mother Lula Elizabeth Ailey. Ailey dedicated the ballet to “all black women everywhere — especially our mothers.” The three-part ballet, set to popular and gospel music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and Chuck Griffin, depicts a woman’s journey through the agonies of slavery to an ecstatic state of grace. Cry premiered at New York City Center on May 4, 1971. Continue reading