Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater residency opens at Sadler's Wells

By Graham Watts, 06 September 2019

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“a powerful tribute to the courage and ambition of this African American cultural legend”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 4 September 2019

Lazarus (Rennie Harris)

Revelations (Alvin Ailey, Rennie Harris)

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Clifton Brown, Dancer

James Clotfelter, Lighting Designer

Jeroboam Bozeman, Dancer

Chalvar Monteiro, Dancer

Solomon Dumas, Dancer

Jacquelin Harris, Dancer

Jacqueline Green, Dancer

American Street Dancer from Rennie Harris arrives in New York

Carla Escoda, 13th November

Rennie Harris' theatrical works of street dance have toured the globe. In American Street Dancer he focuses on the preservation of three distinct styles closer to home.

****1

Works of art: Harris and Taylor from Dayton Contemporary Dance

Carla Escoda, 1st October

Classic Paul Taylor and a Rennie Harris tour de force form the highlights of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company's visit to New York this week.

****1

Alvin Ailey Dance Theater (Programme A)

Christopher Curtis, 6th September

Intricate hip-hop, sinuous African, lyrical ballet and glorious gospel held together with powerful contemporary technique: you are hit by huge waves of happiness and end the show smiling.

*****

Fall for Dance, Program IV

Stephanie Sirabian, 16th October

New York City Center's 11th annual Fall for Dance Festival's program four reaches out to new audiences with a unique program.

***11

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at New York City Center

Rachel Rizzuto, 29th November

I should start this review by being honest and explaining that I was not initially excited to see Ailey at City Center. I was prepared to be impressed by the company’s physical aesthetic and not much else – I often think of the company as finely-tuned robots who are capable of demonstrating technical virtuosity but not of moving me in a big way, emotionally.

****1

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Boston

Susan Blood, 26th April

Celebrity Series of Boston presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater every spring, just as the city starts to pop open and come alive. Like the host city, the company is full of life. And like Boston Public Garden down the street, the thrill is in the feeling of power underscoring what we see on the surface.

****1

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

Powerful double bill opens Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater residency at Sadler's Wells