After the death of the company’s Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison in November 2024, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre is devoting the 2025 season to celebrating her memory, with the theme “Legacy in Motion.”This year’s tour not only honors Jamison and the legacies of the company and its namesake, but through captivating, thought-provoking performances, offers resilience, love, peace and hope, bringing audiences together nationwide, despite a divisive time for the country.“Tonight’s performance, and the entire season, is dedicated to honor the life and legacy of the phenomenal Judith Jamison,” said Sela Thompson, co-chair of Ailey’s 25th annual Washington, D.C. Gala Benefit at the Kennedy Center in Northwest D.C.
Before the one hour and 40 minute show, Thompson emphasized Jamison and the Ailey company’s influence on her life. “I can honestly say I probably wouldn’t be standing here, if it were not for her and Sylvia Waters and the amazing Ailey dancers who came to St. Louis, Missouri, at the Fox Theatre, [when] my mother took my brother and me,” Thompson told the packed theatre. “While I was a young dancer, I was so unaware, and it wasn’t common to see strong, chocolate, unapologetically Black dancers with short ‘fros, slaying on such a stage.”Through representation, diversity, and outstanding, memorable performances —from their first show in 1958, to 2025 at the Kennedy Center and globally — Alvin Ailey exposes audiences to the beauty, breadth, boldness and bravery of dance and the African American experience.“I thought [the show] exuded strength, which is something that right now felt wonderful and powerful to see on the stage,” D.C. resident Ashley Davis told The Informer at the gala celebration, following the Feb. 5 performance.
With President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), immigrants and the LBGTQIA+ community weighing heavily on the minds of many, Ailey’s work offered an empowering reminder.
“Even in a time like this, we still have positive and uplifting things that represent us, Black faces, Black strength that is outside of what’s going on in the world,” Davis said.Diving Into the 2025 Season, the WorkIn celebrating “Legacy in Motion,” this year features Ailey classics, pieces that pay homage to the past, and fresh works, mindful of the moments of quiet, joy and love needed to combat the noisy and, sometimes, negative distractions of today’s world.“Many of the things on the program this week either lend themselves to pursuit of faith, joy, or through experience of lamentation, solace.. but also collaboration,” said Xavier Mack, a DMV native in his third season with Ailey. “I think that there are many things on the program that could inspire a bit more empathy — for us to have more empathy with one another.”The Wednesday night show featured works including: “Sacred Songs,” “Many Angels,” “Cry,” and “Revelations.” The pieces emphasized working together, resilience and finding moments of stillness and joy.Longtime Ailey fans, will appreciate “Sacred Songs,” choreographed by Matthew Rushing, for its relation to “Revelations.”
“Mr. Rushing, our current interim artistic director, had the brilliant idea to take extra songs that Mr. Ailey choreographed to in his 1960 premiere [of Revelations],” said Samantha Figgins, a D.C. native in her 11th season with Ailey. Years ago, Ailey’s full “Revelations” had to be shortened when taking the work on the road.“So with those extra spiritual songs that [Mr. Ailey] had, [Mr. Rushing] created another ballet. He reimagined the music, and those negro spirituals to current, hip-hop, Afrobeats, African drumming, gospel, and sounds of jazz, to really have those spirituals resonate within the current generation,” Figgins told The Informer.Another new piece, “Many Angels,” choreographed by Lar Lubovitch with music by Gustav Mahler, is a gorgeous, engaging and serene piece to witness.“The dance is based on the expression, ‘How many angels can dance on the head of a pen?’ And there’s a beautiful, cloudy backdrop. We’re basically all in heaven. And he just really wanted a moment of peace and silence,” Figgins said.
Mack explained Lubovitch wanted “a moment where everything can just be quiet and soft, because there’s so much loud and boisterous and violent things going on around us.””He wanted to create something that we could be comforted by,” added Mack, a graduate of Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland.Lubovitch’s goal worked, as audience member Aida Kebere left the performance feeling inspired and tranquil.“I thought [the show] was very peaceful and zen and I just feel that’s something we need,” Kebere told The Informer during the 25th anniversary gala following the Feb. 5 performance. “I just feel so relaxed after watching this performance.”Figgins, beautifully commanded the stage in the solo piece “Cry,” on Wednesday night, embodying the season’s theme “Legacy in Motion,” executing choreography originally performed by Jamison and choreographed by Ailey in 1971.
The company concluded with the classic piece “Revelations,” which received several standing ovations and empowered the audience by breathing new life into an old favorite.As the crowd stood on their feet applauding for minutes, the path paved by Ailey, Jamison and others was evident — the legacy continues.“One thing that I know that [Jamison] would want for us to keep doing is continuing in excellence, reaching new heights and making new connections around the world, continuing to impact our communities and bring dance back to the people the way Mr. Ailey wanted it to be done,” Mack, 31, told The Informer.Ailey Offers Hope, a Call to Action For D.C. audiences, and with several lawmakers in the room, including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), it’s often hard to separate any moment from politics. However, Ailey’s work isn’t meant to ignore the political and social times. The artistry offers entertainment, inspiration, and a call to action for audiences.“I really hope [local audiences] can gain a lot of inspiration and joy — mostly inspiration to live and to fight and to create their own joy… and be themselves unapologetically,” Figgins, 35, told The Informer. “I think this season is very in your face, and I want to empower the local audiences to continue to carve out space for yourself and to create the life that they want to live inside of, and that they want to share and be of service to other people.” Considering the country’s current political and societal division, Figgins, 35, reflected on the mission of the dance company’s founder more than 65 years ago, during a time when segregation was still common practice, and African Americans were in the midst of a tumultuous civil rights fight.“Mr. Ailey, his protest was on stage,” said Figgins, adding that the company continues “to create art that the world needs.” With D.C.’s leg of the tour ending Feb. 9, she offered a challenge for the nation.“I just encourage our national audiences to create what the world needs right now, and that’s peace and fearlessness, and joy and laughter,” she said.
Source: Washington Informer
