Yannick Lebrun

YANNICK LEBRUN (Cayenne, French Guiana) began training in his native country at the Adaclam School under the guidance of Jeanine Verin. After graduating high school in 2004, he moved to New York City to study at The Ailey School as a scholarship student. Lebrun was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2011, and in 2013 France-Amérique magazine highlighted him as one of the 50 most talented French people in the United States. In November 2016, Lebrun was a guest performer with The Royal Ballet in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma. In 2019, he choreographed Saa Magni, his first work for Ailey II. For ABT Studio company he created Lora in 2021 and Human in 2024. He was a nominee for the 2024 UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for outstanding male modern performance in Dancing Spirit. Lebrun was a member of Ailey II and joined the company in 2008. Instagram: @yannicklebrun

Featured News Releases

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater National Tour January 28 - May 8 Celebrates A Decade Of Robert Battle's Leadership And 50th Anniversary Of Alvin Ailey's Cry

NEW YORK – JANUARY 27, 2022 – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, America’s beloved cultural ambassador to the world, returns to stages on a coast-to-coast National Tour starting January 28 in Philadelphia, kicking off Black History Month at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on February 1 , and traveling to cities like Atlanta, Miami, Berkeley, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles before the finale in Newark on May 8. Marking a decade of leading the Company forward, Artistic Director Robert Battle presents Ailey’s renowned artists in a diverse repertory of premieres, new productions, and Ailey classics. Highlights include a Battle 10th Anniversary program; two world premieres adapted from video to stage, For Four by Robert Battle and Holding Space by Ailey Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts; the return of hip-hop innovator Rennie Harris’s acclaimed Lazarus; 50 Years of Cry commemorating Ailey’s beloved classic dedicated to “all Black women everywhere—especially our mothers;” and Ailey & Ellington, spotlighting cherished classics from the series of more than a dozen ballets that Alvin Ailey created celebrating the musical genius of the eminent American composer Duke Ellington. Alvin Ailey’s American masterpiece Revelations, which has inspired generations through its powerful storytelling and soul- stirring spirituals since its creation in 1960, will reach all cities on the North American tour.

Ailey Extension And AREA Atlanta Join Forces To Host Classes Led By Stars Of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater During First-Ever Virtual Ailey Experience Destination Dance Atlanta Workshop Series

(New York) January 27, 2021 – For the first time in the five-year history of its collaboration, Ailey Extension and AREA Atlanta are coming together to make the multi-day Ailey Experience Destination Dance Atlanta event into a virtual affair. This year’s participants are in for a unique treat, as the workshops will be taught by current Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Company members. The three-day weekend experience immerses greater Atlanta residents in the spirit of Ailey with classes in Horton, contemporary, and West African techniques, while introducing dancers to the exciting world of choreography, creativity, and fun in a non-competitive environment. These classes and the preceding panel discussion allow participants to learn the rich history of Ailey’s signature style and how he changed the perception of American modern dance.

Featured Press Coverage

ParisMatch_AAADT_IntlTour26_Paris_YannickLebrun_Feature_10.06.26

Paris Match - "I am proud that France and French Guiana are represented through me": Yannick Lebrun, Alvin Ailey’s French star

A meeting with Yannick Lebrun, a French dancer with the American Alvin Ailey company. We first met him in 2017. With a sculptural physique, bare chest, and coffee-colored skin splashed with paint, Yannick Lebrun looked like a work of art. Photographed mid-leap in this manner, the Frenchman became the face of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on all its posters. Today, the artist hasn't aged a day. His aesthetic appeal, talent, and physique remain dedicated to the troupe founded by the famous Black American choreographer. At 39, Yannick has become an indispensable member—one of the most experienced bearers of the company's legacy. "I’ve gained maturity," he explains, "and self-confidence. Perfection doesn't exist, but by learning to let go, I’ve adopted a freer approach to movement that allows me to convey more emotion."

DansesAveclaPlume_AAADT_IntlTour26_Paris_YannickLebrun_Feature_10.06.26

Danses Avec La Plume - Yannick Lebrun: "Alvin Ailey is fundamentally a company that brings people together."

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Paris from October 7th to 11th at the Palais des Congrès . This provides an opportunity for another conversation with Yannick Lebrun, the French dancer with the American company . How has the company evolved since the Covid pandemic and the arrival of its new artistic director, Alicia Graf Mack, in 2025? How does the dancer see himself now within the company, having joined almost 20 years ago? What are his thoughts on the ballets in this tour, from the iconic Revelations to the new pieces? An encounter with a dancer who champions the Alvin Ailey legacy with unwavering passion.