Yannick Lebrun is the principal dancer of the Alvin Ailey company, a pioneer of African American dance since 1958. The artist shines on the stage of the Palais des Congrès in Paris in a series of iconic ballets from this company with a unique identity in the world.
It looks like Black dancers finally have a trending TikTok dance that white folks can’t steal or replicate with the “Confuse the Enemy” challenge. Syncopated arm movements, dramatic running and Camden Bop choreography have caused the trend to go viral among Black audiences on TikTok – without the unwelcome interference from white content creators. Then, late last week, Ailey dancers entered the discourse with their own dance cover. “Did someone call for us?” the video was captioned. Four performers — Corrin Rachelle Mitchell, Isabel Wallace-Green, Shawn Cusseaux and Ashley Kaylynn Green — joined the trend from backstage dressed in a mix of costumes and street clothes, as they were minutes away from the start of a performance of the iconic Ailey piece “Revelations.”
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.
What lies behind the bodies of a male and female dancer from one of the most influential companies in international dance? To mark the arrival of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Teatro Real in Madrid from October 14 to 18, Kmon Magazine speaks with two of its performers to discover what happens beyond the stage: how the body is prepared, how different choreographic languages are approached, what sustains confidence in a pas de deux, and how a dancer can adapt to different styles without losing their own identity. Hannah Alissa Richardson and Christopher Wilson also share their perspectives on Alvin Ailey's legacy, representation and cultural diversity in dance, the importance of interpretation versus technique, and what they consider essential for those who dream of becoming professional dancers. Two different perspectives from within a great company. Two experiences that converge on a fundamental idea: technique prepares the body, but it is humanity, intention, emotion, and the ability to tell a story that transform movement into art.
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."
In 1931, construction began on Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan—the beginning of a city within the city. That year, groundbreaking dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey was born in Rogers, Texas. With “Rise,” the first-ever dance film anchored in the New York City landmark, the work of Alvin Ailey soars across Rockefeller Center, from its storied observation level to the gilded sculpture of Prometheus and even the elevated gardens of Radio Park. In the short, seven dancers, styled in looks from New York designers like LUAR and Collina Strada, translate signature Ailey choreography to “Baddy on the Floor,” a rousing sonic collaboration between Jamie xx and Honey Dijon.
Ashley Green is a bundle of muscle. The American from South Carolina has been part of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for six years. Alvin Ailey's school, which became known as one of the first dance associations to give Black Americans a chance to perform, is a household name, especially in Anglo-Saxon regions. Although the troupe is gaining popularity here as well. “What characterizes Alvin Ailey? It is a mix of modern dance and ballet, initially designed to make African American bodies shine on stage,” says Ashley. Meanwhile, the company counts dancers of all backgrounds worldwide.
Anyone who pictures a dancer as a small, delicate prima ballerina has never seen a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The dancers are highly trained, top-level athletes who deliver Olympic-level performances during their nearly two-hour show. No wonder they are often called "artistic athletes"—especially since some of them have a background in sports. Caroline Dartey is one such example. The 28-year-old from Geneva began rhythmic gymnastics at the age of four and is a two-time Swiss champion in her category. After ending her competitive sports career in her early teens, dancing was "the logical next step," says Caroline.
The Alvin Ailey company’s New Works program might be seen in some circles as dated, and it’s true that it is neither cutting edge nor modishly contemporary. Yet it rests on more perennial qualities that underpin the company’s enduring appeal: skill, craft, beauty and humanity, and beneath them an artistic aim that can reach up towards the sublime, out towards the world, or in towards the heart.
Growing up, I loved dance. And so I spent years taking African, hip-hop and jazz classes at my local studio in Queens, New York. While I also greatly admired classical ballet, even as a child I was acutely aware of how, aesthetically, Black dancers had to fit in with Eurocentric beauty ideal. Then I discovered Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Going to its show and seeing dancers who looked like me was thrilling. The stories on the stage were told through exquisite movement and music, and they were also told through hair.