Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s highly anticipated season at New York City Center is from December 3 – January 4, 2026. This year highlights the inaugural season of Artistic Director and former Ailey dancer, Alicia Graf Mack.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's holiday performances begin in about three weeks, with a new artistic director leading the way. Alicia Graf Mack fills the giant shoes of the late great Judith Jamison. Mack was once a principal dancer under Jamison. She talked to Eyewitness News about her new role, which she calls a full-circle moment, and her vision for the future of the treasured theater.
The famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has a new leader. Alicia Graf Mack is only the fourth artistic director of the groundbreaking dance company.
Uplifting Black voices, experiences, and successes have been at the core of EBONY’s legacy for 80 years. This year, as EBONY celebrates eight decades of dedication to the Black community, the 2025 Power 100 List continues that tradition by honoring Black artists, community crusaders, and leaders across industries.
Last November, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater announced that Alicia Graf Mack would become its next artistic director. Graf Mack’s trajectory seems to have prepared her for this role. During a brilliant career as a dancer with both Dance Theatre of Harlem and Ailey, she acquired two academic degrees on the side, in history and arts management. After retiring from the stage, she went on to become the director of The Juilliard School’s Dance Division, where she has spent the last seven years thoughtfully expanding the august academy’s approach to dance training. Now, she will be returning to Ailey, where her term as artistic director begins on July 1. She will be only the fourth person to hold the position, after Ailey himself, his chosen successor, Judith Jamison, and the choreographer Robert Battle.
Dancers from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - Constance Stamatiou, Jacquelin Harris, and Samantha Figgins perform Cry in tribute to Judith Jamison on the Jennifer Hudson Show!
The late Judith Jamison, a transformative figure in modern dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, was honored with a resolution designating May 10 as Judith Jamison Day, an annual recognition of her artistic brilliance, cultural impact, and leadership. The date now stands as an annual tribute to a woman who reshaped the possibilities of performance and empowered generations of dancers after it was passed by the City Council on May 1.
More than 35 years after his death, Alvin Ailey still has revelations to share. With its opening “I Been Buked” tableau of arms stretching up to heaven, the choreographer’s iconic ballet “Revelations” is arguably the most beloved and frequently performed work in the modern dance canon. It turns out that the 30-minute version of the ballet that concludes most Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) performances is only half of the story.
Since 1976, Atlanta has prided itself on being the second home to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Each February, the extraordinary dancers showcase thrilling new works and audience favorites at the Fox Theatre. This year’s performances are Feb. 12-16. Choreographer Hope Boykin and Alvin Ailey interim artistic director Matthew Rushing recently joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to share more about this season’s offerings.
Alicia Graf Mack has been entrusted with carrying the torch of ballet and modern dance into the future. As a dancer, she has battled through adversity to perform alongside artists like Beyoncé, John Legend and Andre 3000. As a teacher, she has helped bridge the past into the future, educating new generations of students.