Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes. The giants of the Harlem Renaissance loom large in "Uptown," Matthew Rushing's new work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
At a recent rehearsal for his new work at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the choreographer Ronald K. Brown didn't tell the dancers what they were doing wrong; he showed them, illustrating the silky, particular undulations of his movement by quietly slipping next to each one and dancing.
To research his historical piece on the Harlem Renaissance, "Uptown," Ailey star Matthew Rushing used modern technologies.
On June 9-14, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's (AAADT) rousing 50th anniversary season rolls into the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) with special performances at the Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Avenue).
When the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the Kentucky Center on Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20, keep an eye on Matthew Rushing. He's the old man of the company — at the advanced age of 35.
Nearly 1,000 happy feet were dancing, stomping, tapping and kicking on a recent Saturday afternoon at the Music Center in downtown L.A., led by local choreographers and dancers such as Robert Gilliam and Linda Yudin, krumper Lil' Tommy the Clown and a surprise instructor - Matthew Rushing, a dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
The Ailey troupe made a big impression on Matthew Rushing. And he on it.
At two recent galas, Daniel Ulbricht at NYCB and Matthew Rushing at Ailey took my breath away.
I think stage presence goes hand in hand with maturity.