Caroline Theodora Dartey

Blick - Geneva native dances for the world's most successful ensemble

Blick - Geneva native dances for the world's most successful ensemble

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 Guardian - New Works Review – A Heavenly Night

The Guardian - New Works Review – A Heavenly Night

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.

British Vogue - Stage Beauty

British Vogue - Stage Beauty

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.

ATL Live - Alvin Ailey Returns to the Fox Theatre

ATL Live - Alvin Ailey Returns to the Fox Theatre

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Alicia Graf Mack and Caroline T. Dartey join ATL Live in-studio discuss their journey in the company and this weekend’s engagement at the Fox Theatre. Watch segment here (5 minutes): https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/02/13/alvin-ailey-returns-fox-theatre/

In The City - Honoring A Dance Icon: Alvin Ailey’s 2025 Season Pays Tribute To Judith Jamison

In The City - Honoring A Dance Icon: Alvin Ailey’s 2025 Season Pays Tribute To Judith Jamison

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is set to unveil a breathtaking 2025 season, celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Judith Jamison, the late Artistic Director Emerita who shaped Ailey’s identity for decades. A towering figure in dance, Jamison’s influence transcended choreography—she was a mentor, a visionary, and a force of nature whose passion for storytelling through movement inspired generations.

Viewing NYC - The Freedom To Be: Alvin Ailey Dancers

Viewing NYC - The Freedom To Be: Alvin Ailey Dancers

In our third episode of The Freedom to Be video series, timed to coincide with #NationalDanceDay today (Sept. 18), we spotlight the Black dance community in NYC. Choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey founded his namesake company in 1958 to bring African American dance to all corners of the US—and, eventually, the world. The dance theater, which forged a space for Black creatives in times and places where it often didn’t exist, is now a fixture of New York City culture. Meet two dancers from the troupe, Yannick Lebrun and Caroline Dartey, who emigrated from French Guiana and Switzerland, respectively, to pursue their dreams. Lebrun has been with the company for almost 15 years, while Dartey is just starting her journey. Both enjoy the sense of community and freedom of expression they’ve found at Alvin Ailey.

Dance Magazine - The Dirt: Caroline Theodora Dartey

Dance Magazine - The Dirt: Caroline Theodora Dartey

With effortless extensions, sky-high leaps, and equal parts elegance and strength, Ailey II company member Caroline Theodora Dartey is impossible to miss onstage. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Dartey actually started out training in rhythmic gymnastics, where she earned both national and international titles. She later took up dance, training at the Conservatoire Popular de Musique, Danse et Theatre of Geneva before deciding to move to NYC to pursue her dream career. She joined The Ailey School as a scholarship student in 2016, and is now embarking on her second season with Ailey II. Catch Dartey on tour with Ailey II all over the world this fall, and read on for The Dirt.