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Showing 11 – 20 of 1378 Items
Nieuwsblad - Ashley Green, background dancer for Ariana Grande: “That time-out? I understand it all too well.”

Nieuwsblad - Ashley Green, background dancer for Ariana Grande: “That time-out? I understand it all too well.”

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.

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.

The Times - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater review — infectiously joyous

The Times - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater review — infectiously joyous

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is the great behemoth of American modern dance. Founded in the Fifties to "preserve the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience", the New York-based troupe has performed to 25 million people in 71 countries. And here they are, back at Sadler's Wells in London, with nine works spread over two programs.

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.

The Star Ledger - Poised for success: Camp turns dancers into confident leaders

The Star Ledger - Poised for success: Camp turns dancers into confident leaders

All eyes turned to Nasha Thomas as she stepped into the dance rehearsal. The room fell quiet. With a few words, the AileyCamp national director commanded the attention of dozens of students as she shared feedback with campers preparing for an upcoming performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in early August.

NJ.com - How the Alvin Ailey summer camp in Newark is turning young dancers into confident leaders

NJ.com - How the Alvin Ailey summer camp in Newark is turning young dancers into confident leaders

All eyes turned to Nasha Thomas as she stepped into the dance rehearsal. The room fell quiet. With a few words, the AileyCamp national director commanded the attention of dozens of students as she shared feedback with campers preparing for an upcoming performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in early August. Thomas continued making her rounds, observing ballet, modern, West African dance and a percussion class, offering thoughtful adjustments along the way. “Stagger your positions,” she told one group. “Practice once without music. Get used to dancing without your glasses. Don’t rely on seeing every step. Tuck in loose strings. Remove rubber bands from your wrists. Be ready before the music begins.” Individually, the corrections were small. Collectively, they revealed something larger: Excellence is built through dozens of little habits.

Harper's Bazaar - Can ballet Help in the Fight Against Alzheimer's?

Harper's Bazaar - Can ballet Help in the Fight Against Alzheimer's?

I am standing on the side of the dance studio, debating whether to leave. Having recently returned to ballet classes after a two-decade hiatus, I feel defeated by the instructed footwork. It doesn’t help that the “Balletcore” class I am taking is 21+, meaning that I am auntie age in the eyes of many of my fellow dancers. Our instructor, dancer and choreographer Angela Trimbur, is introducing choreography that feels especially complex. But then she says just the thing to get me back onto the floor: Part of her intention is to fight off dementia. When I ask her about it later, she tells me, “Whether someone remembers every step is honestly less important to me than the fact that they're building new neuron pathways and challenging familiar patterns to shift gears.” Trimbur continues, “When we’re learning choreography, we’re asking the brain to do so many things at once: remember sequences, process music, coordinate movement, adapt when we make mistakes, and stay present with other people in the room. It’s a perfect puzzle for keeping the mind fresh.”

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Showing 11 – 20 of 1378 Items