Press Coverage

June 24, 2026

WABE - For nearly 20 years, AileyCamp Atlanta promotes youth development through the arts

Research suggests engaging with the arts can benefit young people by fostering self-expression and building community — and a partnership between AileyCamp Atlanta and Utopian Academy for the Arts is showing similar results in Georgia. “ It’s the confidence, it’s the transformation, it’s the artistic development of young people that have keen interests within the arts,” said Dr. Artesius Miller, founder and CEO of Utopian Academy for the Arts, the first state-chartered, tuition-free, fine arts school in Clayton County. “And then this is within a short timeframe too, that we have to recognize the impact of this camp because it’s truly remarkable to witness.” Since 2007, AileyCamp has offered a free six-week summer day camp teaching everything from dance techniques to percussion instruments and other creative arts.

June 20, 2026

WCLK - The Ailey Dance Camp Provides Life Skills to Young People

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is known in Atlanta for its wonderful performances that sell out every February. What some don’t know is that the Ailey dance company doesn’t leave in February. They recruit dancers for the six-week Ailey Dance Camp. Students from Atlanta Public Schools, ages 11-14, are invited to participate. The Ailey Dance Camp operates in 20 cities across the country, providing life skills, including critical thinking, conflict resolution, and more. While some participants may go on to have careers in dance, most will use the poise and discipline they learn throughout their entire lives and careers.

June 18, 2026

Fjord - Hymn to an Uncommon Man

OG Anunoby’s fingertip putback of Jalen Brunson’s Hail Mary three-pointer. Jordan Staal’s diving sniper goal. It’s playoff season, a time of year dominated by unbelievable, high-stakes athleticism across several sports (see also the French Open, the FIFA World Cup). It can be a hard time, consequently, for regular dance programming. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s quick summer season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music could compete with any sport finals in terms of physical prowess, but the stakes only felt high in one of the three pieces on offer. Luckily, that work was powerful enough to carry the load. That impactful dance was Judith Jamison’s “Hymn,” revived for the first time in 15 years. Generally, when ballets take extended naps in the repertory vault, there is a reason. Not in this case. Though “Hymn” certainly reflects its 1993 birth date—it is very much “Revelations” filtered through an early ’90s night club—it also feels timeless. Early reviewers said as much. In 1993, Clive Barnes wrote in the NY Post that “Hymn…emerges as the most thrilling piece of dance theatre I have seen all year…Beautifully performed, with power, reverence and love.” And in 1996, Jennifer Dunning wrote in the New York Times that “Hymn” was “an eloquent evocation of Ailey that is on its way to being another classic.”

June 4, 2026

Amsterdam News - Ailey’s BAM season centers inspiring power of the human spirit

A sure sign of summer is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s appearance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), June 4–7 this year, with a program that celebrates the transcendence of the human body and spirit with works that include Ailey’s timeless masterpiece, “Revelations,” the ultimate anthem to resilience and joy that has moved and uplifted fans for decades. Also included is Hymn, the Emmy-Award winning 1993 tribute to the company’s founder, choreographed by its legendary star and Ailey’s successor, the late Judith Jamison. Medhi Walerski’s “Blink of an Eye,” with its stunningly deft display of athleticism set to J.S. Bach’s compelling fast-paced violin sonatas and partita, rounds out the evening.

June 1, 2026

Agree to Understand - Samantha Figgins talks Hearing Loss Journey

A journey through Hearing Loss. Host Chris Richardson sits down with Samantha Figgins, a renowned dancer from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, for a conversation to discover Samantha's journey with hearing loss, her experiences in the dance world, and her advocacy for the deaf and disabled community. Learn about her choreographic debut, her work with Beyoncé, and her insights on embracing differences. This episode is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the power of community.

May 8, 2026

NJ.com - His grandmother’s house music and Newark culture: The making of an Alvin Ailey dancer

Christopher Taylor still carries Newark with him every time he steps onto a stage. He remembers summers filled with booming house music, crowded park festivals and long days spent dancing in the middle of circles of cheering adults. “My grandmother was a house head,” he said, naming DJs and artists like Black Coffee and Kenny Bobien he heard at home. “I grew up with house music blasting all day.”

May 5, 2026

WPIX11 - Ailey American Dance Theater closes landmark tour with performances at NJPAC

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New Jersey Performing Arts Center for Mother’s Day weekend tradition. The company, a longtime favorite of tri‑state audiences, returns for its 27th engagement as NJPAC’s Principal Resident Affiliate. The performances feature new works by Maija García, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Matthew Neenan and Jamar Roberts, along with the company premiere of Medhi Walerski’s “Blink of an Eye.” Each program closes with Alvin Ailey’s acclaimed 1960 masterpiece “Revelations.”

May 1, 2026

The Boston Globe - Weymouth-born ballet star Matthew Neenan is back in Boston with new choreography for Alvin Ailey

In 1979, a 4-year-old Matthew Neenan made his professional dance debut in Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at the Wang Theater. This weekend, his first choreographed work for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes it Boston premiere on that same stage.

April 30, 2026

NBC10 - Weymouth native makes choreographic debut with Alvin Ailey

Artistic Director, Alicia Graf Mack and Choreographer, Matthew Neenan join NBC 10’s morning anchors to discuss Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s engagement in Boston and the program including the world premiere of Matthew Neenan’s Difference Between.

April 24, 2026

WVON - Interview with Renaldo Maurice

The Cleopatra Show’s host, Cleopatra Draper, speaks with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Renaldo Maurice about his journey in the performing arts and the Company’s engagement in Chicago.