The Ailey School

Students from The Ailey School Professional Division. Photo by Nir Arieli
Please Credit Photo: Students from The Ailey School Professional Division. Photo by Nir Arieli
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The Ailey School is the official school of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1969, Alvin Ailey founded The Ailey School (then called the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center) in Brooklyn, New York, with an initial enrollment of 125 students. Guided by Mr. Ailey’s mission that dance is for everybody, the School offers programs for aspiring dancers from ages 3 to 25.

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Co-Directors of The Ailey School, Tracy Inman and Melanie Person
Co-Directors of The Ailey ... (Read More) Co-Directors of The Ailey School, Tracy Inman and Melanie Person (Hide)
Students from The Ailey School Professional Division
Students from The Ailey School ... (Read More) Students from The Ailey School Professional Division (Hide)
Ailey School co-director Melanie Person with students from the Professional Division
Ailey School co-director ... (Read More) Ailey School co-director Melanie Person with students from the Professional Division (Hide)
Ana Marie Forsythe with The Ailey School students
Ana Marie Forsythe with The ... (Read More) Ana Marie Forsythe with The Ailey School students (Hide)
Co-Directors of The Ailey School, Tracy Inman and Melanie Person
Students from The Ailey School Professional Division
Ailey School co-director Melanie Person with students from the Professional Division
Ana Marie Forsythe with The Ailey School students
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Featured Video

The Ailey School Overview
The Ailey School Overview
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Featured News Releases

AILEY Offers a Variety of Options to Celebrate Black History Month Including Live Performances, Dance Workshops, Free Classes, and Education Programming for Students and Educators

NEW YORK, NY (January 15, 2026) – As America prepares to celebrate a Century of Black History Commemorations this February, AILEY welcomes people from all walks of life to immerse themselves in the beauty of African American culture through performances, workshops, and educational programming. With a variety of options including free programming, in-person experiences, and online offerings, each initiative presents opportunities for all regardless of age, location, or dance abilities. Discover the magic of AILEY by witnessing live performances from the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and spirited Ailey II; explore Alvin Ailey’s choreography at Ailey Experience and get moving to a variety of dance styles with roots in the African diaspora during workshops and weekly classes presented by Ailey Extension; explore new educational resources for students and educators, and experience the life, career and impact of the organization’s founder with the Portrait of Ailey documentary.

ALL ARTS Presents a Look Inside Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle’s New Directions Choreography Lab in an Eight-Part Digital Series, Premiering May 2

ALL ARTS, the streaming platform and channel dedicated to the arts, will premiere Alvin Ailey New Directions, an eight-part digital series documenting the creative process of two choreographers as they explore new directions in dance during their residencies at the New Directions Choreography Lab, a creative residency program hosted by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle and The Ailey School, with Co-Director Melanie Person.

Ailey Shares The Gift Of Holiday Revelations With Free Streaming Of Opening Night Gala From December 21 Through January 2

NEW YORK – December 21, 2022 – The Ailey organization is sharing the gift of holiday Revelations with a free streaming of the 2022 Opening Night Gala at New York City Center from today, Wednesday, December 21 through Monday, January 2 on Ailey All Access, YouTube and Facebook. The one-night-only celebration features special appearances from Honorary Chair Tamron Hall, the two-time Emmy-winning TV host, journalist, author and producer, and philanthropist Denise Littlefield Sobel, the Honoree.

Featured Press Coverage

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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.”

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WDAM7 - Renowned New York dance instructor visits Mississippi to recruit for summer program

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - A world-renowned dance instructor from New York visited Laurel Thursday to conduct a special class and do some recruiting for a prestigious summer dance program in the Big Apple. Melanie Person, who is co-director of the Ailey School in New York, taught a master ballet class Thursday morning at Laurel Middle School. It’s part of a three-day residency in the Magnolia State, organized by the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian. She’ll teach two other classes Friday in Meridian before hosting an audition Saturday for a prestigious summer dance program at the Ailey School.