Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: A Performance and Demonstration

Notice how the color scheme for the costumes is different in each section, first earth-toned, then white, and finally yellow. Why do you think he chose these colors?

Props Tell a Story In Revelations, the dancers use props to help bring Ailey’s childhood memories to life. Watch for: ■

Long sheets of blue fabric stretched across the stage to suggest water

■

A white parasol, wide-brimmed hats, and fans to imply the heat of Texas summers

■

Stools used by the dancers to represent a seated church congregation

How Lighting Creates Mood Revelations begins with a group of dancers standing under a single spotlight on a darkened stage. Later, the dancers move across a fully illuminated stage. Why do you think the lighting changes?

Moving to Music Listen for the lines from these African-American spirituals: “There is trouble all over this world,” “wade in the water,” and “sinner man, where you gonna run to?” Watch how the dancers’ movements relate to the music.

Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided by the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, Capital One Bank, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Clark Charitable Foundation, Fight for Children, Inc., Mr. James V. Kimsey, The Kirstein Family Foundation, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., Linda and Tobia Mercuro, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Park Foundation, Inc., The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Mrs. Irene Pollin, Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk, The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc., the U.S. Department of Education, and the Verizon Foundation.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER PERFORMANCE DEMONSTRATION

Robert Battle, Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director

Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided

by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

“I didn’t want all the same bodies, or all the same color, in my company.” —Alvin Ailey

Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

Costumes: Colors Have Meanings

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

PERFORMANCE GUIDE

There is good reason why Alvin Ailey called his company “a dance theater.” Ailey was interested in how elements of theater—costumes, props, lighting, and music—could be combined with dance to communicate with an audience.

Cuesheet

DANCE AS THEATER

WHO WAS ALVIN AILEY?

AILEY’S SIGNATURE STYLE

Alvin Ailey was born in 1931 in a small town in Texas and began dancing at age 11. When he was 12, he moved to Los Angeles. He took dance classes from Lester Horton, a teacher and choreographer who established the first multi-racial dance school in the United States.

Ailey accepted dancers into his company who were trained in different styles, including ballet, modern, and jazz. He encouraged their individual strengths and differences in style, bringing them together in performance. Watch for common elements in his choreography:

An expressive upper body with fluid arms and torso movements, as in modern dance

■

Energetic dancing that emphasizes strength

■

Expressive hands

■

A fusion of Caribbean and African movements with ballet and modern dance

“Pilgrim of Sorrow” speaks of people yearning for salvation but burdened by the troubles of this life. Look for arms reaching upward toward heaven, and bodies pulled back to earth with heavy, bowed heads.

■

“Take Me to the Water” is an enactment of Ailey’s own baptism that took place in a pond behind his church. Watch for the devotional leader in white holding a large white umbrella. She leads a young couple to the baptismal river of billowing blue silk.

■

“Move, Members, Move!” begins with a trio for three men to the song “Sinner Man.” The next section shows a congregation, decked out in yellow, participating in a joyous church service. Watch how Ailey brings humor to the work by showing churchgoers who gossip and others who fan themselves in the heat.

Music: Traditional African-American Spirituals One of the dances you will see at this performance is Revelations, Ailey’s signature work. Revelations has been seen by more people than any other modern dance work. More than 23 million audience members in 71 countries have been to a performance.

Revelations is based on Ailey’s early years worshipping at his Baptist church.

He described the memories that inspired Revelations as “blood memories” because they were so strong he felt they were part of him as much as the blood that ran through his veins.

The three sections of the work are performed to spirituals, or songs that were developed among African Americans during slavery. The music is an expression of faith and emphasizes the importance of faith in sustaining people during difficult times.

Straight lines in the lower body, with quick and sharp leg and foot movements, as in ballet

■

■

Revelations (1960)

Notice how the dancers use props to create a church setting.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

Ailey’s experiences as a black man growing up during segregation greatly influenced his career. He wanted to express the African American struggle for freedom and opportunity, as well as give black dancers more chances to perform.

To achieve these goals, Ailey began his dance company in 1958. His masterwork, Revelations, was choreographed in 1960 when he was only 29 years old. Alvin Ailey died in 1989.

■

A MODERN DANCE SEEN BY MILLIONS Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims, Alicia Graf Mack and Glenn Allen Sims in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

In “Take Me to the Water,” the white parasol held by the dancer suggests relief from the hot sun. The dancer must concentrate to keep the parasol upright, even as she performs difficult movements.

WHO WAS ALVIN AILEY?

AILEY’S SIGNATURE STYLE

Alvin Ailey was born in 1931 in a small town in Texas and began dancing at age 11. When he was 12, he moved to Los Angeles. He took dance classes from Lester Horton, a teacher and choreographer who established the first multi-racial dance school in the United States.

Ailey accepted dancers into his company who were trained in different styles, including ballet, modern, and jazz. He encouraged their individual strengths and differences in style, bringing them together in performance. Watch for common elements in his choreography:

An expressive upper body with fluid arms and torso movements, as in modern dance

■

Energetic dancing that emphasizes strength

■

Expressive hands

■

A fusion of Caribbean and African movements with ballet and modern dance

“Pilgrim of Sorrow” speaks of people yearning for salvation but burdened by the troubles of this life. Look for arms reaching upward toward heaven, and bodies pulled back to earth with heavy, bowed heads.

■

“Take Me to the Water” is an enactment of Ailey’s own baptism that took place in a pond behind his church. Watch for the devotional leader in white holding a large white umbrella. She leads a young couple to the baptismal river of billowing blue silk.

■

“Move, Members, Move!” begins with a trio for three men to the song “Sinner Man.” The next section shows a congregation, decked out in yellow, participating in a joyous church service. Watch how Ailey brings humor to the work by showing churchgoers who gossip and others who fan themselves in the heat.

Music: Traditional African-American Spirituals One of the dances you will see at this performance is Revelations, Ailey’s signature work. Revelations has been seen by more people than any other modern dance work. More than 23 million audience members in 71 countries have been to a performance.

Revelations is based on Ailey’s early years worshipping at his Baptist church.

He described the memories that inspired Revelations as “blood memories” because they were so strong he felt they were part of him as much as the blood that ran through his veins.

The three sections of the work are performed to spirituals, or songs that were developed among African Americans during slavery. The music is an expression of faith and emphasizes the importance of faith in sustaining people during difficult times.

Straight lines in the lower body, with quick and sharp leg and foot movements, as in ballet

■

■

Revelations (1960)

Notice how the dancers use props to create a church setting.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

Ailey’s experiences as a black man growing up during segregation greatly influenced his career. He wanted to express the African American struggle for freedom and opportunity, as well as give black dancers more chances to perform.

To achieve these goals, Ailey began his dance company in 1958. His masterwork, Revelations, was choreographed in 1960 when he was only 29 years old. Alvin Ailey died in 1989.

■

A MODERN DANCE SEEN BY MILLIONS Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims, Alicia Graf Mack and Glenn Allen Sims in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

In “Take Me to the Water,” the white parasol held by the dancer suggests relief from the hot sun. The dancer must concentrate to keep the parasol upright, even as she performs difficult movements.

Notice how the color scheme for the costumes is different in each section, first earth-toned, then white, and finally yellow. Why do you think he chose these colors?

Props Tell a Story In Revelations, the dancers use props to help bring Ailey’s childhood memories to life. Watch for: ■

Long sheets of blue fabric stretched across the stage to suggest water

■

A white parasol, wide-brimmed hats, and fans to imply the heat of Texas summers

■

Stools used by the dancers to represent a seated church congregation

How Lighting Creates Mood Revelations begins with a group of dancers standing under a single spotlight on a darkened stage. Later, the dancers move across a fully illuminated stage. Why do you think the lighting changes?

Moving to Music Listen for the lines from these African-American spirituals: “There is trouble all over this world,” “wade in the water,” and “sinner man, where you gonna run to?” Watch how the dancers’ movements relate to the music.

Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided by the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, Capital One Bank, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Clark Charitable Foundation, Fight for Children, Inc., Mr. James V. Kimsey, The Kirstein Family Foundation, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., Linda and Tobia Mercuro, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Park Foundation, Inc., The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Mrs. Irene Pollin, Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk, The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc., the U.S. Department of Education, and the Verizon Foundation.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER PERFORMANCE DEMONSTRATION

Robert Battle, Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director

Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided

by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

“I didn’t want all the same bodies, or all the same color, in my company.” —Alvin Ailey

Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

Costumes: Colors Have Meanings

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

PERFORMANCE GUIDE

There is good reason why Alvin Ailey called his company “a dance theater.” Ailey was interested in how elements of theater—costumes, props, lighting, and music—could be combined with dance to communicate with an audience.

Cuesheet

DANCE AS THEATER