The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Welcomes Back Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 65th Anniversary

Beloved as one of the world’s most popular dance companies, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater completes its 65th anniversary coast-to-coast United States tour to 21 cities at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Friday-Sunday, May 10-12. 2024. In what has become a Mother’s Day tradition for tri-state residents, Ailey returns to the NJPAC stage for the 25th time with exciting New Jersey premieres, a powerful new production in celebration of this year’s Max Roach Centennial, and repertory favorites including Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece Revelations. Other NJPAC activities include Ailey Day—a free community day of dance classes (Apr 6), a Schooltime Performance for young students (May 10), and its annual summer AileyCamp (Jul 1-Aug 9). 

Ailey’s 32 extraordinary dancers include two New Jersey natives: Montclair’s Chalvar Monteiro (Montclair) and Newark’s Christopher Taylor(Newark); and three AileyCamp alumni: Taylor, Solomon Dumas, and De’Anthony Vaughan. 

Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the New Jersey premieres of two works specially commissioned for Ailey: Amy Hall Garner’s first work for the Company, CENTURY, and former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s duet, Me, Myself and You. CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by Hall Garner’s grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy. Me, Myself and You is a dreamlike dance about reminiscence. Set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” it conjures the memories of love and passion of a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.

New productions include: the seven-minute tour-de-force Solo by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet; and Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000), an audacious, non-stop piece that investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit. Described by choreographer Alonzo King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. 

Also on the program are returning favorites: Survivors (1986) by Alvin Ailey and Mary Barnett, and Ailey’s signature masterpiece Revelations (1960). The former is Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. Max Roach’s richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up those who resist oppression in any form. Revelations has been seen by more people around the world than any other modern dance work, moving audiences with its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music and evoking timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence. Ending each performance is the finale Revelations. Springing from Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition.  

About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater   
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, recent posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company was led until 2023 by Robert Battle, whom Judith Jamison chose to succeed her on July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents—as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms—promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago; The Fox Theatre in Atlanta; Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate, and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the United States and the world during extensive yearly tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.

About M&T Bank
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About NJPAC
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million individuals (including over 1.9 million students and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. www.NJPAC.org

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Program + Ticketing:
NJPAC is located at One Center Street, Newark, New Jersey; a short walk from the 
Newark Penn Station stop by Newark-bound PATH Train or Amtrak. 
Tickets: FREE-$94. To purchase, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC/1.888.466.5722 
or visit NJPAC.org/dance.

Fri 5.10 @ 8:00 p.m.Public Performance
Me, Myself and You / Solo / Survivors / Revelations

Sat 5.11 @ 8:00 p.m. Public Performance
Following the Subtle Current Upstream / CENTURY / Revelations

Sun 5.12 @ 3:00 p.m.Public Performance
Me, Myself and You / Solo / Survivors / Revelations

Additional Offerings:

Sat 4.06 @ 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Ailey Day
A favorite annual event for families in the Newark area, this free program offers dance classes for children and adults taught by professional artists, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater alumni, Ailey Arts In Education Teaching Artists and students, and more. 

Fri 5.10 @ 12:30 p.m. SchoolTime Performance
Open to schools only (not general public)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s school-time performance introduces area students to the magic of Alvin Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations. The hour-long educational experience, moderated by one of Ailey’s dancers, also features excerpts of Ailey classics and an insider’s look behind-the-scenes to inspire young people.

Mon 7.01- Fri 8.09 AileyCamp Newark
A unique summer day camp program for middle school students ages 11-14, AileyCamp celebrates its 35^thanniversary in 10 cities across the country, including Newark. In partnership with Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, NJPAC founded this six-week program for Newark kids in 2011. More than a dance program, AileyCamp provides young people a safe space to develop their self-esteem, creative expression, and critical thinking skills, ultimately helping them reach their unlimited potential.