BRITWEEK EXTENDS TO MAY 2nd FOR A SPECIAL GRAND FINALE

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison had her first choreographic success with Divining, which displays musical sophistication and complexity of movement that are hallmarks of her work as a dance maker. African polyrhythms lend the work an air of mystery and mysticism while the title suggests a search or quest.

Created in 1984, five years before Jamison took on the leadership of the Ailey company, the piece is set to the music of Kimati Dinizulu and Monti Ellison, and builds on a variety of dance idioms from throughout Africa to create a pulsating, strikingly modern work. At its premiere, The New York Times gave special praise to Jamison’s “invention of movement shapes and movement quality that give the piece a fascinating originality.”

WITH A SPECIAL INTRODUCTION BY DEBBIE ALLEN

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ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATRE | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance.

The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents – as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms. Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Mr. Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 235 works by over 90 choreographers have been part of the Ailey company’s repertory.

DEBBIE ALLEN | IMDB | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Debbie Allen - American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director and producer - is best known for her work in musical-drama television series Fame, where she portrayed dance teacher Lydia Grant, and served as the series' principal choreographer. In a career that spans three decades, Ms. Allen has earned three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, five NAACP Image Awards, a Drama Desk, an Astaire Award (for Best Dancer), and the Olivier Award. She holds four honorary Doctorate degrees and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was appointed by President George W. Bush to represent the United States as a Cultural Ambassador of Dance. She has directed more than 50 television and film productions. She is currently Executive Producer/Director/Actress on ABC's Grey’s Anatomy. In 2001, Allen opened the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a non-profit organization that offers a comprehensive dance curriculum to students ages four and up in Los Angeles.