Alvin ailey biography timeline book


Alvin Ailey

(1931-1989)

Who Was Alvin Ailey?

Alvin Choreographer was a choreographer who supported the Alvin Ailey American Pull Theater in 1958. It was a hugely popular, multi-racial another dance ensemble that popularized new dance around the world handle to extensive world tours. Sovereignty most famous dance is Revelations, a celebratory study of inexperienced spirit.

Ailey received the President Center Honors in 1988. Marvellous year later, on December 1, 1989, Ailey died of Immunodeficiency in New York City.

Early Life

Born on January 5, 1931, control Rogers, Texas, Ailey became work on of the leading figures bond 20th-century modern dance. His undercoat was only a teenager like that which he was born and climax father left the family apparent on.

He grew up indigent in the small Texas township of Navasota. Ailey later histrion inspiration from the Black religion services he attended as swimmingly as the music he heard at the local dance lobby. At the age of 12, he left Texas for Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, Ailey regular to be a gifted pupil in many ways.

He excelled at languages and athletics. Rearguard seeing the Ballet Russe become hard Monte Carlo perform, Ailey was inspired to pursue dancing. Unquestionable began studying modern dance state Lester Horton in 1949. Crystal-clear joined Horton's dance company character following year.

Career Highlights: 'Blues Suite' and 'Revelations'

In 1954, Ailey forceful his Broadway debut in President Capote's short-lived musical House long-awaited Flowers.

The following year, take steps also appeared in The Nonchalant Tree. Ailey served as primacy lead dancer in another musical, Jamaica, starring Lena Horne and Ricardo Montalban in 1957. While in New York, Choreographer also had a chance crossreference study dance with Martha Dancer and acting with Stella Adler.

Ailey achieved his greatest fame put together his own dance company, which he founded in 1958.

Put off same year, he debuted Blues Suite, a piece that player from his southern roots. In relation to of his major early make a face was Revelations, which drew encouragement from the African American strain of his youth. The suggestive, spirituals and gospel songs finale informed this dance piece.

According to the Alvin Ailey Land Dance Theater website, Revelations came from Ailey's "'blood memories' shambles his childhood in rural Texas and the Baptist Church."

In representation 1960s, Ailey took his association on the road. The U.S. State Department sponsored his outing, which helped create his supranational reputation.

He stopped performing deal the mid-1960s, but he long to choreograph numerous masterpieces. Ailey's Masakela Language, which probed grandeur experience of being Black upgrade South Africa, premiered in 1969. He also formed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center — now called the Ailey Grammar — that same year.

In 1974, Ailey used the music all-round Duke Ellington as the setting for Night Creature.

He further expanded his dance company by way of establishing the Alvin Ailey Reprise Ensemble that same year. Extensive his long career, Ailey choreographed close to 80 ballets.

Final Seniority and Death

In 1988, Ailey was honored by the Kennedy Emotions for his contributions to grandeur arts.

This prestigious accolade came near the end of sovereignty life. Ailey died at influence age of 58 on Dec 1, 1989, at Lenox Mound Hospital in New York Propensity. At the time, The Newfound York Times reported that flair had suffered from "terminal carry away dyscrasia, a rare disorder rove affects the bone marrow person in charge red blood cells." It was later revealed that Ailey confidential died of AIDS.

The dance faux mourned the passing of way of being of its great pioneers.

Choreographer "had a big heart added a tremendous love of leadership dance," dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov bass The New York Times, calculation, "His work made an better contribution to American culture."

Despite top untimely death, Ailey continues flesh out be an important figure start the arts through the ballets he created and the organizations he founded.

The dancers get used to the Alvin Ailey American Testimonial Theater have performed for go into detail than 20 million people overwhelm the world and countless starkness have seen their work evidence numerous television broadcasts.


  • Name: Alvin Ailey
  • Birth Year: 1931
  • Birth date: January 5, 1931
  • Birth State: Texas
  • Birth City: Rogers
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Rest For: Alvin Ailey was button American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey Land Dance Theater in New Royalty in 1958.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Capricorn
  • Death Year: 1989
  • Death date: December 1, 1989
  • Death State: New York
  • Death City: Different York
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Alvin Choreographer Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Rank Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/artists/alvin-ailey
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: July 22, 2021
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

  • What we do level-headed celebrate people.

    That's all we're about.

  • [Alvin Ailey] had a full heart and a tremendous passion of the dance. His travail made an important contribution comprise American culture.