Alvin Ailey 1931to –1989
American dancer and choreographer, founder of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and best known for his world-famous work Revelations. He was born into poverty in Texas, and moved often as his mother looked for work during the depression and segregation, ending up in California when he was 12. At school, he joined the gymnastics team in order to avoid contact sports. His interest in dance was sparked by seeing a ballet performance on a school trip, and a friend of his introduced him to the dancer Lester Horton when Ailey was 18. Horton’s school was rare in being racially integrated, and taught a variety of dance techniques from around the world. Ailey flourished there, though unsure at first if he wanted to pursue dance as a career. When Horton died suddenly in 1953, the company was left without an artistic director. Ailey stepped into the role at only 22, choreographing and directing with little experience. He left for New York City the following year to perform in a Broadway show by Truman Capote, but had trouble finding more work as a black man, and didn’t feel a strong connection to the New York modern dance scene. He formed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, a black company that became multi-racial a few years later, and that implemented Horton’s technique. In 1960 they debuted Revelations, a work in three parts that dealt specifically with African American history and culture, set to the music of spirituals, gospel, and the blues. It was an immediate success, and today has become one of the world’s best known pieces of modern dance. The U.S. State Department even sponsored the company to perform it overseas, earning them the nickname “Cultural Ambassador to the World.” Another signature piece of his was “Cry,” a critically-acclaimed solo performance by Judith Jamison, who would become the star of the company and later take over as artistic director. Ailey had a few romantic relationships through his life, but remained fairly closeted, and would often meet younger men in gay bars who took advantage of him. He also struggled with mental health, suffering a nervous breakdown in 1980, exacerbated by drugs and alcohol. He died of AIDS at 58, but insisted the doctor call it a rare blood disorder in order to spare his mother. Today his namesake company and school are still thriving, performing new and old dances around the world. And in 2014, Ailey received the Presidential Metal of Freedom from Barack Obama.