Founded by Alvin Ailey on March 30, 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the most acclaimed dance companies in the world. With a repertory that boasts close to 300 works by more than 100 choreographers, it has performed in more than 70 countries on six continents and has been designated a "vital American Cultural Ambassador to the World” by a US Congressional resolution.
The Ailey Organization includes: Ailey II (a second performing company of young dancers and emerging choreographers), The Ailey School (one of the world's most extensive dance training programs), Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs (which bring dance into classrooms and communities), and Ailey Extension (offering dance and fitness classes to the public). Using the American modern dance tradition and the beauty of the African American cultural heritage, AILEY enlightens, unites, and inspires all people.
(New York, NY) – Ailey Extension is partnering with the Museum of the City of New York to present public programs celebrating dance by welcoming visitors into the galleries for interactive beginner-friendly classes taught by leading NYC...
NEW YORK — September 4, 2025 — Ailey II, the acclaimed second company to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is inspiring audiences on a 39-city world tour now through April 11, 2026, with performances spanning from Kingston, Jamaica to Miami, Florida to Baltimore, Maryland. The 2025-2026 repertory features four compelling world premieres by emerging and established choreographers including former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II member Chalvar Monteiro, Rena Butler, Renée I. McDonald, and My’Kal Stromile.
NEW YORK — updated August 20, 2025 — Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Center’s Principal Dance Company and a beloved American cultural ambassador to the world, returns to the New York City Center stage from December 3, 2025 – January 4, 2026 for a five-week engagement, which has become a joyous holiday tradition! The milestone season raises the curtain on AILEY’s next era under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, the renowned dancer and educator, guided as ever by Alvin Ailey’s pioneering legacy. Audiences will be treated to classic works from the Ailey repertory that have inspired and uplifted fans for decades — including the touchstone of inspiration Revelations, the ultimate anthem to resilience and joy, which will be performed with live music for six performances on the Opening Night Gala and opening weekend.
When Sara Mearns was a young dancer with New York City Ballet, she says, she kept finding herself in a certain kind of role: “big dancing, dramatic, romantic, emotional.” It took her late coach Susan Hendl to imagine her in something different, casting Mearns in Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering. “She was the first person that took a chance on me doing something quieter,” says Mearns. “I’m so grateful to her, because once she did that, then everybody else saw it and was like, ‘Oh, wait, she can dance another way.’”
Trinidad and Tobago: A significant moment is set to shape Caribbean cultural history as one of the most revolutionary modern dance groups, the Alvin Ailey II dance company from the United States, takes center stage for the first time in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, August 26. According to the information, the performers are set to make their debut at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain, presenting its celebrated repertoire including the iconic modern dance work Revelations, choreographed by Alvin Ailey.
When one thinks of the legendary dancer Sylvia Waters, excellence, poise, and artistry are among the first attributes that come to mind. But in the classroom, her heart, brilliance, and spirit are what have elevated and inspired thousands of dancers. Selected by Alvin Ailey himself to join Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and later to lead the newly formed Ailey II in 1974, Waters has helped to mentor and elevate countless dancers through the transition from student to professional, all the while shaping a junior company into a globally respected institution.