Around the Ballet World, News

Explore Alvin Ailey and the Performing Arts on Google Arts & Culture

February 12, 2024

Story by blanksite2

The Ailey organization, which has grown to comprise two repertory companies, a school and public classes, is committed to furthering the work of Alvin Ailey, the visionary choreographer, dancer and cultural leader. Following Alvin Ailey’s dictum that “dance came from the people and should always be delivered back to the people,” our performing arts community plays a crucial social role in using American modern dance and the humanity of African American heritage and other cultures to unite people of all races, ages and backgrounds.

As we celebrate our 65th anniversary season with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Black History Month is a particularly important time to amplify Alvin Ailey’s mission, spotlight his groundbreaking legacy and celebrate the profound contributions of African Americans to the cultural landscape.

Today, we’re pleased to announce a new partnership with Google Arts & Culture to make Alvin Ailey’s collections and history available to a wider audience. With 75 archival images and 4 digital stories shared online, you can follow Ailey’s legacy from his early years in rural Texas to New York. Here are some ways you can get started:

Embark on a journey into Alvin Ailey’s dance legacy — discover his works that have captivated audiences for decades.
Learn more about my journey in the world of dance and as Mr. Ailey’s successor as Artistic Director of the theater, and discover how Ailey is moving into the future.
Delve into the world of Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations,” an iconic dance masterpiece that beautifully captures the essence of African American culture and spirituality.
Explore how the Ailey organization has grown and learn about opportunities to enjoy live dance performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, train with The Ailey School, and participate in public dance classes for the community.

We are joining Google Arts & Culture’s new Performing Arts hub, which celebrates Black excellence in the performing arts, from dance to music to theater. You can explore Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis’ archives, learn about the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s early years, and learn about the Free Southern Theater with Amistad Research Center. Explore the origins of the Lindy Hop, from its birthplace in Harlem. You can continue to honor hip hop’s legacy with the HipHop2020 Innovation Archive and their spotlight on the role and contributions of women in hip-hop, or learn about an unexpected history with the Massachusetts Hip Hop Archive. Celebrate Black excellence on stage with Karamu Performing Arts Theatre, as they produce Langston Hughes’s Black Nativity.

Beyond the performing arts, Google Arts and Culture’s Black Culture and History hub keeps growing with new digital stories. Discover the International African American Museum’s new museum in Charleston, located on one of our country’s most sacred sites. Then immerse yourself in a world of Black art, witnessing never-before-seen images of cartoons, photographs and paintings captured by Black artists from the Amistad Research Center’s permanent collections. Discover the story of how unexpected materials found their path to quiltmakers in Gee’s Bend, Alabama and eventually adorned the walls of museums with Souls Grown Deep.

At Alvin Ailey, our commitment to celebrating Black excellence knows no bounds. The introduction of this new performing arts hub is one more way we uphold this commitment. This hub stands as a testament to the multifaceted dimensions of African American artistry and cultural contributions that we aim to present and elevate. Celebrate Black excellence this Black History Month with us at the Performing Arts Hub.

This article was provided courtesy of Alvin Ailey and Google.