Step into the world of ballet beyond the spotlight with our exclusive feature! Each edition offers a glimpse into the off-stage lives of your favorite dancers, showcasing their unique hobbies and passions. Discover the surprising and delightful activities that make these artists’ lives as captivating as their performances.
ISAIAH DAY
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Dancer
@isaiahdemarcus
Essential item in your dance bag?
Journal!
Movie you can re-watch till the end of time?
I can rewatch Love & Basketball till the end of time.Â
Dancer who’s inspired you?
Derek Dunn and Shale Wagman inspire me. To me, they seem to have such control over their instrument and have truly honed their craft. And don’t even get me started on Tiler Peck and Londiwe Khoza!
Song/artist/playlist you’ve been playing on repeat?
John Mark Patana and/or Sonder has been on repeat.Â
Least favorite dance step?
Pirouette. Maybe arabesque? No, pirouette and arabesque.Â
How do you like to spend your time outside of dance?
When I am outside of Ailey, I like to be in nature. I love to watch leaves blow in the wind and hike.Â
Best place to hang out in your company’s home city?
Hmm, Sheep Meadow!
Dream role?
I don’t have specific dream roles, but I aspire to work with choreographers like Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Hofesh Shechter.
Go-to coffee shop order
Iced vanilla latte with oat or almond milk!Â
Essential post-show ritual?
While it may not seem essential, being the last to leave the dressing room gives me the space to be alone, reflect, stretch, and wrap up the night in a meaningful way.
ABOUT ISAIAH
Isaiah Day (Chicago, IL) began his dance training with Yielded Vessel Dance Ministry at New Life Covenant Southeast. He also studied at Hubbard Street Youth Dance Center and The Chicago Academy for the Arts. He graduated in 2024 from The Juilliard School under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. While at Juilliard, Day performed works by Jamar Roberts, Tiler Peck, Justin Peck, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Rena Butler, and Ohad Naharin. He was named a YoungArts winner in Modern/Contemporary Dance in 2019. Day joined the Company in 2023.Â
Featured image by Dario Calmese
Images 1, 3 and 4 by Nir Arieli
Images 5 and 6 by Xavier Mack
