The dance world celebrates the life and legacy of Judith Jamison, a groundbreaking dancer, choreographer, and visionary leader who left an indelible mark on modern dance. Jamison, who passed away at 81 on Saturday, is best remembered for her transformative work with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, both as a performer and as its longtime Artistic Director. Her legacy—filled with passion, grace, and resilience—will be cherished and honored for generations to come.

Jamison joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) in 1965. Over a remarkable 15-year career as a dancer with the company, she became known for her sensational performance of Alvin Ailey’s Cry, a three-part solo that premiered in 1971. Created as a birthday gift for Ailey’s mother, the piece was dedicated “to all Black women everywhere—especially our mothers.” As Alvin Ailey’s artistic muse, Jamison embodied tenacity, honesty, and strength, physicalizing Ailey’s ideas in ways that made emotions tangible. Though Ailey never explicitly described the emotional trajectory of Cry, Jamison’s performance captured a journey through slavery; loss, grief, and sorrow; and ultimately perseverance.

First company member Caroline Dartey recently debuted in the third section of Cry at the Whitney Museum’s Edges of Ailey exhibit. “I felt so grateful to show the Black woman that I am” and “am trying to be,” she shared.

In the 1980s, Jamison stepped away from the company to explore other opportunities, including Broadway and founding her own company, The Jamison Project. Throughout her independent career, she maintained close ties with AAADT. In 1984, she choreographed the revered piece Divining. Adrienne Hurd, a Horton instructor at The Ailey School, remembers, “Judi was doing a workshop on the [Professional Division] students. This piece later turned into the final section of Divining — Judi’s first choreographic piece for the company.” She recalls Jamison “worked with us, not as students, but dancers. She demanded more from us than we thought we could give, but, through inspiration and determination, we always gave more.”

Ailey invited Jamison to expand the work into a full piece with two new sections. “I was asked to help as the lead dancer would be Donna Woods and Donna and I were roughly the same height,” Hurd recalls. In rehearsal, while working alongside Sarita Allen and Jonathan Riesling, “Judi was always fast. She would show it, and then you did it.” Without time for self-doubt, “she changed the way I saw myself. She was encouraging, inspirational and demanded excellence, because we were divinely athletic, fierce dancers. I went on to join her company. The Jamison Project, 12 of the most talented dancers I ever worked with,” Hurd reminisces. She also went on to become an assistant and rehearsal director for Ms. Jamison at The Project. 

Current Ailey II member Alfred L. Jordan II had the honor of rehearsing Divining with Jamison, who joined sessions via Zoom. “The words of wisdom she shared will always be with me, ‘Now that you’ve learned the step, what are you going to do with it?’ she would say. That alone impacted me in ways she will never know,” he affirmed. 

Corinth Moulterie, also in Ailey II, recently performed Divining at Edges of Ailey. For Moulterie, “To embody Ms. Jamison’s work Divining is to manifest the light she carried in this world and spiritually connect to the best version of yourself.” 

Ahead of his death in 1989, Ailey appointed Jamison as his successor, and she served as AAADT’s Artistic Director for 21 years. Under her guidance, the company achieved unprecedented international success and established a permanent home for Ailey. Dedicated to continuing what Ailey started, Jamison was a spirited leader. Dartey reflects, “whenever Ms. Jamison would come to the studio or the theater, her presence would be felt. She was so passionate and sincere about dance.”

Jamison devoted herself to nurturing the next generation of dancers. She cared deeply about people, not just technique—desiring to see humanity onstage. “She always greeted me with a smile and a hug, asked how I was and, most importantly, was I still dancing,” Hurd reflects. For Jamison, dance was a means of connecting to something greater.

A testament to the extent of her impact, Dylan Washington, a senior in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, expressed how Jamison was an inspiration to prove people wrong. “As a tall Black woman, it was incredibly special to see such a tremendous pioneer of dance who looked like me,” she shared. Washington admires how graceful and yet assertive and unapologetic Jamison was when she danced. She “will always be a guiding light for the kind of dancer and person I want to become.”

Jamison’s legacy celebrates her artistry, enduring spirit, and trailblazing vision. Moulterie expressed, “Thank you, Ms. Jamison, for your remarkable gift and the impact you have on me and so many others.” Jordan echoed, aspiring “to one day impact people in the way she has,” while Hurd urges us to carry forward her passion: “When in doubt, dance!”

Learn more about Ms. Jamison’s legacy by visiting the Edges of Ailey exhibit at the Whitney Museum, open through February 9th, 2025. Experience her lasting impact at Ailey’s New York City Center Season, running from December 4th through January 5th.