EIF 2023 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Programme 1 Festival Theatre 23rd August Review
Photo Credit Dario-Calmese
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater were at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh tonight performing Programme 1 of their works and, as always, those distinctive hallmarks of their celebration of everything that is good in the arts in a wide sense of that statement, but often with an emphasis on Afro-American culture woven into wonderful stories told in dance and movement, were there with every step that the dancers took. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is truly a multi-cultural company drawing its inspirations from many diverse sources and interpreting it all in their own unique way.
For me, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is always a check-point for works of imaginative choreography performed by some of the best contemporary dancers out there and there is always that effortless grace and fluidity to any work from them, a celebration of the human body, mind and spirit set often to music that is just as integral to the performance as the dance. The three works performed tonight were all classic examples of all of these qualities.
Twyla Tharp Roy’s Joys – 1997, Ailey Premiere 2022 (replacing Aszure Barton’s BUSK on this programme)
This work is a celebration by the company of choreographer Twyla Sharp, and this 9 dancer, 9 piece work captures the music and the spontaneity of classic 1940s and 1950s jazz. With its soundtrack of music by Roy Eldridge, sounds that he created in Paris are fused with one of his most well-known works “I Remember Harlem” and interpreted in movement that effortlessly blends classical and modern dance techniques together.
Kyle Abraham Are You in Your Feelings? (2022)
With this work Alvin Ailey Dance bring us right up to present day times with Kyle Abraham’s celebration of Black culture and Black music with choreography that has as its score a “mixtape” of soul, hip-hop, and R&B.
To a background of classic song segments that range from “I Only Have Eyes for You” (The Flamingos) to “That’s How You Feel” (Drake) this work is a wonderful celebration of just being alive.
Alvin Ailey Revelations (1960)
What is there really left to say about what is now regarded by many people as one of the most iconic works of modern dance ever created?
Using as its source material African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey takes us on an exploration of the human soul, the human spirit itself from at times deepest sorrow to joy that for some people in this story transcends into an uplifting religious, almost visionary experience. The ability of the dancers to create an emotional atmosphere that allows us as an audience to share at least some of all of this with them is extraordinary.
It is still hard to believe that this work is over 60 years old as tonight’s performance was simply timeless.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
For me, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is always a check-point for works of imaginative choreography performed by some of the best contemporary dancers out there and there is always that effortless grace and fluidity to any work from them, a celebration of the human body, mind and spirit set often to music that is just as integral to the performance as the dance. The three works performed tonight were all classic examples of all of these qualities.
Twyla Tharp Roy’s Joys – 1997, Ailey Premiere 2022 (replacing Aszure Barton’s BUSK on this programme)
This work is a celebration by the company of choreographer Twyla Sharp, and this 9 dancer, 9 piece work captures the music and the spontaneity of classic 1940s and 1950s jazz. With its soundtrack of music by Roy Eldridge, sounds that he created in Paris are fused with one of his most well-known works “I Remember Harlem” and interpreted in movement that effortlessly blends classical and modern dance techniques together.
Kyle Abraham Are You in Your Feelings? (2022)
With this work Alvin Ailey Dance bring us right up to present day times with Kyle Abraham’s celebration of Black culture and Black music with choreography that has as its score a “mixtape” of soul, hip-hop, and R&B.
To a background of classic song segments that range from “I Only Have Eyes for You” (The Flamingos) to “That’s How You Feel” (Drake) this work is a wonderful celebration of just being alive.
Alvin Ailey Revelations (1960)
What is there really left to say about what is now regarded by many people as one of the most iconic works of modern dance ever created?
Using as its source material African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey takes us on an exploration of the human soul, the human spirit itself from at times deepest sorrow to joy that for some people in this story transcends into an uplifting religious, almost visionary experience. The ability of the dancers to create an emotional atmosphere that allows us as an audience to share at least some of all of this with them is extraordinary.
It is still hard to believe that this work is over 60 years old as tonight’s performance was simply timeless.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com