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HOUGHTON, Michigan (Wednesday, February 21, 2018) – The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to present the legendary Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance on Tuesday, February 27, 7:30 PM, as a part of their 32-city US tour on their 2017-2018 season. The Alvin Ailey dance spirit shines in Ailey II, known for their exhilarating and timeless performances nationally and internationally. Ailey II has been hailed as “second to none” by Dance Magazine, and for their “off the charts energy” by The New Yorker. The acclaimed 12-member ensemble will inspire audiences in more than two dozen cities across the U.S. Ailey II will also reach international audiences in France and Spain, and will return home for its annual New York season, taking place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater from March 14th – 25th.
Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers. One of the most popular dance companies in the country, Ailey II combines a rigorous touring schedule with extensive community outreach programs. In his sixth year as Artistic Director, Troy Powell announces three diverse new commissions: “I am thrilled to welcome remarkable new works by three talented rising choreographers into the repertory this season,” said Troy Powell. “These world premieres – alongside a roster of returning favorites – will allow audiences far and wide to experience the power and versatility of these gifted young dancers.”
The program here at the Rozsa on February 27th will include the iconic “Revelations,” first
premiered by Alvin Ailey in 1960. According to Jen Peters, in Dance Magazine, in an article titled “Why We Need Ailey’s Revelations Now More Than Ever:” In 1960, America was in the midst of a social transformation. The Supreme Court had ruled “separate but equal” unconstitutional six years prior, but the country’s response was slow and turbulent as desegregation incited violent responses. Surrounded by powerful civil rights momentum, a 29-
year-old Alvin Ailey created an ode to the resilience of the human spirit: Revelations. “Alvin was making a statement about African-American cultural experience, saying, ‘Hey, this is who we are, we live here, we were born here,’ ” says Judith Jamison, artistic director emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. “It was a brave action. Civil rights were roaring, and our protest was our performance.”
Here is the full program, including Revelations:
Virtues (Choreography by Amy Hall Garner)
Touch & Agree (A world premiere commissioned by Powell, by choreographer Juel D. Lane)
Revelations (Choreography by Alvin Ailey).
Amy Hall Garner is emerging as one of America’s diverse creative talents, with a career that spans from Broadway to ballet. In her work Virtues – set to a vibrant score by Karl Jenkins – Garner delivers high energy with a sophisticated edge. The dancers radiate with regal grace, while deftly executing a distinctive blend of contemporary modern and jazz movement. Mrs. Garner has previously created works for students of The Ailey School and in 2011; she became one of the first recipients of Joffrey Ballet’s Choreographers of Color Award.
Juel D. Lane’s Touch & Agree explores what it is to be in love and how we commit to another person without losing our own identity. To do this, Lane brings his personal experiences as a black gay man to the stage, using such wide-ranging musical sources as Sam Cooke, James Blake, H.E.R., and Byrell the Great. The Atlanta native’s unique style fuses contemporary, African, and hip-hop – bringing a fresh choreographic perspective to the ups and downs of relationships today.
The program closes with Revelations – the must-see masterpiece by Alvin Ailey himself. Since its creation in 1960, Revelations has consistently enraptured audiences all over the world with the perfect blend of reverent grace and spiritual elation. Alvin Ailey’s signature work pays homage to and reflects the cultural heritage of the African-American, what Ailey thought of as one of America’s richest treasures—“sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful.
For more information on the tour, visit alvinailey.org.
Tickets are on sale now: $22.00 – Adult, $10.00 – Youth, No Charge for Students with the Experience Tech Fee. Tickets are available by phone at (906) 487-2073, online at mtu.edu/rozsa, in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex, or at the Rozsa Box Office the evening of the performance. Please note the Rozsa Box Office only opens two hours prior to performances. Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disability.
