Ailey Classics features excerpts from classics works by Alvin Ailey, as well as a performance of his masterpiece, Revelations, in its entirety.

Using African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.  More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans.

Visual surprises abound in this tantalizing contemporary ballet, which blends a classical sensibility with a bold, modern wit.  The choreography includes six men, six women, and six fencing foils.

Jamaican-born choreographer Garth Fagan – a Tony Award winner for The Lion King – expertly distills the dance traditions of his heritage to display movement in its purest form.  In this ensemble work, undulating torsos move independently of gyrating hips, and arms and legs cut through space with an arresting display of strength.  Tableau-like moments of stillness are juxtaposed against fiery solos.

Equal parts comedic and combative, Artistic Director Robert Battle’s Strange Humors is an eccentric, jocular display for two dancers.  Composer John Mackey, with whom Battle is a frequent collaborator, provides a fiery score propelled by elements of African hand drumming and Middle Eastern folk music.

One of the most popular works in the Ailey repertory, Ronald K. Brown’s spellbinding Grace is a fervent tour-de-force depicting individuals on a journey to the promised land.