Robert Battle’s bravura work mixes humor and high-flying movement in a savvy deconstruction of Indian Kathak dance rhythms. Clear shapes and propulsive jumps mimic the vocalized syllables of Sheila Chandra's syncopated score.

Robert Battle’s The Hunt is a primal ritual with a distinctly urban feel fueled by a thundering percussion soundtrack by Les Tambours du Bronx. Perhaps Battle’s most popular work, it explores the relationship between modern sports and the rites of the gladiators.

Judith Jamison's dynamic collaboration with hip-hop pioneer Rennie Harris and modern dance maverick Robert Battle

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.

Ailey honors the modern dance tradition with Arden Court, a bucolic masterpiece by Paul Taylor.  It is the first work by this illustrious dance master to enter the Ailey repertory. Set to a series of excerpted symphonies by baroque composer William Boyce, Arden Court allows for the Ailey dancers to be at once both playful and majestic. 

Featuring an eclectic score ranging from Dean Martin to mambo, techno to traditional Israeli music, Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 uses improvisation and Naharin’s acclaimed “Gaga” method, a unique movement language that breaks down old habits, pushing the dancers to challenge themselves in new ways.  

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.

Streams is an abstract exploration of bodies in space, danced to a percussion score by Miloslav Kabelac. This standout work was Alvin Ailey’s first full-length dance without a plot. A great success when it premiered in 1970, it was brought back into the active repertory in 2011 during Robert Battle’s inaugural season as artistic director, in homage to Ailey’s legacy and artistry.

Set to Nina Simone’s haunting rendition of the Oscar-nominated song “Wild is the Wind,”In/Side offers audiences an intimate look at a man’s most private struggles. 

Artistic Director Robert Battle’s sensuous, swirling duet evokes the tenderness and ecstasy in Gustave Charpentier’s aria, sung by the exquisite diva Leontyne Price. With its fluid grace, this gem exemplifies the choreographer’s skill for nuanced gesture and vivid imagery.

Support for this production was received from Elma Linz Kanefield
 

Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature is a bubbly champagne cocktail of a dance, a perfect fusion of Ailey’s buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington’s sparkling music.  At once wistful and sassy, it beckons viewers into a nocturnal world populated by jazz babies and night owls.

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.