History and Timeline - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

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HISTORY AND TIMELINE

1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

1970 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the school relocate to 229 East 59th Street in Manhattan to share a renovated church building with Pearl Lang. AAADT and the Pearl Lang Dance Company share rehearsal space while Alvin Ailey and Pearl Lang co-direct their joint school, the American Dance Center, in the three available studios.

AAADT's second State Department - sponsored tour of North Africa and Europe.

APRIL

Affected by a financial crisis common to all dance companies in America, Alvin Ailey issues a statement that the Company may be dissolved because of insufficient funds to keep its dancers employed for "a reasonable amount of time each year."

MAY

Dance Theater Foundation, Inc., a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, is created to help seek sustaining funds for the Company.

AAADT goes on a six-week tour of USSR– the first for an American modern dance company since the days of Isadora Duncan. The Washington Post reports that the Company was kept onstage for 20 minutes of curtain calls after a sold-out opening night performance at Moscow's Variety Theater.

Alvin Ailey choreographs The River for American Ballet Theatre.

Alvin Ailey is awarded the Gold Star at the 1970 International Dance Festival for Best Modern Dance Company and Best Modern Dance Choreographer.

1971 AAADT appears for the first time at New York's City Center. The Company is such a smashing success that it is invited to perform there again three months later.

Alvin Ailey choreographs Cry for Judith Jamison as a birthday present to his mother. Cry becomes an instant hit, bringing even more popularity to Alvin Ailey as a brilliant choreographer and Judith Jamison as an extraordinary dancer.

AAADT participates in the inaugural gala performance of Leonard Bernstein's Mass at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

1972 Alvin Ailey is awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Princeton University.

Masazumi Chaya joins AAADT as a dancer.

Judith Jamison receives the distinguished Dance Magazine Award.

Judith Jamison becomes a presidential appointee to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Alvin Ailey choreographs Carmen for the Metropolitan Opera House.

AAADT becomes City Center's first resident modern dance company.

1974
MAY 6

"Memories and Visions," a television special produced by Ellis Haizlip, is broadcast on PBS.

Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble–a professional dance company with a full touring schedule–is created in order to help the most talented students from Alvin Ailey American Dance Center make the leap from studio to stage.

CBS airs "Ailey Celebrates Ellington," Alvin Ailey's dance tribute to the American jazz legend.

1975 Alvin Ailey receives the Dance Magazine Award.

The Company performs at the Duke Ellington Festival at Lincoln Center with the Ellington Orchestra.

The Board of New York Friends of Alvin Ailey is formed.

1976 Alvin Ailey choreographs Pas de Duke for Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov and they receive keys to New York City.

The NAACP awards Alvin Ailey the prestigious Springarn Medal.

1977 JANUARY

AAADT performs at the Jimmy Carter inaugural gala at the White House.

APRIL 26

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the opening night of Studio 54.

1978 AAADT celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

NOVEMBER 15

AAADT gives a special performance for President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

DECEMBER 31

AAADT gives its fabled "midnight performance" for the Crown Prince of Morocco. Yielding to the Crown Prince's insistence that the Company celebrate the New Year with him, the dancers do not actually perform until 3 a.m., following a full New Year Moroccan feast!

1979 Alvin Ailey receives the Capezio Award for his contributions to dance.

The Company moves into its new home at 1515 Broadway.

Ulysses Dove creates his first ballet entitled Inside for AAADT and Judith Jamison.

Next Decade »

The Company in The River. Photo by Johan Elbers.

Judith Jamison: Cry, 1971

The Company in Rainbow Round My Shoulder. Photo by Andrew Eccles.

Matthew Rushing in Love Songs. Photo by Andrew Eccles.

Rainbow, 1974

Judith Jamison in Facets. Photo by Jack Mitchell.

Ralph Glenmore, Carl Bailey, Gary DeLoatch, Kevin Brown and Christopher Huggins in Suite Otis. Photo courtesy of Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives.

Maxine Sherman in Memoria. Photo courtesy of Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives.