Alvin Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela is, more broadly, a portrait of people transformed by injustice. Max Roach’s richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up those who resist oppression in any form. 

Learn more about the creation of Survivors on The Ailey Blog, and check out The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s review Alvin Ailey’s ‘Survivors’ pays tribute to Nelson and Winnie Mandela “…both personal and a universal statement about injustice. Ailey sought to tell a story about the activist couple but not in a purely literal, narrative sense.”

Major support of this new production of Survivors is made possible by Judith McDonough Kaminski & Joseph Kaminski, and Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach.

Mr. Ailey wishes to express his gratitude to Ms. James, Mr. Grekin, and Mr. Hunter for the generous contributions of their talents and artistry to his work.