There are just a two days left to enjoy the month-long performances by The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at New York City Center so go see Rennie Harris’ Lazarus Act I and Lazarus Act II, Ronald K. Brown’s The Call and Wayne McGregor’s Kairos. Although Harris’ Lazarus comes in two parts, it’s presented in one evening with a break between acts, a side A and side B, if you will. Lazarus is epic with stories about cotton-picking, raising the spirit in church, and straight-up House & Hip-Hop, but most importantly, Lazarus honors Mr. Ailey’s legacy as the Company celebrates their 60th anniversary. Throughout, in perfectly positioned recorded narrative, Harris dialogs with Mr. Ailey, in one instance he says, “I wanted to get your thoughts on something I was writing…” and in Act I his thoughts come to life through a landscape of African American history—the dancers are barefooted, and they tell his movement story using modern dance inspired steps, urged by the music to “clap your hands and stomp your feet.” Then in Act II, scuffing the floor in sneakers, Harris’ signature House and Hip Hop movement (really fast footwork, air defying leaps and sleek unison floor work), boost the energy and takes the work to another place, juxtaposing movement, music and the thinking about their world today. Lead beautifully by Daniel Harder, the cast of dancers are: Jeroboam Bozeman, Jamar Roberts, Hope Boykin, Sarah-Daley Perdomo, Jacqueline Green, Jacquelin Harris, Vernard J. Gilmore, Michael Francis McBride, Yannick Lebrun, Belen Pereyra-Alem, Michael Jackson, Jr. Ghrai DeVore, Akua Noni Parker and Megan Jakel.
Brown’s The Call, another tribute to Mr. Ailey, is too short, but so sweet, and while honoring Mr. Ailey’s love of movement, Brown injects his signature blend of West African, House and modern dance. This time however, Brown includes classical music by Johann Sebastian Bach alongside jazz from Mary Lou Williams, plus African drums and kora playing from the Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Entertainment Group. The dancers, Jacqueline Green, Jamar Roberts, Fana Tesfagiorgis, Danica Paulos and Solomon Dumas are flawless in the way they capture this tryptic of senses. Brown refers to this work as a “Love Letter” to Mr. Ailey.
In McGregor’s Kairos, the Ailey dancers again show their range which is surely a testament to artistic director, Robert Battle’s eye for bringing in choreographers that show them off. And with personified ease, in all-female or male groups they are gazelles and darting tigers all at the same time. The season ends on Sunday, December 30th. Find out more here
Brown’s The Call, another tribute to Mr. Ailey, is too short, but so sweet, and while honoring Mr. Ailey’s love of movement, Brown injects his signature blend of West African, House and modern dance. This time however, Brown includes classical music by Johann Sebastian Bach alongside jazz from Mary Lou Williams, plus African drums and kora playing from the Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Entertainment Group. The dancers, Jacqueline Green, Jamar Roberts, Fana Tesfagiorgis, Danica Paulos and Solomon Dumas are flawless in the way they capture this tryptic of senses. Brown refers to this work as a “Love Letter” to Mr. Ailey.
In McGregor’s Kairos, the Ailey dancers again show their range which is surely a testament to artistic director, Robert Battle’s eye for bringing in choreographers that show them off. And with personified ease, in all-female or male groups they are gazelles and darting tigers all at the same time. The season ends on Sunday, December 30th. Find out more here
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