The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre staged four of its most revered ballets at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Sunday, April 10, 2011. The capacity audience witnessed the power and drama of Memoria with music by Keith Jarrett; Three Black Kings with music by Duke and Mercer Ellington, Cry with music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and Chuck Griffin and the beloved Revelations with Traditional spirituals. The company’s agile and graceful dancers were splendid in all four ballets and kept the audience in awe with their brilliant artistry and passionate interpretations of Ailey’s timeless masterpieces.
Memoria – 1979 – 26 minutes – Music by Keith Jarrett
The 26-minute ballet was choreographed by Alvin Ailey and had its debut in 1979. Written to honor Ailey’s friend, choreographer Joyce Trisler, the work was performed by The Company and 22 additional local dancers from the Los Angeles area. Ailey used two compositions from Keith Jarrett’s ECM recording titled Arbour Zena to underscore his choreography.
“Runes” provided the second story line for Ailey’s elegiac section titled In Memory while “Solara March” added a triumphant mood to the In Celebration section of the ballet. The entire work was danced to perfection by The Company which featured a variety of arabesques, pirouettes and pas marche dance moves by Linda Celeste Sims, Glen Allen Sims, Clifton Brown and Rosalyn Deshauteurs, among others.
Three Black Kings – 1976 - 15 minutes – Music by Duke and Mercer Ellington
Three Black Kings is a 3-part ballet that uses the original music written by Duke and Mercer Ellington in 1974 as its musical spirit. It was Ellington’s last major work and unfortunately the composer died before Ailey’s ballet premiered in 1976 with Ellington’s music at the soul of this revered work.
The music’s three movements: King Balthazar, King Solomon, and Martin Luther King ran for 15 minutes and depicted each dance section with illustrative African music motifs, gospel rhythms, and expressive marches. Ailey’s masterful choreography featured the compassionate dancing of Glenn Allen Sims in King Balthazar, Yannick Lebrun in King Solomon and Clifton Brown's exemplary pas marche with the corps de ballet in Martin Luther King.
After intermission, the program continued with Cry, a 16-minute work that Ailey brought before the public in 1971.
Cry - 1971 – 16 minutes – Music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and Chuck Griffin
Demetia Hopkins, Ghrai DeVore and Rachael McLaren danced their hearts out during this amazing ballet. Alvin Ailey choreographed this ballet as a solo piece. It was a birthday present for his dignified mother, Mrs. Lula Cooper, and created the dance on his stunning muse, Judith Jamison. The stellar dancing today by Hopkins in the first section had the music of Alice Coltrane – “Something About John Coltrane” to inspire her heartfelt moves.
The second section danced by Ghrai DeVore had the music by Laura Nyro – “Been on a Train” to underscore her empathy and sensitivity. The third section featured Chuck Griffin’s music sung by the Voices of East Harlem, “Right On Be Free.” Centered in the spotlight for this section was Rachael McLaren whose extraordinary arabesques and concentration brought cheers throughout her solo. Three bouquets of red roses were presented to each soloist as the audience cheered through their curtain bows.
REVELATIONS – 1960 – 38 minutes
Music - Traditional spirituals
Revelations was choreographed by Alvin Ailey and remains the masterpiece in the current repertory. The work debuted in 1960 with Ailey dancing with the Company. At 50, this great ballet’s use of African-American traditional spirituals to exclaim grief and joy is an unforgettable experience that anyone can enjoy.
The three part ballet explores sorrow in its opening section titled Pilgrim of Sorrow. The company danced to “I Been Buked” after which a pas de trois danced by Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Hope Boykin and Olivia Bowman Jackson brought cheers from the audience for their dancing in “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel.” The closing section of the first part featured “Fix Me Jesus” which was a splendid pas de deux performed by Akua Noni Parker and Amos J. Machanic, Jr. The pair’s fluid, sensitive dance moves ignited a roaring ovation after flawlessly completing several splendid fish dives.
Part Two of Revelations is a pas de quatre titled Take Me To the Water. Here the dancing was ritualistic as the baptism and anointing of believers takes place in order for one to reach a higher place. It opened with the “Processional/Honor, Honor“ and segued beautifully into the pas de trois titled "Wade In The Water” which featured Linda Celeste Sims, Glenn Allen Sims, and Aisha Mitchell. The inspired pas seul danced by Kirven James Boyd in “I Want To Be Ready” was absolutely brilliant. His extensions were stable and well-balanced and his overall technical ability brought instantaneous applause.
The third section, a pas de trois titled Move Members, Move featured the great dancing of Jermaine Terry, Yannick Lebrun and Michael Francis McBride in “Sinner Man.” Their amazing leaps and exciting pirouettes brought raucous cheers from the audience. Later the entire corps de ballet entered to dance “The Day Is Past and Gone,” and “You May Run On.”
The Coda, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham,” had the audience on its feet and clapping throughout the piece. This enduring classic was as fresh as a new day with its female dancers costumed in bright yellow hats and dresses and its male dancers in yellow vests and black pants - all of which enhanced their stage presence and impressive dance moves. This finale simply brought the house down!
As the audience stood cheering, The Company gave a brilliant encore that emphatically proved the enduring beauty of Ailey’s choreography. In turn the audience applauded louder and blew kisses to show their affection for this amazing masterpiece. To learn more about the Alvin Ailey Amercian Dance Theatre, please visit their website.
Sources
- Performances Magazine. "Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre - Program B - All Ailey." April 10, 2011: P5-P6
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