The enduring legacy of Alvin Ailey
Edges of Ailey at The Whitney
Words that describe my experience with Alvin Ailey: Ethereal, transformative, ancestral, visceral.
My initial reaction to the Alvin Ailey exhibit at the Whitney was no different.
Alvin Ailey defined my childhood and was instrumental in the early cultivation of my interest in the arts.
As Black girls growing up in the late 90s and early 00s, my parents were adamant about exposing me and my sisters (and eventually my brother once he came along in 2005) to Black culture in all variety of mediums from live music to television to literature and toys featuring Black characters.
Being raised in the metro Atlanta area, there was no shortage of access to rich Black culture as well as seeing examples of Black achievement. My parents are definitely part of this “Black excellence” generation both graduating from HBCUs (Morehouse and Johnson C. Smith University) and getting “respectable” careers in medicine and engineering. Perhaps this is what formed the circumstances for why I was always on the periphery of full immersion into the arts, because being seen as a creative was not a “viable” career path for those of the “Black excellence” generation (more on this in a future newsletter). Nevertheless, certain cultural activities were able to cut through this strict view of engagement with the arts.
One of the most memorable moments was our semi-annual February trip to the iconic Fox Theater downtown Atlanta to see Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Both my mom and I are February babies, so it was our tradition to celebrate with a dose of inspiration from the Ailey dancers. Combined with the elegance of the visitors who dressed to the nines and the very historical environment of an Atlanta cultural establishment, Ailey at the Fox was an iconic event. Even though each show had essentially the same elements, I was moved every time I saw majority Black dancers (especially Black women) gracefully moving on the stage.
This unique choreography even extended into influence over the worship dance team I was on at church in 3rd grade. We did a rendition of the Wade in the Water choreography to the backdrop of Kirk Franklin’s Hosanna complete with flowy white skirts much like the dancers in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). From then on I so desperately wanted to be an AAADT dancer, but unfortunately my church dance group was the last organized dance organization I ever participated with.
As is documented in the exhibit, so much of the elements of the choreography derive from the religious and spiritual experience of the Baptist Church. It was quite common in the Bible Belt to see church dance teams incorporate Ailey’s expressive, jubilant and transcendant movements of pious worship.
I remember doing a self-selected presentation on Mr. Ailey in my 8th grade social studies class for Black History Month. I stood proudly in front of the class documenting the life and influence of Ailey, a queer Black man, despite the homophobic comments lodged by my teacher as I begun my report. I ended on a strong note about the enduring legacy of the dance company generations after his untimely death.
The Edges of Ailey exhibit at The Whitney Museum of American Art is a large scale retrospective curated by Adrienne Edwards after 7 years of examining his extensive archive.
As advertised on the Whitney’s page for the show, the exhibit incorporates a montage of visual art, live performance, music, a range of ephemera archival materials, and a multi-screen video installation drawn from recordings of AAADT archives exploring the full range of Ailey’s personal and creative life. It is split up into thematic sections showcasing the unparalleled impact that Ailey’s innovative dance company (as well as the individual himself) had on African American cultural heritage both domestically and on a global scale. From growing up in rural Texas to becoming a world renowned dancer based in New York City and eventually establishing AAADT, the exhibit explores the full scope of the man, the myth and the legend, Alvin Ailey, across 18,000 square feet of exhibition space.
My first impression of Edges of Ailey was how utterly transfixed I was by how everything was expertly curated and placed within the exhibition space to do an homage to Ailey, and his incredible dance archive. The inclusion of those who were inspired by his ecosystem of choreography and the massive cultural impact he had on American society, I loved how the fine art pairs so well with the video art installation that is on loop throughout the gallery. Internally, 8-year old Charity is rejoicing seeing this full retrospective come to life as it represents a full circle childhood dream of mine to live in New York to partake in these sorts of visual experiences.
Join me for a meet up at the exhibit before it closes during The Whitney’s Free Friday Night admission days on February 7th at 7:30 pm. Perhaps we can find a spot to debrief after exploring the exhibit.
***There’s also a special film tribute to the inimitable Judith Jamison, who was Ailey’s muse and AADT’s creative director for decades January 13th at 6pm - midnight!
Here’s a playlist I curated which is an ode to the Edges of Ailey.
There’s a multi-part docuseries about Alvin Ailey’s life available online at https://ailey.org/portrait-ailey