Alvin Ailey returns to the Academy with a program of joy and ‘Revelations’
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater visits Philadelphia about once a year. It almost doesn’t matter what’s on the program; Ailey rarely makes a misstep. Such was the case this time.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater visits Philadelphia about once a year. It almost doesn’t matter what’s on the program; Ailey rarely makes a misstep.
Such was the case Friday night when Ailey opened a weekend at the Academy of Music. Its visit includes two programs. Friday’s performance was the first program, which featured Amy Hall Garner’s Century and Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream. Both programs include Ailey’s classic Revelations, because audiences love and demand it.
Philadelphia audiences may know Garner, because she created two works for BalletX, a short film during the digital COVID era, and Switching the Groove last spring at the Mann.
This time, Ailey presented Century, a celebration piece she made just before her grandfather’s 100th birthday last year. It is pure entertainment, starting when the curtains open on a glitzy metallic backdrop and dancers in bright costumes dance a variety of short acts, the sort of vaudeville show her grandfather may have caught in his early years. Indeed, the piece, set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and others, highlights various types of movement he may have seen in the theater.
» READ MORE: Philadelphia show is a homecoming for Alvin Ailey's Jeroboam Bozeman
But the most touching piece was when a man — likely representing her grandfather — appeared a little bent over, a hand over his heart, and began to move, remembering past days. Then he moved with great ease and movement, his body remembering previous times, in the end returning to his previous stance but looking fulfilled.
The piece is delightful but the backdrop, lit different colors throughout the piece, is so shiny that it’s distracting at times.
King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, which premiered in 2000 and is set to a score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba, is more serious but also ends on a joyful note.
The piece, King has said, is about how to return to joy. At the beginning there is a lot of tension among three male dancers, leaning on each other, pushing and pulling. They wind up on the ground, a light shines on them from above, and their group expands. Over time, the tension releases until they are dancing full out.
Revelations is based on religion, but it is ultimately an ode to joy, as well. The company has been dancing it almost continuously since 1960. Set to a series of spirituals, blues, and gospel songs, it’s about belief, community, hard times, and, ultimately, hope. It is also such a company standard that they dance it with confidence, whoever is in each role.
At least four Ailey dancers got their start in Philadelphia. Jeroboam Bozeman and Michael Jackson Jr. both danced with Philadanco. Yazzmeen Laidler earned her BFA from University of the Arts, danced with Eleone Dance Theater, and choreographed a work for Philadelphia Ballet 2. And Shawn Cusseaux danced with BalletX for three years.
The program notes don’t list casting, so it’s hard to look out for individual dancers. But for Relevations alone, it’s always worth buying a ticket to see Ailey.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Alternate program 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. At the Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Tickets are $29-$90. ensembleartsphilly.org, 215-893-1999.