Alvin Ailey celebrates 50 years

Photos of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performing at Atlanta's Fox Theatre.

The Alvin Ailey Amercian Dance Theater is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a tour that comes to the Fox Theatre Feb. 19-22. The dance troupe gave a special show for students at the Fox on Thursday, Feb. 19. The following scenes are from the piece called "Revelations."

The a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock will accompany the Alvin Ailey dancers for several shows during the dance troupe's 4-day run. The two groups will collaborate on a piece called "Go In Grace," a new, half-hour work with choreography by Hope Boykin, an Ailey company dancer.

The collaboration with Sweet Honey in the Rock can be viewed during the evening performances on Friday and Saturday, and the matinee on Sunday.

"Revelations" was first choreographed in 1960 and is the Alvin Ailey company's signature work.

Alvin Ailey's "Revelations" is a suite of dances set against African-American religious music such as spirituals, gospel songs and holy blues.

Alvin Ailey called "Revelations" a tribute to African-American cultural heritage - "sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful."

Alvin Ailey's "Revelations" is in three parts. It runs 38 minutes but was originally twice as long.

The success of "Revelations" led to international tours for Alvin Ailey's young dance troupe in 1962, but this opportunity also forced Ailey to shorten the piece.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed in 71 countries on six continents. The company's first international tour was sponsored by President John F. Kennedy's progressive "President's Special International Program for Cultural Presentations."

"Three Black Kings" is a piece that Alvin Ailey created in 1976 to the music of Duke and Mercer Ellington as a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

Alvin Ailey's last work was 1988's "Opus McShann" (shown here). Ailey died the next year. The dance company has more than 200 works in its repertory, only 79 of them by Alvin Ailey himself.

1/11

The Alvin Ailey Amercian Dance Theater is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a tour that comes to the Fox Theatre Feb. 19-22. The dance troupe gave a special show for students at the Fox on Thursday, Feb. 19. The following scenes are from the piece called "Revelations."

Today's Gallery Headlines

PHOTOS: Hills4ATL builds community at Piedmont Park, one hill at a time

2h ago

PHOTOS: Stone Mountain Easter Sunrise Service

2h ago

PHOTOS: An early look at CNN Center's redevelopment in downtown Atlanta

Alerts

PHOTOS: Hills4ATL builds community at Piedmont Park, one hill at a time

PHOTOS: Stone Mountain Easter Sunrise Service

PHOTOS: An early look at CNN Center's redevelopment in downtown Atlanta

PHOTOS: Wayfair opens first Atlanta store