AAADT

First Performance

Mar 30, 1958

Alvin Ailey and a group of young, black modern dancers perform for the first time as members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at New York’s 92nd Street.

Revelations

Jul 2, 1960

Ailey creates his classic masterpiece Revelations which would soon be known internationally. The company also got their first residency at the 51st Street YWCA’s Clark Center for the Performing Arts.

Going on tour

Jul 2, 1962

AAADT is chosen to go on an international tour around the the Far East, Southeast Asia and Australia as part of President John F. Kennedy’s progressive “President’s Special International Program for Cultural Presentations.”

Collaboration

Jul 2, 1963

The company collaborates with Duke Ellington and Talley Beatty to create a program entitled “My People: First Negro Centennial,”.
Judith Jamison (Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) sees Alvin Ailey perform with the Company for the first time in Philadelphia.

Judith Jamison

Oct 30, 1965

Judith Jamison dances with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for the first time.

Performance of the company in Senegal

Jul 2, 1966

The company performed in the first Negro Arts Festival in Dakar, Senegal.

Television

Jul 2, 1967

The company appears in a television dance special directed by Lars Egler called Riedaglia. The piece features Ailey’s choreography set to music by George Reidel. Ailey wins the Grand Prix Italia, a prestigious television production award.

Ten-Country African Tour

Sep 2, 1967

The company embarks on a two-and-a-half month, 10 country tour of Africa for the State Department.

Olympics and The White House

Jul 2, 1968

Revelations is performed by Ballet Folklorico for the olympic opening ceremony in Mexico City. The company receives its first grant from the Rockefeller Foundation and performs at the White House for President Johnson.

The 1st season in Manhattan

Jul 2, 1969

Alvin Ailey establishes his dance school, the company has it's first season in Manhattan at the Billy Rose Theater and the company moves to Brooklyn Academy of Music.

financial crisis

Jul 2, 1970

Affected by a financial crisis common to all dance companies in America, Alvin Ailey issues a statement that the Company may be dissolved because of insufficient funds to keep its dancers employed for “a reasonable amount of time each year.”
Dance Theater Foundation, Inc., a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, is created to help seek sustaining funds for the Company.

Landmark USSR Tour

Jul 2, 1970

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater goes on a six-week tour of the USSR—the first for an American modern dance company since the days of Isadora Duncan. The Washington Post reports that the Company was kept onstage for 20 minutes of curtain calls after a sold-out opening night performance at Moscow’s Variety Theater.

CRY

Jul 2, 1971

Ailey coreographes "Cry" for Judith Jamison as a birthday present to his mother. Cry becomes an instant hit, bringing even more popularity to Alvin Ailey as a brilliant choreographer and Judith Jamison as an extraordinary dancer.

Ailey Leaps From the Stage to the Screen

Jul 2, 1974

Memories and Visions, a television special produced by Ellis Haizlip, is broadcast on PBS on May 6.
Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble—a professional dance company with a full touring schedule—is created in order to help the most talented students from Alvin Ailey American Dance Center make the leap from studio to stage.
CBS airs Ailey Celebrates Ellington, Alvin Ailey’s dance tribute to the American jazz legend.

Pas de Duke

Jul 2, 1976

Alvin Ailey choreographs Pas de Duke for Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov and they receive keys to New York City.

President Carter and the Opening of Studio 54

Jul 2, 1977

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural gala at the White House.
On April 26, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the opening night of Studio 54.

20th Anniversary!!!!!

Jul 2, 1978

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gives its fabled “midnight performance” for the Crown Prince of Morocco. Yielding to the Crown Prince’s insistence that the Company celebrate the new year with him, the dancers do not actually perform until 3am, following a full Moroccan New Year feast!

Ulysses Dove

Jul 2, 1979

Ulysses Dove creates his first ballet, Inside, for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Judith Jamison.

Alvin Ailey receives the United Nations Peace Medal

Jul 2, 1982

Judith Jamison's Divining Premieres

Jul 2, 1984

Judith Jamison premieres her first ballet, Divining, for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, with music by Kimati Dinizulu and Monti Ellison.
Alvin Ailey’s For ‘Bird’–With Love is created and performed to honor Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s relationship with Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.

Tour of china

Jul 2, 1985

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is the first modern dance company to go on a U.S. government-sponsored tour of the People’s Republic of China since the normalization of Sino-American relations.

Masazumi Chaya Becomes Assistant Rehearsal Director

Jul 2, 1986

The Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime contribution

Jul 2, 1988

Alvin Ailey receives The Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime contribution to American culture through the performing arts—the nation’s highest official distinction for creative artists.
The company celebrates its 30th Anniversary.

Ailey dies at the age of 58

Dec 1, 1989

Judith Jamison

Dec 2, 1989

Honoring Mr. Ailey’s wish, Judith Jamison becomes the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after his death.

Alvin Ailey: Steps Ahead

Jul 2, 1991

Masazumi Chaya accepts the position of Associate Artistic Director at the request of Judith Jamison.
Dance in America features Ulysses Dove’s Episodes and Alvin Ailey’s For ‘Bird’–With Love in “Alvin Ailey: Steps Ahead.”
Judith Jamison choreographs Rift, set to music by Nona Hendryx, for the Company.

Alvin Ailey Place

Jul 2, 1993

Judith Jamison choreographs Hymn, her powerful tribute to Alvin Ailey, in collaboration with the Tony Award-nominated actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith.
Ailey in the Park attracts 30,000 spectators, who congregate in New York City’s Central Park to see the live performance.

Judith Jamison Choreographs Riverside

Jul 2, 1995

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Performs Shelter

Jul 2, 1995

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the televised inaugural gala for President Bill Clinton.
The Company performs for the first time at the Paris Opera.

AAADT performs at the Atlanta Olympic Games

Jul 2, 1996

Ailey Performs at Time Magazine's 75th Anniversary Gala

Jul 2, 1998

Judith Jamison’s newest ballet, Echo: Far From Home, premieres in conjunction with 40th Anniversary celebrations.

Judith Jamison Wins Emmy award

Jul 2, 1999

Orlando Bagwell’s documentary “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey,” inspired by Judith Jamison’s work Hymn, is broadcast nationally on PBS’ Great Performances.Judith Jamison wins her first Prime Time Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Choreography for her work on the hour-long PBS Great Performances documentary, “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey.”

Olympic arts festival and Sesame Street

Jul 2, 2001

Judith Jamison Creates Commissioned Ballet for 2002 Olympic Arts Festival.
Members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and young students from The Ailey School perform on Sesame Street dancing alongside Big Bird and Elmo.

U.S. Postal Service Issues Postage Stamp Honoring Alvin Ailey

Jul 2, 2004

The United States Postal Service issues a first class postage stamp honoring Alvin Ailey. The American Choreographers series commemorates four visionary 20th century choreographers—Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Agnes DeMille and Martha Graham—who left a profound mark on the language of dance.Denise Jefferson celebrates her 30th anniversary at The Ailey School and marks 20 years as School Director.

AAADT Archives Donated to the Library of Congress

Feb 8, 2006

A ceremony in Washington, DC commemorates the donation of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Archives to the Library of Congress.

Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

May 10, 2007

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer Dwana Adiaha Smallwood performs an excerpt of Alvin Ailey’s Cry with young students from The Ailey School on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
On September 4, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is featured on the season opening of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

50th Aniversary

Mar 27, 2008

On July 10, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater appears on FOX TV’s So You Think You Can Dance.
On March 27, Ailey launches its 50th anniversary celebration with festivities at The Joan Weill Center for Dance that garner widespread media attention.
On April 1, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater becomes the first concert dance company to perform on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Judith Jamison's Becomes Artistic Director Emerita

Jul 3, 2011

In July 2011, Judith Jamison became Artistic Director Emerita of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ms. Jamison continues to dedicate herself to asserting the prominence of the arts in our culture, and she remains committed to promoting the significance of the Ailey legacy – using dance as a medium for honoring the past, celebrating the present and fearlessly reaching into the future.

Robert Battle's First Season

Jul 3, 2012

Robert Battle became Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in July 2011 at the personal selection of Judith Jamison, making him only the third person to head the Company since it was founded in 1958. In announcing his appointment as Artistic Director, she stated, “Combining an intimate knowledge of the Ailey company with an independent perspective, Robert Battle is without question the creative force of the future.”