Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Returns to South Africa

After a 17 year absence, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre will return to South Africa for a series of performances in September.  There will be a 13-performance engagement in Johannesburg at the Teatro at Montecasino through September 13 and seven shows in Cape Town at Artscape from September 16-20.

“Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater last visited Johannesburg in 1998 and we are delighted to welcome back this iconic dance company for a groundbreaking return,” says Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management.

Time Magazine remarked that “The Ailey company’s tour leaves South Africa dancing in the aisles.”  The Today Show says the dance theatre is, “Unbelievable. Go see Alvin Ailey. It’s change-your-life good,” and The Miami Herald  declares it is “… a distinctive profile – theatrical, energetic, heartfelt with powerhouse dancers – that has helped make it the most successful and widely seen modern dance company in the world.”

Artistic Director Robert Battle said, “Extending the Ailey company’s five decades of far-reaching international tours, and memorable visits to South Africa, I’m proud to lead the Company back to this continent for the first time this century.  Mr. Ailey said it so well; ‘Dance came from the people and should always be delivered back to the people.’ I’m excited for audiences to share in uplifting performances, and for students to experience life-changing interactions with the world’s most amazing dancers.”

“I know that South African audiences will be transfixed and inspired by the company’s performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as the fantastic educational outreach programs that the group is planning during their visit,” stated United States Ambassador to South Africa Patrick H. Gaspard. “Receiving the Ailey company in South Africa in September will truly be a highlight of my tenure as Ambassador.”

The shows will show a mix of new dance pieces, but each performance will end with the theatre’s signature piece, Revelations.

Check out some of the stunning images and videos from the tour below!

“The only photograph I had preconceived before coming to South Africa was to shoot one or more of Ailey’s dancers with an Elephant. I’ve lived with a reproduction of Avedon’s ‘Dovima with Elephants’ framed on my wall for most of my life and although nothing could equal the serenity and power of that image I wanted to have my day in the (African) sun finding my own interpretation. Yesterday I got the opportunity. This image is of Jamar Roberts (@gibberishdance) effortlessly lifting Jacqueline Green (@jagreen711) over his head with one arm while “Three” mother of two looks on. Glen Afric Lodge, 40 minutes outside of Johannesburg.” #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA [photo by Andrew @Eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 11, 2015 at 3:09pm PDT

the men of #ALVINAILEY in Ronald K. Brown’s “Grace” Thanks for a fantastic two weeks Joburg! Off to Cape Town in the AM! #instaAILEY #AILEYinSA #AlvinAileySA

A video posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 13, 2015 at 7:11pm PDT

Yannick Lebrun strikes an appropriate pose from Asadata Dafora’s Awassa Astrige/Osterich. “With each step, his supple spine curved forward by a foot, mimicking a bird’s serpentine neck. When he squatted down in a deep, second-position plie, going up on his toes and holding the pose for 10 thigh-burning seconds, the crowd went crazy.” – The Washington Post Glen Afric, 40 minutes outside of Johannesburg #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA #birdsofafeather [📷 by Andrew @Eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:16pm PDT

giving every bit of everything he had left, #ALVINAILEY dancer Michael Jackson, Jr. (@mikejackjr) bared his soul to the Johannesburg audience today in Rennie Harris’s ‘Exodus’ #instaAILEY #goforbroke #AlvinAileySA

A video posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:12pm PDT

#REPOST from photographer Andrew @Eccles ・・・ Although we’re now in CapeTown I’m still processing photos we took in Johannesburg. These are of Hope Boykin (@hbdance) who joined #ALVINAILEY in 2000. Equal parts spiritual and intellectual, Hope is a powerful dancer that performs with as much emotion as she does strength. She embodies integrity. It made sense to work with her in front of the iconic Orlando Towers in Soweto (abbreviation for South Western Townships). We had been given an extremely moving tour of the Apartheid Museum that morning by John Kani and Hope may have drawn from that to help fuel these photos. There are more to come of other dancers from this session. Soweto, Johannesburg. #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 16, 2015 at 3:36am PDT

#REPOST from photographer Andrew @Eccles ・・・ Choosing which dancers to photograph in front of #NelsonMandela’s 30 foot tall bronze statue outside of the Union Building in Pretoria was simple. Linda Celeste Sims joined the company in 1996 and her now husband of 15 years Glenn Allen Sims joined in 1997. They married on January 5th, 2001, the date of #ALVINAILEY’s birth and I’ve been fortunate enough to have collaborated with them a great deal over the past two decades. Here they are recreating a pose from Festa Barocca. I have always thought that Glenn and Linda were the rock of the company. The fact that they’re married and do this incredible thing together is an inspiration to us all. To me they represent #love, #beauty, #art and #commitment. In this photograph they symbolize strength, struggle, and sacrifice. The 3.5 ton likeness behind them depicts Mandela with “outstretched arms and open hands as if to embrace the entire nation”. The statue was unveiled in 2013 shortly after his death. #AlvinAileySA #instaAILEY #AILEYinSA #relationshipgoals

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 9, 2015 at 1:46pm PDT

#fbf with #ALVINAILEY dancers Akua Noni Parker (@onlyupward), Michael Jackson Jr (@mikejackjr) and giraffe, Gauteng. #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA #AILEYinSA [photo by Andrew @eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 11, 2015 at 9:01am PDT