I have had the privilege of attending shows at the Fox Theater since I was a young(er) dancer. My dad and I would get dressed up, go to dinner downtown, and then to the ballet. Every time we’d go I’d be on the edge of my seat, reveling in the brilliance I saw onstage. As I progressed and grew older, I studied more styles of dance, more history, and more culture. Although I’d been exposed to the company earlier, I remember watching a clip of “Sinner Man” from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations in high school. I was in awe of the dancers and how they moved. The music alone would have been powerful enough, but then to add the flurry of movement and heat of the cyc (“backdrop”) elevated the work far beyond what I could imagine.
Ballet has always had my heart, but this was something else, something that intrigued and inspired.
Flashforward 6, maybe 7 years and I was back watching “Sinner Man” again. But this time live. This past weekend I had the opportunity to see Alvin Ailey Dance Theater perform at the Fox Theater. On the program was Lazarus by Rennie Harris and Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Going to that show I was instantly transported back to my 10 year old self. Just going to the theater I was giddy with excitement. Alvin Ailey Dance Theater is the epitome of prestige. An internationally acclaimed company, pretty much every dancer – and many nondancers – know the company. Ailey dancers are elite athletes and incredible movers. And I was beyond ready to bear witness to their greatness.
Let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed.
Lazarus opened the evening. The 2 act work shook me to my core. The first act created tableaus and silhouettes reminiscent of plantation to civil rights eras in the U.S., hauntingly portraying the plight of black men and women in a white America. The dancers moved with power and grace, exhibiting the difficult oxymoron of individuality and cohesive synchronicity with ease. The ghostly images of forlorn individuals, victims of brutality and loss, even death, held my breath in my chest and choked my heart. No props were used, no images projected. The dancers were the images. Adorned in side lighting, lighting from the front of the stage, and the occasional special. A plain, often black background kept your eye on the movement. Without explicitly being told what you were looking at, the mind still knew.
The second act of Lazarus was far more upbeat. An impressively smooth blend of social dance moves and modern technique set to a gospel/soul track over a techno/dance beat delighted the audience. The dancers exhibited their pure athleticism in what must’ve been at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted cardio. The crowd went wild when recognizable dance trends from recent years were visible in the choreography and African dance movements seamlessly combined with the movement language to complete the lesson on culture. Moments of praise elicited audible reactions from the enthralled audience. Right when you thought the piece had concluded, Rennie Harris’s choreography delivered a swift blow. Instantly you were transported back to the heartbreak of the first act, and left with a haunting silhouette and the most honest tribute to the legend who was Alvin Ailey.
The 3rd act of the night was the acclaimed classic, Revelations. An already invested, and clearly well educated crowd broke out into applause and even cheers when the curtain went up on the iconic first pose. The dancers of Ailey once again proved their elitism with their performance. Their lines were exquisite, their commitment unmatched, their passion palpable. Like the first time, my heart sat with “Sinner Man”, during which I was nearly falling off my seat in awe. The height of the jumps, the quickness of the turns and the patience in moments of stillness had me enamored. Do not be misled, the women were just as brilliant as the men. Their charisma, their grace, their confidence exuded from the stage and blanketed the audience. We were putty in their well practiced hands.
I walked out of that theater inspired, alert, and alive. In me the embers of desire to move, create and discover had been rekindled. I am truly SO grateful to have witnessed such magic.
**Disclaimer: All opinions are my own**
