Acclaimed
dance company moves into OCPAC
By Monica Levette Clark
On-line Forty-Niner
Alvin
Ailey led a troupe of young, black modern
dancers into mainstream after a legendary
performance in 1958 at the 92nd Street Young
Men’s Hebrew Association in New York.
This performance brought in a new wave of
ideas and concepts of contemporary dance
in America.
Ailey formed his own dance company, the
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a short
time after that, and today it is one of
the premiere contemporary dance companies
that has garnered both national and international
acclaim.
The dance-company will perform a collection
of dances at the Orange County Performing
Arts Center for the first time tonight and
for the rest of the week, in Segerstrom
Hall.
The performances will include the West Coast
premiere of “Players from the Edge”
and “Apex,” choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett
and Francesca Harper.
Judith Jamison, who became the company’s
artistic director after Ailey’s death in
1989, will lead the company in its new season.
New repertory includes “Black Milk,” choreographed
by Ohad Naharian, as well as brand new productions
of “Treading” and “The Winter in Lisbon,”
choreographed by Elisa Monte and Billy Wilson.
The program highlight the unmatched, energetic
and vibrant dances that signifies the company.
Tonight, the program will include “Serving
Nia,” “Cry,” “Players from the Edge,” and
“Revelations,” the company’s signature dance.
A program of excerpts of classic dances
from the Ailey repertory will be presented
on Thursday and Saturday.
A preview lecture about the dances in the
program to be presented in the two-hour
show will also be given one hour before
each performance.
All shows begin at 8 p.m., with a special
matinee presentation at 2p.m. Saturday.
Ticket prices range from $20-$65 and are
on sale at the center box office and at
all ticket master outlets.
The Segerstrom Hall is located inside the
performing arts center at 600 Town Center
Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information
students can contact the center at (714)
556-2787. |
