This past weekend, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicked off their season’s city tour at Cleveland Playhouse’s State Theatre. I always leave room in my arts budget to see Alvin Ailey. Most of the time, it’s in Cleveland, but on the years it skips the city, I will chase the show—and for so many reasons. It only takes the curtain to rise for me to start swooning over the company’s arrival, hairs un-bunned and all. I fall in love so fast—from the costumes, to the set, the score, and the sheer presence that each show commands. Every time, I am amazed. It’s always striking how the Black experience is inherently spiritual, something the company excels at translating through dance. Founded in 1958, Ailey’s mission was to uplift the African American experience, and today, that mission continues—preserved, evolved, and made even more dynamic through the artists of today. There are layers of artistic genius embedded in every Ailey performance, and that was the intent. To be a connector. A celebration. A collaboration.
The body contours on display in this performance were a testament to what dance training can do. The muscle memory, tendon tension, and foot flexes, moving in perfect rhythm, were mesmerizing. The company made balances and lifts look effortless. Their stage presence was undeniable, and the lines hit every time! I typically choose a bird’s-eye view from the mezzanine or balcony to take in the full composition of the stage. And even though the choreography remains the same, each dancer brings their own style, personality, and interpretation to the performance. It’s the quintessential concept of one body, many parts. The company leads you to and through Church, rooted in spirit and reverence. And if you watch closely, you’ll find your dancer—the one who moves the way you think you would move if you were up there yourself.
This season’s tour featured the world premiere of Sacred Songs, choreographed by interim artistic director Matthew Rushing, who has been Ailey affiliated since 1992. Rushing is keeping the position warn until Alicia Graf Mack officially steps into the role this summer. His piece, Sacred Songs, opened the night with reflections and homage. True Revelations fans could immediately recognize the nods to Ailey’s legendary work—and I did. The accompanying music, composed by Du’Bois A’Keen (Sacred Songs Suite is available as a Spotify playlist), carried the piece forward. The Ailey website describes it as a reimagining of “the sounds of jazz, West African drums, gospel, hip hop, calypso, and more to call on the past, engage our present, and invite the listener into a magical, hopeful, and musical future.” It was really quite beautiful. I almost wished the vocalists were stationed in the aisles just to amplify the theatrics. And shout out to the lighting designer—your architecture friends noticed the fancy fixtures completing the scene.
After a short intermission, the audience was welcomed back with Me, Myself, and You, choreographed by Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish. This duet, set to Duke Ellington’s In A Sentimental Mood, was technique-heavy yet hauntingly delicate. It explored the concept of remembering—but in the Destiny’s Child T-Shirt kind of way. I couldn’t tell if it was a real memory or a dream, but I’ll go with dream, because of the mirror prompt. It felt nostalgic and introspective, like revisiting the best parts of a love once lost, something gone too soon, yet still intriguing to recall. It was a short piece, but beautifully somber—calm, quiet, and deeply felt.
The final piece, Revelations, seems to be included in every stop on the tour, as it should be. Especially now, following the recent passing of Judith Jamison, Ailey’s Artistic Director Emerita, who was a defining force in carrying Ailey’s mission forward. In her TED Talk, Jamison once described her invitation to join Ailey as anti-climatic—just a simple, inviting phone call. And yet, so much came from that call. She danced with the company for 15 years before leading it’s artistic direction for over 20, ensuring its legacy would endure. Revelations is rooted in courage—the courage to contribute to culture. It fully embodies Ailey’s vision, capturing the era in which it was created, the story it tells, and the impact it continues to have on audiences worldwide.
When that C Major chord hits—among the hums of I’ve Been ’Buked—that one little tear in my right eye arrived with gratitude. I found my FeelSpace moment right away. Though it premiered in 1960, and though I’ve seen it at least ten times, this 36-minute masterpiece never fails to bring me just enough joy. Even in all its heaviness—its slavery-inspired, segregated roots—you can’t help but revel in reverence as the stories of the ancestors’ greatest trials and triumphs are translated through movement. And it’s not just the choreography. It’s the lyrics. It’s the hues of browns… hands reaching high. It’s the perfectly composed key formations of bodies on stage… defined, both still and in motion. It’s the white umbrella, the fans, the stools. Each playing a role in making this decades-old message feel paramount, even now.
The thing I love most about this piece is that it is Thee Piece. It is a testament to what creatives and artists bring to the world—a moment of rising and a source of pride. And I am always so grateful to witness it.
Special thanks to the Cleveland cast, who danced out all the emotions I have not yet given myself permission to feel, gracefully, forcefully, flexibly, and faithfully to the craft that is authentically Ailey.
mj
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