A revolutionary in modern dance, the late Alvin Ailey came from humble beginnings in Rogers, Texas. His “blood memories” growing up African American in the segregated South and the Black church shaped his choreography. Creating Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, Ailey said he aimed to uplift the African American experience, crafting his masterpiece, “Revelations,” in 1960, cementing his legacy as a singular visionary.
This week, the Ailey company returned to Austin to give back to the community through education and performance. Nasha Thomas, a former Ailey dancer, director of AileyCamp and teacher for Ailey Arts In Education, in collaboration with Texas Performing Arts, led two public workshops on Saturday at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center.
Ailey first took the stage at Bass Concert Hall in 1981, the first company ever to do so. In 2024, AAADT came back to Austin for the first time in 43 years. Two years later, under the new direction of Alicia Graf Mack, Ailey proves the power of their namesake, continuing to unite thousands.
In 2024, AAIE hosted a workshop open to the public, teaching “Revelations.” This year, they added an earlier workshop on “Interactive Rhythm and Movement,” which included hip-hop, West African dancing and education on the percussion instrument, with a percussionist playing live. Thomas also taught excerpts from “Revelations” to the later workshop, including the pieces “I Been ‘Buked,’” “Wade in the Water” and “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”
Thomas taught the original choreography and engaged attendees, asking them to create their own moves. She hand-picked dancers to demonstrate, pulling them onto the podium she was teaching from. One dancer she highlighted was Marion Rocco, who coincidentally trained in a certificate program at the Ailey School when Thomas was in the company.
“I love that people felt free enough to really have fun with it and express their joy and then cheer and support one another when they got called on the stage,” Rocco said. “It just felt very communal and joyful.”
AAADT boasts a family tradition for many patrons, including for Ailey soloist Isaiah Day, who grew up going to Ailey performances.
Day opened the newest piece, “Embrace,” as the only person on stage. He uses prop work to explore “the ups and downs of human connection,” set to the backdrop of Stevie Wonder. With music from Etta James, P!nk, Maxwell, Ed Sheeran and Des’ree, the piece mixes the old and the new. In everyday clothing in blue, red and yellow hues, the dancers use acting and technical dance skills to quarrel and embrace one another.
The show also included the opening number, “Grace,” created in 1999 with new production in 2024, and the iconic “Revelations.”
“Mr. Ailey has this quote that we always float around,” Day said. “That ‘dance came from the people and should be delivered back to the people.’”
Thomas was one of the last dancers to be hired by Ailey in 1986, just three years before his early death from AIDS-related complications in 1989.
“Mr. Ailey was very giving,” Thomas said. “He was very generous with his dancers, but more so, he was generous to the community that came out and supported him. His door was always open.”
