Alvin Ailey's Amazing Dancers

A photo gallery of Alvin Ailey's amazing dancers, celebrating modern dance and the African-American spirit. The cover photo features Yannick Lebrun, in a breathtaking tiptoe posture.

Photo credit: Andrew Eccles for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Hi, Alvin Ailey's athletic dancers are so amazing, that I thought I would like to share my favorite photo stills and performances with you.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was founded in 1958 by Alvin Ailey, who by himself is an amazing success story.

Ailey kept his life as a dancer a secret from his mother for the first two years. The rest is the realization of the American (Modern Dance) Dream.

Popularizing modern dance in 20th century America, Alvin Ailey is also recognized for bringing his full-featured dance performances, including sophisticated choreography, costumes, make-up, lighting, and music, to more than 70 countries in the world, and for revolutionizing the African-American participation in concert dance.

Alvin Ailey's dancers are also athlets and an expression of perfection in every aspect, including body control, posture and improvisation.

Forgotten Time

This breathtaking performance shows a couple portraying ancient rituals of love and tribal rites of passage, and is accompanied by the haunting and spiritual sounds of Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices), a Bulgarian Vocal Chor.

Video credit: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Featering Clifton Brown and Linda Celeste Sims
Original costumes by Judith Jamison & Ellen Mahlke
Costumes recreated by Judith Jamison

Photo credit: Paul Kolnik

The Evolution Of A Secured Feminine

In this witty solo performance by Camille A. Brown, Alvin Aley's dancer Briana Reed portrays a woman between uncertainty and carefree confidence, between masculinity and femininity.

Video credit: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Featuering Briana Reed
Costumes by Carolyn Meckha Cherry

Photo credit: Nan Melville

Photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Alvin Ailey's Amazing Dancers

Here are some of my favorite photo stills and dancers. What's your favorite posture?

Photo credit: Andrew Eccles

Linda Celeste Sims

Briana Reed

Rachael McLaren

Kirven James Boyd and Rachael McLaren

Yannick Lebrun and Antonio Douthit

Briana Reed

Glenn Allen Sims

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
North America Tour 2012

Related stories
The King Of Fashion
AND_i Jewelry Couture Show 2010
Yamaia's Vienna Fashion Week 11 Review