#alvin ailey

[milksockets]

'a scene in "revelations," a ballet by alvin ailey to traditional afro-american music' in phaidon book of the ballet (1979)

[arinzeture]

The iconic dancer Judith Jamison with the legendary Alvin Ailey.🖤🖤

[bodyalive]

Alvin Ailey

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"One of the processes of your life is to constantly break down that inferiority, to constantly reaffirm that I Am Somebody."

"To be who you are and become what you are capable of is the only goal worth living."

“There was still no likelihood that we could make a living from dance. We were doing it because we loved it... We realized how full we felt; we were surrounded by music and dancing and joy.”

"Dance is for everybody. I believe that the dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people."

Alvin Ailey (Jan 5, 1931 – Dec 1, 1989)

[Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery]

[madamelaydebug]

Rest In Power

A swan with grace

[andrewisdoing]

Things That Definitely Made Me GAY (Part 2):

MUSIC ICONS: Part of my Coming Out would be incomplete without the music that found me during that time. I’d wager my survival had every bit to do with the singers, songwriters and entertainers I was playing at the time. I especially credit Madonna, Janet Jackson, Barbara Streisand and Rufus Wainwright. They were the unexpected heroes in my ears everyday reminding me it was okay to embrace the dramatic, funny, complex, sexual situations of life in song.

FILMS: I am a firm believer that people are always searching for bits of themselves in the movies. So, being the teen I was, I wanted to find parts of my being in the movies to be affirmed that I wasn’t alone. Whether it was a documentary or rom-com, I wanted to escape into a potential future or an idea of what it looked like to be a gay man in 2009. Documentaries were a gift from heaven because I got to see where we had been and where we were going. I still feel that way as a 30 year old. I feel like I still am eager to see stories of us and find parts of myself on celluloid.

VOGUEING/PARIS IS BURNING: This movie quite simply changed and saved my life in a LOT of ways. When Madonna’s Vogue (BEST SONG FOREVER ON REPEAT) came into my life, my godmother introduced to me to the Houses of New York City, the Ballrooms and the origins of Vogueing. I had never felt so seen as a black gay person in a film prior to seeing PIB. It was the antidote to existing in a suburb in Washington. To know I wasn’t alone in the world and that there was a place beyond Washington where people like me exist, was (and still is) the greatest gift anyone, especially from kin, could’ve given me.

QUEER AS FOLK: THIS SHOW TOOK ME THERE. I remember hiding the box sets at many friends’ houses when I first had come out. While the show can be a bit dated, the stories and original characters really shaped what being a part of the LGBTQ+ community could potentially be as I grew into adulthood.

HISTORY: When I first came out, I made it my personal mission to read up on all things gay history to understand who came before me and whose footsteps I was walking behind. I found so much solace in the bravery we displayed as a community. I know that I am free to be me because of the folks who came before me. I hope that as time goes on, we discover more unsung gay heroes.

HEROES: I went out to of my way to find people who were like me and people who had the same interests as me. Finding people who made me feel understood and created the work to express all the facets of not only the human experience but the gay experience. Whether it be through dance, poetry, filmmaking or photography, I credit these artists for saving my life through their work.

FATSO: Some kids first cartoon crushes were Aladdin, Hercules, HELL, I could even bet that some had crushes on The Beast, BEFORE HE BECAME HUMAN! Me? Mine was (and still is) Fatso. Some have read him as a queer coded character and for my sake, I really hope that it’s true.

PORN & The Pornstars That Make Em’ : As weird as it may seem, discovering Porn really helped me feel liberated and free to understand my sexuality and what I really liked. Also..boy, oh boy, the men and the videos that still to this day..get me off is a list that’s too long to count. From Zeb Atlas to Tom Katt, these men served the fantasies that were so hot and beefy, I still can’t believe my eyes. Being gay certainly has its perks.

NOAH’S ARC: In the same vein as QAF, Noah’s Arc made me feel not only seen as a gay man but as a black man. I love that the show gave the community so many versions of our existence. Making us more than a side character or the uplifting and sassy character, at that. We were portrayed as human and proof that we exist.

[didierleclair]

Alvin Ailey, dancer, choreography.

By Carl Van Vechten

[afriblaq]

Judith Jameson was an American dancer and choreographer. She was the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1989 until 2011 and then its artistic director emerita.

"We remember and are grateful for her artistry, humanity and incredible light, which inspired us all"

(May 10, 1943 – November 9, 2024)

RIP Queen

[africanamericanreports]

Judith Jamison, a dancer who became an international star as a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and who directed the troupe for more than two decades, building it into the most successful modern dance company in the country, died on Saturday. She was 81.

[dance-world]

James Gilmer - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - photo by Julien Benhamou

[gyamfieric]

These days,

For all the shoulders,

With So Much Respect, Admiration and Love.

[newbuddylove]

[uzumaki-rebellion]

We have another ancestor. I had to meditate on this one for two days before mentioning her. Rest in love and power Judith Jamison.

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. His experiences of life in the rural South would later inspire some of his most memorable works.

Ailey was introduced to dance in Los Angeles by performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, and his formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend Carmen de Lavallade.

In 1958, he founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience. He established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974.

Mr. Ailey was a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education, particularly those benefiting underserved African American communities.

CARTER™ Magazine

[bodyalive]

John Goodman, Ballerina, Boston Ballet, 2004

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The most beautiful thing in the world is you

- Alvin Ailey

[alive on all channels]

[beblk]

355 blk!

[dimbulbstudiosinc]

Hey everyone! It’s day 10 of Black History Month and today I drew Alvin Ailey(right)! I’m sorry for not posting yesterday, I had a medical thing, so I’m bundling Day 9, as well: Jesse Owens (left)!