Black History Month profile of Alvin Ailey...

a great artist and leader that also died of AIDS at the age of 57. So this is also relevant to Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (February 7, 2007).

Alvin Ailey, Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an African American modern dancer and choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He died of AIDS, at the age of 57. <1>

Ailey was born to his 17-year-old mother, Lula Cooper, in Rogers, Texas. Alvin developed an early interest in dance. In 1943 he and his mother moved to Los Angeles.

Initially, he took dance classes from choreographer Katherine Dunham, and later studied under Los Angeles, California dance teacher Lester Horton. While studying with Horton, Ailey pursued college courses in the Romance languages. At various times Ailey was enrolled at UCLA, Los Angeles City College, and the University of California at Berkeley. He studied authors like James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Carson McCullers. Ailey was fascinated by Horton's choreography, which consisted of theater pieces based on pictures by Paul Klee, poems by Garcia Lorca, music by Duke Ellington and Igor Stravinsky, and even Mexican themes. When Lester Horton died in 1953, 22-year-old Ailey was chosen to fill the shoes of his mentor. He became the director and resident choreographer for the Lester Horton Dance Theater. Within one year he choreographed three original dances for Horton's company: Creation of the World, According to St. Francis, and Mourning Morning.

Ailey began a relationship with his longtime partner, David McReynolds, in the 1950s.

taken from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Ailey

Note to mods****also cross posted in GLBT and African American forums.

Happy Black History Month!

I was dismissed from my ballet class shortly after I went up on point with the words, "The black body is not appropriate for classical dance." Seeing his work made up for it all.

as well as the work of Dance Theater of Harlem and the many other dance companies that came after his groundbreaking work. Dance Theater of Harlem even utilized pointe shoes in the coloring of the individual dancers skin...so gorgeous!

I appreciate your posting on this thread, Karenina. Good to see you! :hi:

:hi: