She entered like a Harlem Renaissance fantasy...
Wearing a pure white coat and headscarf emitting not much of a damsel in distress, but an elegant woman king realizing her emotions in the streets while concurrently, not showing a hint of such vulnerability. Her pure white, covered a smoldering black 1920’s ensemble of which she revealed shortly after the opening of the piece. This was the first figure our eyes observed, on the evening of Christmas Eve during what would be Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s last performance of 2022. She emerged in a debuting piece entitled In a Sentimental Mood, choreographed by Jamar Roberts. As I sat to watch the deflowering of brisk and stunning movement to the music of Duke Ellington and Rafiq Bhatia, I was reminded of the last time I saw the Ailey company. It was in December of 2017, a birthday gift to myself. That was my first time experiencing the renowned company live. The show was truly all this California girl could have imagined it to be and more. It even led to cultivating an already present desire to experience Portugal, after witnessing The Winter in Lisbon as one of the pieces they performed that night; a vibrant, colorful and lively story set to jazz great Dizzy Gillespie. This specific traveling desire was realized just two weeks prior to the Christmas Eve performance at the New York City Center that I am beginning to detail now.
Our opening figure set the tone of control and allure in a slow-burning, magnetizing and convoluted duet danced by Ailey’s captivating Ghrai Devore-Stokes and Chalvar Monteiro. Throughout what seemed to be the unraveling of a complicated relationship, the two were flawless; seamlessly together, yet seemingly on their own. Through spontaneous coordination or blindly roaming, they always found each other. One could see the conflict present. As Ghrai danced with strength, grace, power and dominance, her presence was clear. However, Chalvar seemed to be enduring the most torment within this storyline which was portrayed through his rugged and at times staccato movements. Ghrai, a golden goddess; was she there for him along the way as they often found each other? Or was she the one tormenting him? Powerful, yet sentimental, we felt the insane turbulence of love. It was 25 minutes of sheer elegance, romantic triumphs and pain. This piece reminded me of the raw reality of our own relationships, and their pure, yet ominous tumult. In the end, he offered her a rose. She re-robed with her clean white coat, embodying the same beauty of the opening figure we saw, and walked away.
We received a break from the ever-too realistic emotional whirlwind of coexisting and was given the next segment. DUET is a 1964 piece by the late Paul Taylor. Vibrant and lively, dancers Belén Indhira Pereyra and Patrick Coker brought a clearer vision of attachment and connection. Joyous and uplifting, the two portrayed their physical fusion into one, during moments along the seven minute ride. Their vibrant and colorful, skin-tight, one-piece attires added to the buoyancy they brought to the stage. They seemed to tell the story of bond, through clear and technical lines, returning to the audience a sense of optimism in connection.
Equally presenting vibrant pastel colors in costume, we are hit with the debut of Kyle Abraham’s Are You in Your Feelings? immediately following intermission. I believe I am beginning to recognize his style. Reminiscent, conversational, intergenerational. With this part of the show, there is so much to unpack of this 32 minute dense and wild conglomerate of pieces. Kyle Abraham chose to do a modern take with mostly modern music, on his ever-present challenge against romantic partner dynamic that he incorporates so well, while simultaneously integrating humor and charm.
Kyle Abraham is reminiscent through his pensive story-tellling. Featuring the songs of Drake, Jazmine Sullivan, Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko amongst others, the presentation gracefully illuminated the uniquely potent embodiment of delicate, fluid and powerful port de bras only Ailey dancers can execute with the immensity of breathtaking effortlessness as they do.
He seems, at one point, to imply a brief modern presence of Revelations from a perspective of love, through mimicking the iconic opening diamond formation on the Alvin Ailey stage, guarding this formation throughout nearly the entirety of one whole section.
Kyle abraham is conversational…
Through the unique side-interactions he enacts fluidly throughout all sections. At the pinnacle of the diamond formation was a fiery Ashley Kaylynn Green, awe-inflicting us with her impressionable presence, infinite turns and grandiose stature at around 5 feet tall. You know when a mover is getting it when their plié is knee deep. The deeper they continue to grow, shows the richness of their embodiment. And when you see their pelvis damn near touch the floor with it, you just know they are taken, gone into the breath of the movement in the movie they are creating. Gone into an alternate reality they are inviting you into only a glimpse of. Kyle Abraham is intergenerational through his precise music choice and evocative movement.
The movers on that stage grew deeper into their plié, and we in the audience levitated closer to their narration, becoming more and more intrigued and ever-more attached to their captivating stories.
We are graced with one last intermission to prepare ourselves for the classic and historic final piece, Revelations. I will not attempt to transcribe the gravity of such a historic presence that is the work Revelations by the late, heroic Alvin Ailey as I cannot find the words at this moment to do it justice. I can only tell you my impressions seeing it again for the second time. I was, not surprisingly, reminded of the contradictory comfort and pain felt through witnessing perseverance in movement set to eminent negro spirituals with the pleasant backdrop of Sunday church.
The opening diamond shape and captivating black choral voices, relentlessly brings in not only the eyes, but the soul. For the next 35 minutes we are taken on the riveting and beauteous ride of humility, humanity, grace and strength of African-American ancestors. Staccato elegance matches soulful expression executed by mindful technicians. Revelations, a time capsule into the strength of blackness that peacefully terrorized the 60s and before, which defined both the negro fight and experience. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater never disappoints with their athleticism and awe-inducing, breathless control. Revelations will always be the best present and beautiful culmination to a Christmas Eve night. I cannot say anything more except that one must just experience this piece at least once in their life. Be taken on a journey through history and perseverance, resilience and black joy. It is uniquely essential, uniquely Ailey.
-Busola "Be" George
Editor and Chief,
SoL-I Magazine
