Robert Battle News

Juilliard Dance, under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes, opens its 2015-16 season this month with 'New Dances: Edition 2015' featuring four world-premiere dances by innovative choreographers Helen Simoneau (First-Year Dancers); Aszure Barton (Second-Year Dancers); Zvi Gotheiner (Third-Year Dancers); and Kyle Abraham(Fourth-Year Dancers).

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicks off a five-week holiday season on December 2nd with a star-studded gala benefit including a performance at New York City Center and party at the New York Hilton Midtown Grand Ballroom. This year's gala will honor BNY Mellon for its major support of The Ailey Organization, and Agnes & Gerald Hassell will accept on the institution's behalf. Celebrated film star Chadwick Boseman, best known for portraying Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up, will serve as the evening's honorary chair.

Each year Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater generously dedicates one night of its New York City Center (131 West 55th Street) season (Dec 2 - Jan 3) to benefit Dancers Responding to AIDS. Join us Thursday, December 17, when a portion of all ticket sales benefit Dancers Responding to AIDS.

Renowned dancers and choreographers will teach master classes at the Ailey Extension in conjunction with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's New York City Center season (December 2 – January 3).

On December 2nd, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will kick off a five-week holiday season with a star-studded gala benefit including a performance at New York City Center and party at the New York Hilton Midtown Grand Ballroom. This year's gala will honor BNY Mellon for its major support of The Ailey Organization since 2007 and Agnes & Gerald Hassell will accept on the institution's behalf. Early confirmed celebrity guests include Tituss Burgess (pictured, left), Savion Glover, Lance Gross, Tamron Hall, Janet Mock, Joe Morton and Phylicia Rashad.

The launch of MY STORY, MY DANCE: Robert Battle's Journey to Alvin Ailey, the moving children's picture book from Simon & Schuster, was celebrated at The Ailey Studios on October 29th through reading, dancing and discussion.  Artistic Director Robert Battle was joined by author and illustrator couple Lesa Cline-Ransomeand James E. Ransome, who spoke about their personal connection to Ailey and their special roles in creating this heart-warming picture book biography.  Mr. Battle recounted how seeing Revelations for the first time as a boy in Miami set him on a path to achieve his goals.  "Having experienced first-hand the transformative power of the Ailey legacy, I'm honored by the creation of this book based upon my life," stated Battle, "It's so meaningful to know that this moving story will inspire the next generation of students to dream big and reach high."  Students from The Ailey School listened intently when Mr. Battle read from the book and beamed as they brought to life an excerpt from Alvin Ailey's masterpiece.  The students asked questions and soaked up Mr. Battle's wise and witty advice to stay focused, keep dreaming and dancing diligently, and to remember that if a boy with leg braces can grow up to be a dancer and choreographer, then they can accomplish anything.  Check out the photos of the book launch below!

Bergen Performing Arts Center located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, New Jersey presents Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance, tonight, November 4, 2015 at 7:30PM. Purchase tickets to see the next generation of dance at www.ticketmaster.com or Box Office at 201.227.1030. 

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the recipients of the sixth annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Jeffrey Cirio, Christian Denice and Mariana Oliveira.

MY STORY, MY DANCE: Robert Battle's Journey to Alvin Ailey is the inspiring story of a boy who, despite physical and personal challenges, has a life filled with music, church, and movement - first martial arts, and then, after seeing Alvin Ailey's Revelations, dance.

The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC presents an Ailey II Horton Technique Master Class. The class will take place on the bergenPAC main stage at 30 N Van Brunt Street in Englewood, NJ on Wednesday, November 4th at 4:30PM-6:00PM.

Four outstanding works by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's leading modern dance companies, will come to the big screen tonight, October 22 at 7:00 pm (local time) as the second installment of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance.

To enhance the Lincoln Center at the Movies experience for audiences of all ages, Lincoln Center Education has created interactive guides to accompany screenings of the Great American Dance series.

Four outstanding works by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's leading modern dance companies, will come to the big screen on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 pm (local time) as the second installment of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance.

Bergen Performing Arts Center located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, New Jersey presents Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance, Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at 7:30PM. Purchase tickets to see the next generation of dance at www.ticketmaster.com or Box Office at 201.227.1030. 

As part of their 2015-16 season (visit NJPAC.org for complete listings), The New Jersey Performing Arts Center proudly presents the upcoming year in dance and performative movement.

Lincoln Center at the Movies, the new cinema series recently announced by Lincoln Center in partnership with Fathom Events, will open in fall 2015 with Great American Dance presenting performances by four of America's leading companies: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico, New York City Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet. Each event will be shown in select cinemas nationwide at nearly 400 locations.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced its 30th International Dance Series, a season marked with important American, West Coast and Center premieres to be discovered and enjoyed by audiences from throughout Southern California. The distinctive personalities of each company in the Center's 2015 - 2016 International Dance Series come to life, from opulent and classical to daring, bold and contemporary.

 Juilliard Dance will receive the 64th Annual Capezio Dance Awardfrom the Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation at a ceremony on Sunday,November 22, 2015 at 6pm at The Juilliard School in the Willson Theater.  Artistic Director Lawrence Rhodes will accept the award on behalf of the school. 

On Friday and Saturday, September 25th and 26th, choreographer, Gaspard Louis will bring his company, Gaspard & Dancers to perform their Trilogy which pays tribute to the people of Haiti who endured the horrific 2010 earthquake that caused devastation to the island nation. “The Trilogy was my own personal response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake,” says choreographer and Artistic Director, Gaspard Louis.