ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER to Open Season with Gala Featuring SZA, Spike Lee

On Wednesday, December 2, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will Raise the Curtain on its 2026-27 season at its Opening Night Gala with multiple Grammy Award-winning artist SZA and Award–winning filmmakers Spike Lee and Tonya Lee as Honorary Chairs. Kicking off the company's five-week holiday engagement at New York City Center, the gala begins with a 6:30pm one-night-only program featuring the world premiere of Power of Love in honor of music icon Luther Vandross, followed by dinner and dancing at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.

“I am so proud and excited to be opening our season with a major new collaboration inspired by Luther Vandross, a groundbreaking musical genius whose inimitable voice and timeless songs have been treasured since his first solo album forty-five years ago,” said Alicia Graf Mack, the Daria L. and Eric J. Wallach Artistic Director of AILEY. “It is also a joy to have SZA serving as an Honorary Chair, whose own trailblazing artistry has been celebrated for redefining modern R&B, as well as Spike Lee and Tonya Lee, who are celebrated for innovatively shaping modern American cinema with their thought-provoking and socially impactful storytelling.”

The highly anticipated Power of Love is choreographed by Jamar Roberts and created in collaboration with Primary Wave Music and The Luther Vandross Estate. The tribute to a legendary vocalist and multi-dimensional musical artist brings Vandross' romantic, funky, and eminently danceable music exuberantly to life with Roberts' intuitive, emotionally resonant movement, complemented by striking costumes designed by Andre Landeros Michel of LANDEROS NEW YORK.

Fittingly, the debut performance will be introduced by Honorary Chair SZA, one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful artists of her generation. At the 2026 Grammy Awards, she and Kendrick Lamar were awarded the prestigious Record of the Year for their collaborative track, 'luther.'

SZA said, 'My mother and I go to Alvin Ailey every year for Mother's Day. Revelations has informed both of our lives greatly. I love Luther and I'm honored to be a part of something so integral to our history, Black expression and creativity.”

Prior to the world premiere, Honorary Chairs Spike Lee & Tonya Lee will introduce a Power of Love film inviting the audience to journey behind-the-scenes during the making of this unprecedented ballet through the lens of filmmaker Nelson George. Viewers will step into the recording studio with Luther Vandross' longtime collaborator Marcus Miller and into the rehearsal room with brilliant choreographer Jamar Roberts as the two conceive the music and movement, along with a cast of musicians and dancers, for a unique creation using the late singer/songwriter's music as a guiding force.

Honorary Chair Spike Lee is an Academy Award-winning director, producer, and screenwriter celebrated for his pioneering, socially conscious films that profoundly shaped modern American cinema. Honorary Chair Tonya Lee is an award-winning filmmaker, author, and women's health advocate dedicated to social impact storytelling.

Presented just weeks after he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the celebration of Vandross' life and music features many of his biggest hits including “Never Too Much,” “Here and Now,” “Dance With My Father,” “A House Is Not A Home” and of course, his classic and the shows namesake – “Power Of Love.” The soundtrack of award-winning fan favorites will resonate with arrangements by Vandross' longtime collaborators Marcus Miller and Ron Gillyard who, along with Reginald Hudlin, are partners in developing this incomparable dance and music tribute.

“Luther and Ailey are a match made in heaven,” said Marcus Miller. “Ron and I dove in, and with the help of our dear friend, film director Reginald Hudlin, we took on the task of making this project come to life in a way Luther would be proud of.” He continues, “We chose which songs to include which reflected the breadth of Luther's career and could also translate well to dance. We made slightly new arrangements of a few songs and added some small touches to tickle the ear with some musical surprises.”

The evening also features an excerpt of Hymn, Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison's Emmy Award–winning iconic tribute to Alvin Ailey, which has returned to the repertory after nearly 15 years. A unique collaboration between two highly acclaimed talents from the worlds of dance and theater, Hymn features personal recollections from Ms. Jamison and dancers arranged by the multi-talented actor and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, along with a percussive score by Robert Ruggieri, to create a landmark work that's as intimately moving as it is awe-inspiring. Following the performance, prominent figures in the worlds of entertainment, business, and philanthropy will join in the festive dinner-dance party at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.

Also, AILEY is pleased to announce the 2026 Opening Night Gala Honorary Committee includes Debbie Allen, Council Member Gale A. Brewer, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Garner, Nelson George, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Reginald Hudlin, H.E.R., Samara Joy, Gayle King, Lizzo, LL Cool J, Audra McDonald, Marcus Miller, Karen Pittman, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Anna Deavere Smith, and Vanessa Williams. The event's co-chairs are Jody & John Arnhold, Emily & Len Blavatnik, Jack Pitts, Paula A. & Michael D. Price, Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach, Joan & Sandy Weill, and Pamela D. Zilly & John H. Schaefer; vice chairs are Anthony S. Kendall and Tara L. Smith. Proceeds from the gala support the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, including the creation of new works, scholarships for talented students at The Ailey School, and AILEY's innovative outreach programs for all ages. Call 212-405-9029 or visit ailey.org/events/opening-night-gala-2026 for gala tickets.

Performance only tickets for opening night and the company's five-week engagement at City Center are on sale now at the New York City Center Box Office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or online at Ailey.org/CityCenter or nycitycenter.org/ailey. The company will move audiences with world premieres by Jamar Roberts and Yue Yin, a company premiere by William Forsythe, new productions of Judith Jamison's Hymn and Alvin Ailey's Pas de Duke, as well as a variety of repertory favorites, including Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations. Due to popular demand, three additional performances of Jamar Roberts' Power of Love are now scheduled on Dec 20 (eve), Dec 27 (eve), and Jan 2 (eve). Tickets start at $45 (fees included) and are on sale at the New York City Center box office, through Customer Care at 212-581-1212, or at ailey.org or nycitycenter.org.

Prior to inspiring audiences at New York City Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will complete an International Tour reaching stages in London, Zürich, Brussels, Paris, and Madrid during September and October. From January through May 2027, performances will visit over 20 cities from coast-to-coast during a North American tour.

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