Ailey All Access Presents Broadcast Of Alvin Ailey's Classic BLUES SUITE To Commemorate Company's Anniversary

The Ailey organization continues to carry forward Alvin Ailey's pioneering legacy of not only entertaining but uniting, empowering and educating through Ailey All Access. The online initiative offers free performance broadcasts from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater repertory, Ailey Extension dance, conversations and more.

On Tuesday, March 30 at 7pm EDT, Alvin Ailey's classic Blues Suite will be broadcast online to celebrate the Company's first performance on this date in 1958. Featuring an introduction by Alvin Ailey and a performance from the 1985 PBS Great Performances television special Three by Three, the anniversary presentation will stream free for two weeks. "Blood memories" of rural, Depression era southern Texas, come to life in Blues Suite, which defined Alvin Ailey's choreographic genius of presenting real people on the concert dance stage. With the rumble of a train and the toll of distant bells, a cast of vividly-drawn characters from the barrelhouses and fields of his Texas childhood are summoned to dance and revel through one long, sultry night. Ailey's classic is set to songs of lost love, despair, and protest, expressing the sorrow, humor, and humanity of the blues, the heartfelt music that he called "hymns to the secular regions of the soul."

Upcoming streaming broadcasts being presented in conjunction with Jazz Appreciation Month at 7pm EDT include, Night Creature on Wednesday, April 14, a bubbly champagne cocktail of a dance that perfectly fuses Alvin Ailey's buoyant choreography and Duke Ellington's sparkling music, as well as Members Don't Get Weary on Wednesday, April 28, Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts' work set to music of John Coltrane.

Additional online special programs in May and June will be announced later. For further updates on the spring series and schedule, visit Ailey All Access and www.alvinailey.org.

Movers of all ages and experience levels are invited to enjoy a free workshop featuring student-favorite techniques to mark the Ailey Extension's sweet 16 birthday and another year of welcoming all people to join in the dance. On Saturday, April 3 the festivities kick off at 3:30pm EDT with Jose Ozuna teaching a high-energy Zumba party; followed at 4:00pm EDT by Karen Arceneaux leading Horton, the technique that is the foundation for many of Alvin Ailey's signature works; and culminates at 4:30pm EDT with TweetBoogie guiding students with a Hip Hop class that will have their hearts pumping. Save your spot by signing up here.

Since 2005, the Extension has worked to make dance accessible to all people and enrich the lives of our community, nationally and internationally, through dance classes, workshops, student performances, and group visits with prominent dance instructors and musicians from around the world. For more information about Ailey Extension's expansive selection of more than 30 weekly classes in a variety of different styles including hip-hop, ballet, Horton, West African, samba, contemporary, BellydanceBURN, Broadway Jazz and more, visit alvinailey.org/extension.

As we move forward together, the Ailey organization will continue to find ways to build community, uplift with Ailey's artistry, and celebrate the indomitable human spirit through dance. During these unprecedented times, the Ailey organization is grateful for contributions to the Still, We Dance campaign that is making it possible to move forward and share Ailey All Access. To enjoy a variety of digital content, follow Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Ailey Extension on Facebook and Instagram, The Ailey School on Instagram, and visit www.alvinailey.org regularly for updates.