Ailey to Present Holiday REVELATIONS On Christmas Eve And New Years Eve
See the ‘Ailey Classics' program, highlighting a selection of repertory spanning the breadth of Mr. Ailey's catalog, plus more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 23, 2025
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Company is entering the last two weeks of its holiday engagement at New York City Center. Audiences still have the chance to experience the season's new works and enduring favorites as well as special ‘All New' and ‘Ailey Classics' programs; and just nine more opportunities to be uplifted by Alvin Ailey's Revelations before a 2026 coast-to-coast US tour!
On Wednesday, December 24, Ailey's extraordinary artists will delight in two enchanting Christmas Eve performances starting with a 2pm matinee ‘Ailey Classics' program, highlighting a selection of repertory spanning the breadth of Mr. Ailey's catalog and ending with Mr. Ailey's timeless Revelations. [‘Ailey Classics' repeated on Dec. 28 matinee program]. The 7:30pm ‘All New' program features encore presentations of The Holy Blues by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Samantha Figgins, and Chalvar Monteiro, Medhi Walerski's Blink of an Eye, Judith Jamison's A Case of You, and Fredrick Earl Mosley's Embrace. [This ‘All New' program repeats on Dec. 30 eve]
The Saturday, December 27 Family Matinee features the season's first performance of Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing's Sacred Songs; and an encore of Elisa Monte's mesmerizing Treading before ending with Mr. Ailey's timeless Revelations. All Saturday family matinees are followed by a Q&A with dancers. [This program repeats on Dec 28 eve, Dec 31 mat, Jan 2 eve]
In addition to the New Year's Eve matinee on Wednesday, December 31 at 2pm, a holiday performance on January 1 at 7:30pm ushers in 2026 with an ‘All New' program featuring this season's four world premieres – Maija García's theatrical Jazz Island, Matthew Neenan's playful Difference Between, Jamar Roberts' powerful Song of the Anchorite, and Fredrick Earl Mosley's Embrace. [This ‘All New' program is also scheduled for: Dec. 23, and 27 eve]
The New York City Center performances end Sunday, January 4 with two prolific programs that display the unmatched grace and precision of AILEY's talented artists. The 2pm matinee includes Maija García's Jazz Island, Alonzo King's Following the Subtle Current Upstream, and Elisa Monte's Treading. The 7pm program holds the last chance to see Medhi Walerski's Blink of an Eye, the new production of Judith Jamison's A Case of You, Matthew Neenan's Difference Between, and Jamar Roberts' Song of the Anchorite. Both performances feature the grand finale of Alvin Ailey's uplifting timeless masterpiece Revelations, acclaimed as a must-see for all!
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's season of Legacy in Motion will travel coast to-coast on a 20-city United States tour starting January 30 in Washington DC at the Warner Theatre, and visiting major cities: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The tour culminates May 2026 with Mother's Day Weekend performances at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ.
Fans around the world can dance into the new year while honoring founder Alvin Ailey's rich legacy on what would have been his 95th birthday during a Celebrating Alvin Ailey Workshop hosted by Ailey Extension, Monday, January 5. Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing will explore Mr. Ailey's genius as a choreographer while leading students through modern and contemporary movement inspired by Mr. Ailey's most celebrated choreographies while delving into his impact on both the dance world and American history. This workshop is the grand finale of a series of AILEY legacy workshops from Ailey Extension inviting fans to learn classic Ailey steps from current and former Company members.
In addition to the live performances, fans of Ailey can get moving with Ailey Extension by taking advantage of this year's ‘Chance to Dance' promotion, which allows first-time students to take their first two classes for free! Audience members can trade their ticket for the free dance or fitness class of their choice. Students are invited to choose from a wide variety of dance styles including ballet, hip hop, West African, contemporary, jazz, salsa, Masala Bhangra, samba, and Horton – the signature technique seen in many of Alvin Ailey's works including Revelations. Ailey Extension expands on founder Alvin Ailey's mission to “give dance back to the people” by making movement accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels seven days a week. Special workshops and weekly classes are available both online via Zoom or in-studio at the Joan Weill Center for Dance – Ailey's home and New York's largest building dedicated to dance.
Videos