Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Adds New Members for David H. Koch Theater Engagement, 6/12-16

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle has announced casting for the Company's return to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts at the David H. Koch Theater from June 12-16, 2013. He has also invited three new dancers to join and perform with the acclaimed 30 member Company during the seven-performance engagement.

Becoming a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this season are Jeroboam Bozeman (Brooklyn, NY) and Fana Tesfagiorgis (Madison, WI), much-admired former members of Ailey II, and Elisa Clark (Brandywine, MD), who previously performed with Battleworks Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, and Lar Lubovitch Dance Company.

During the spring engagement, the renownEd Matthew Rushing will celebrate the completion of 20 years with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and lead the cast of Ronald K. Brown's newest work, Four Corners. Set to the music of Carl Hancock Rux, Yacoub, and various other artists, the work brings to life the vision of four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds. The Ailey dancers have become known as inspiring interpreters oF Brown's unique dance storytelling and the opening night world premiere cast will include Linda Celeste Sims, Belen Pereyra, Glenn Allen Sims, Demetia Hopkins, Hope Boykin, Fana Tesfagiorgis, Jacqueline Green, Kirven James Boyd, Daniel Harder, and Michael Francis McBride.

Other casting highlights include the successful on stage partnerships of Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims and Alicia Graf Mack and Jamar Roberts in striking duets during Petite Mort and the "Fix Me, Jesus" section of Revelations. Kirven James Boyd and Jamar Roberts are scheduled to perform the fast-paced movements and propulsive jumps of the dynamic solo Takademe, Robert Battle's humorous and savvy deconstruction and abstraction of the tightly woven rhythms of Indian Kathak dance.

A free question-and-answer session with Ailey's much-admired dancers will follow the inspiring finale of Revelations at the Saturday June 15th 2pm Family Matinee performance.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the curtain rise on the unparalleled combination of Ailey's amazing dancers and the choreography of masters Ronald K. Brown, Alvin Ailey, Garth Fagan, Ji?í Kylián, and Ohad Naharin, stated Robert Battle. "The engagement is a momentous occasion for Ailey and so personally meaningful to me. Lincoln Center is where I started my journey in the New York dance world, first experiencing the genius of Garth Fagan and so many others while a student at The Juilliard School."

Ailey's historic return to Lincoln Center after 13 years is the culmination of Artistic Director Robert Battle's second season. Though it is the first visit under his leadership, the Company made special appearances at Lincoln Center in 1976, 1996 and 2000 at the then New York State Theater, as well as in 1984 at the Metropolitan Opera House.

In addition to Four Corners and Revelations, the opening night program (also scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday matinee, and Sunday evening), includes an encore performance of Petite Mort - a ballet of visual surprises that showcases the sensuality, humor and virtuosity of Ailey's dancers by renowned European choreographer Ji?í Kylián. Danced to two of Mozart's most popular piano concertos, it blends a classical sensibility with a bold, modern wit in an unforgettable duel of the sexes featuring six couples.

The alternate program on Thursday evening (repeating on Saturday evening and Sunday matinee) features Garth Fagan's From Before, Ronald K. Brown's Grace, and Robert Battle's Takademe. From Before is a revered work blending the rhythms of African dance with Caribbean influences to a score by Grammy winner Ralph MacDonald. Grace is infused with Brown's signature blend of modern dance and West African idioms and set to Duke Ellington's classic "Come Sunday," Roy Davis' hit "Gabriel," and the powerful rhythms of Fela Kuti's Afro-Pop. Takademe is a percussive, fast-paced, propulsive male solo mimicking the vocalized rhythmic syllables of Sheila Chandra's jazzy song.

Saturday evening's program will conclude with Ohad Naharin's phenomenally inventive Minus 16, danced to an eclectic score ranging from Dean Martin to mambo, techno to traditional Israeli music. Using Naharin's acclaimed "Gaga" method to overcome old habits and make room for new movement and new experiences, this expansive ensemble work is unlike any other in the Ailey repertory in the way it challenges the dancers to improvise and breaks down barriers between audience and performers.

All programs, except for Saturday evening, will end with the inspiring Revelations, Alvin Ailey's signature piece that is a tribute to his heritage and a testament to his genius. Using African-American religious music - spirituals - this suite fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.

Tickets starting at $25 are on sale. More information is available at www.alvinailey.org. Detailed schedule and additional details below.