VIDEO: The Ailey Spirit Virtual Benefit STILL, WE DANCE Reaches Over 200k Viewers Around the World

Last night the premiere of the first-ever Ailey Spirit Benefit global broadcast united over 200,000 viewers with an uplifting evening featuring all aspects of Ailey, from the young students from The Ailey School to the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Special guest appearances included Angela Bassett, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom, Jr., Timothy Shriver, Lorraine Toussaint and powerful remarks by Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative whose bestselling book "Just Mercy," was recently adapted into a feature film.

Audiences around the world experienced a special program that spoke to the current moment featuring interviews with founder Alvin Ailey, vintage footage of Ailey's classic ballet Blues Suite that launched the Company in 1958, along with a premiere by Artistic Director Robert Battle entitled Variation, created during this time of social distancing. In a memorable finale, the Ailey dancers came together while apart filming in different locations for a re-imagined celebration of 60 years of Revelations, Alvin Ailey's soul-stirring masterpiece that is needed more than ever during these trying times. A celebration of unity afterwards was hosted by Dapper Dan with music by DJ D-Nice and Ms. Nix welcomed more than 750 guests to join in the dance.

The free broadcast is viewable for one week on Ailey's Website, YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo.

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The Ailey Spirit Benefit raises funds to support important programs for young people, like scholarships to The Ailey School and Ailey's Arts In Education & Community Programs, including AileyCamp - an innovative, full- scholarship summer day camp that uses dance as a means to help inner-city youth stretch their minds, bodies, and spirits. Proceeds will also move Ailey forward during this challenging time with the Still, We Dance campaign, which helps the organization offer a variety of free programming through Ailey All Access and prepare for the upcoming 2020-21 season paying tribute to six decades of Revelations.

The special broadcast is a highlight of Ailey All Access, a free online initiative featuring the streaming of a series of weekly performances, short films by the dancers, dance and fitness classes and more, that has reached almost 18 million people in 64 countries since it kicked off on Monday March 30, the anniversary date of the first performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.