Alvin Ailey News

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.

The Chicago Dancing Festival has announced the programming schedule for its seventh season. Co-produced by internationally renowned choreographer and native Chicagoan Lar Lubovitch and highly esteemed Chicago dancer Jay Franke, this 'Free-to-All' Festival is set to take place August 20 - 24, featuring top ballet, modern, ethnic and rhythmic dance companies from Chicago and across the country.

360° Dance Company presents PREVIEW, a Benefit Party on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 7pm. The evening will include complimentary Summer Sangria and Mediterranean Appetizers as well as an intimate look at the company's newest repertory. The benefit will take place at The Alvin Ailey Studios, Joan Weil Center for Dance, 405 W. 55th Street, 5th floor, NYC. Tickets are $50 in advance or $65 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through a donation at www.360fullcircle.net/preview or by sending a check written to Full Circle Productions, Inc, 632 11th St. Ste. #5, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

Tonight, May 31, 2013 at 5:15pm, American Repertory Ballet will host a free lecture, 'Dancer Nutrition', as part of its On Pointe Enrichment Series. Artists of American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School will discuss how dancers and non-dancers alike should eat for peak daily performance.

Randy James' new dance company, 10 Hairy Legs, will have its New York City Debut at New York Live Arts, tonight, May 30 and May 31, June 1 at 7:30 pm and June 2 at 2:00 pm.

The Lobby Project, a series of free performances, art exhibits, performances, conversations and readings by groundbreaking artists, poets, authors and performers, will be presented in conjunction with New York City Center's new Encores! Off-Center series, running July 10 - 27 at City Center. The events will place each Off-Center musical in the context of its legacy and provide insightful explorations of the work the audience is about to experience.

The Stella Adler Studio of Acting announced today that the Eighth Annual Stella by Starlight Benefit Gala will be held June 10 at Espace in New York City. This year's honorees include acting luminaries Elaine Stritch and George Takei, Broadway idol Stephen Sondheim and real estate mogulCharles S. Cohen. The gala will feature a special live performance from Ms. Stritch's friend Bernadette Peters and red carpet appearances by Alec Baldwin, Liza Minnelli and James Gandolfini. Additional red carpet guests include gala co-hosts and Stella Adler alums Jane Levy (Evil Dead, Suburgatory) and Keith Powell (30 Rock).

Fox Valley Repertory continues their 2013 theater series rockin' to the classic tunes of the 1960s with the fun summer musical, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?. Directed and Choreographed by Kyle Donahue of Geneva with Music Direction by Robert Deason, performances will take place at the Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage on June 6 through July 28, 2013 (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; box office 630-584-6342).

World Choreography Institute, a new organization directed by Wendy Taucher, is holding its Inaugural Year Think Tank on Martha's Vineyard, at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts from May 23 to May 28, 2013. World Choreography Institute is dedicated to 'advocacy and education for the art of choreography'. The vision of this unique organization is deliberately cross-genre, dealing with choreographic principals and challenges that are common to all live dance vocabularies, from ballet to modern to Broadway and beyond. The theme for the inaugural year is 'defining choreography'. Seeking to propel thoughtful, creative dialogue and action which advances creativity in the field, WCI is creating workshops, seminars and lecture demonstrations geared to three groups: professionals in the dance world, students and the general public. The design of these activities will be based on the thinking and input of the Inaugural Year Think Tank participants. In addition, the WCI team will publish its first annual Choreography Folio in early 2014, with on-line and print versions created under the umbrella of Arts & Ideas, Patrick Phillips publisher.

World Choreography Institute, a new organization directed by Wendy Taucher, is holding its Inaugural Year Think Tank on Martha's Vineyard, at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts from May 23 to May 28, 2013. World Choreography Institute is dedicated to 'advocacy and education for the art of choreography'. The vision of this unique organization is deliberately cross-genre, dealing with choreographic principals and challenges that are common to all live dance vocabularies, from ballet to modern to Broadway and beyond. The theme for the inaugural year is 'defining choreography'. Seeking to propel thoughtful, creative dialogue and action which advances creativity in the field, WCI is creating workshops, seminars and lecture demonstrations geared to three groups: professionals in the dance world, students and the general public. The design of these activities will be based on the thinking and input of the Inaugural Year Think Tank participants. In addition, the WCI team will publish its first annual Choreography Folio in early 2014, with on-line and print versions created under the umbrella of Arts & Ideas, Patrick Phillips publisher.

Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the nation's leading Latino dance organization since 1970, announces the 2013 Pre-School Summer Dance Camps to be held weekly from June 10 - July 12 for boys and girls ages 3-5. Through fun and engaging classes, children explore the sounds, movement, stories, and art of Cuba (June 10-14), Colombia (June 17-21), Mexico (June 24-28), and Peru (July 8-12).

The 2014 season of New York City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series will open with Little Me directed by John Rando and starring Christian Borle ('Smash,' Peter and the Starcatcher) on February 5, 2014. The season will continue with The Most Happy Fella, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw and starring Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!, The Whale), followed by Irma La Douce, directed by John Doyle. Encores! Music Director Rob Berman will helm all shows.

Fresh from a successful third season, Dance Theatre of Tennessee (DTT) is poised to add another milestone in its young and exciting history. DTT has been invited to participate in two prestigious dance festivals this spring and summer - one in St. Louis, Missouri and one in Manila, Philippines.

Pioneering Jazz Musician Carline Ray will release her debut CD “Vocal Sides”, produced by her daughter, award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell, on Carlcat Records, June 4, 2013.

Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), the groundbreaking and newly revitalized classical and contemporary ballet company, will open the 2013 Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival season in the Ted Shawn Theatre June 19-23. Led by founding member and former principal dancer, Artistic Director Virginia Johnson, the company will present a range of classic and new ballet work including George Balanchine's Agon, The Lark Ascending by Alvin Ailey, and Far But Close by Canadian contemporary choreographer John Alleyne.

The third annual Dance Against Cancer at the AXA Equitable Theater on Monday, May 6, 2013 raised more than $96,000 for the American Cancer Society. The evening began with cocktails at 6pm, a performance at 7pm, and a reception at 8:30pm.

Dr. Rennie Harris, Alvin Ailey Award recipient and renowned choreographer, returns to the New Victory stage (Legends of Hip-Hop, New Vic 2004, 2006; Puremovement, New Vic 1999) to inspire the next generation of hip-hoppers with Rennie Harris Awe-Inspiring Works-RHAW. Featuring a hip-hop dance theater company of talented young dancers, RHAW delivers straight- up Philly soul and fresh spins on classic street dance styles, creating depictions of city life and young love. Rennie Harris' RHAW, will run at The New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street from tonight, May 17 through the 26th.