Donald Byrd News

Celebrate the beginning of 2020 with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's final performances of the 2019-2020 holiday engagement at New York City Center.

The Joyce Theater Foundation (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) continues its celebration of homegrown dance companies with the 2020 edition of American Dance Platform. The showcase of eight U.S.-based companies,   dedicated to the memory of Theodore S. Bartwink of The Harkness Foundation for Dance, will be presented at The Joyce Theater from January 7-12. Tickets, ranging in price from $10-$45, can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at West 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

The Auditorium Theatre announces programming for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's March 4-8, 2020 performances in Chicago, featuring Midwest premieres and Ailey classics. The company gives the Midwest premiere to three works: Ode, created by Ailey dancer and the company's first-ever Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts; Greenwood, Donald Byrd's ensemble work inspired by the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre; and Ounce of Faith, Darrell Grand Moultrie's ode to teachers and mentors. The engagement also includes Chicago premieres of BUSK, Aszure Barton's 2009 work premiered by the Ailey company in 2019, and The Call by Ronald K. Brown, a joyous mix of modern and West African dance. The company brings new productions of Ailey Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison's Divining and Lar Lubovitch's Fandango, along with audience favorites In/Side and Ella by Ailey Artistic Director Robert Battle. Keeping with Chicago tradition, every performance ends with company founder Alvin Ailey's masterpiece Revelations.

Tel Aviv trumpeter Sefi Zisling has shared the video for “Ongoing Morning”, taken from Expanse, his highly acclaimed sophomore album, which was also released via Tru Thoughts last month - watch + share via YouTube. Here directors Dorel & Agata, who filmed and directed the whole recording process, capture and share the special vibe that was the essence in the making of the record – an intimacy and togetherness that made the music flow and flourish.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicks off its five-week holiday season with a one-night only gala benefit on Wednesday, December 4 at 7pm, complete with an exceptional performance at New York City Center and dinner-party at the Hilton New York Grand Ballroom.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicks off its five-week holiday season with a one-night only gala benefit on Wednesday, December 4 at 7pm, complete with an exceptional performance at New York City Center and dinner-party at the Hilton New York Grand Ballroom. The gala honors Philanthropist Elaine Wynn & The Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation for their generous contributions which have supported the creation of new works as well as the Elaine Wynn & Family Education Wing, which in 2017 added three floors a?" featuring four dance studios and two classrooms a?" to The Joan Weill Center for Dance, New York's largest building dedicated to dance.  The event's co-chairs are Emily & Len Blavatnik, Paulette Mullings Bradnock & Howard Bradnock, Mellody Hobson & George Lucas, Daria L & Eric J. Wallach and Joan & Sandy Weill.

Tel Aviv trumpeter Sefi Zisling releases his sophomore album, Expanse today via Tru Thoughts. Building on his debut LP Beyond The Things I Know, released on Raw Tapes – Tel Aviv's leading collective, and championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson (BBC 6Music), Stamp The Wax, Toshio Matsuura (Worldwide FM), NTS, FIP, Radio Nova, Twistedsoul – Expanse is fronted by lead-single “Happy Solar Return ft. Kutiman”, a nine-minute afro-beat voyage and “Flip Mode” a free-funk Sun Ra homage. The project so far has garnered support from Bandcamp Weekly, Cerys Matthews (BBC 6Music), Jazziz, Worldwide FM, Music is My Sanctuary, KCRW, KEXP, Ruth Fisher, Tim Garcia (Jazz FM), Twistedsoul, alongside playlist support from 'Spotify's State of Jazz'.

Donald McKayle was well represented at Lincoln Center on November 12th, 2019 with performances that touched on three periods of his long life as a choreographer and educator.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will launch a five-week holiday season on December 4 with a star-studded gala benefit performance at New York City Center and party at the New York Hilton Midtown Grand Ballroom. The special evening celebrates philanthropist Elaine Wynn and the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation. Wynn's generous contributions have supported the creation of new works as well as the Elaine Wynn & Family Education Wing, which in 2017 added three floors – featuring four dance studios and two classrooms – to The Joan Weill Center for Dance, New York's largest building dedicated to dance.

Celebrating eight decades of a historic jazz record label, the Harris Center welcomes Blue Note Records 80th Birthday Celebration--The State of Jazz 2019, featuring three jazz stars, each with a stellar band ready to sizzle Stage One. Performing with her trio, a?oeKandace Springs has a voice that would melt snowa?? (Prince). James Francies has worked with jazz royalty from Christian McBride to Pat Metheny; performing with his trio, he's a?oea pianist with liquid dynamism in his toucha?? (New York Times). Finally, saxophonist James Carter has 18 recordings under his own name; he a?oecan be sumptuously romantic or exhilaratingly funkya?? He's at his earthiest and most accessible with this classic Hammond organ trio lineupa?? (Guardian) which he'll have in tow with him for the tour.

“Flip Mode” is the second-single from Sefi Zisling's sophomore album Expanse – out Nov 22 via Tru Thoughts. Inspired by Sun Ra's use of abstract melodies on the jazz-fusion classic Lanquidity – “Flip Mode” embraces the free-funk, creating a distinctive groove that allows the track to stand out from the rest of the record. 

The Broadway veteran returns to New York after a decade away, reinventing himself as a jazz singer. Learn about the disappointments and hurdles that lead to one of the most creative times in Darrian Ford's life in this interview about his new show at Birdland.

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Season Preview featuring Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts on Monday, November 18 at 7:30pm.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre's (DBDT) Director's Choice series features classic works of master choreographers and the world premiere of an emerging choreographer, continuing its 43-year tradition of launching the careers of talented choreographers. Texas Instruments is the presenting sponsor of the series that runs November 1-3, 2019 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center, located at 2400 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas.

Jazz all-stars salute one of their own a?" the late piano legend and influential music educator Harold Mabern a?" in Giants of Jazz 22 Honoring Harold Mabern, a concert celebration of his life and craft on Saturday, November 16 at 8 p.m.

Judith Jamison and members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater appear at TEDx for REVELATIONS FROM OF A LIFETIME IN DANCE.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is currently bringing audiences to their feet in London during over two dozen international performances this month.  From the Sadler's Wells Theatre this Friday, Rehearsal Director Matthew Rushing will host a live stream masterclass teaching excerpts of Rennie Harris' Lazarus, involving dance studios across the United Kingdom and open to students around the world via the internet.

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??The Ailey School, now celebrating its 50th anniversary, was selected to perform in the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Over 100 students from all programs of The Ailey School will answer the call of a?oeLet's Have a Parade,a?? the iconic phrase that has signaled the start of every Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1924.  Led by The Ailey School Co-Director Tracy Inman, the dancers from age seven to 25 will perform a dance inspired by the a?oeRocka My Soula?? finale of Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations.