Philadelphia, PA (In The Upper Room)

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:30 PM

Tickets and info here

Works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, and Twyla Tharp  

Experience the work of three of the most inspiring and influential choreographers of the 20th Century. Featuring iconic works—Alvin Ailey’s The River, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room—it is a portrait of modern dance genius.  

Performances By Date

March 14 – 16, 2024

Choreographers

WILLIAM FORSYTHE

William Forsythe (1949) has been active in the field of choreography for over 50 years. His work is acknowledged for reorienting the practice of ballet from its identification with classical repertoire to a dynamic 21st century art form. Forsythe danced with the Joffrey Ballet and later the Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed Resident Choreographer in 1976. In 1984, he began a 20–year tenure as director of the Ballet Frankfurt after which he founded and directed The Forsythe Company until 2015. Forsythe’s deep interest in the fundamental principles of organization of choreography has led him to produce a wide range of projects including Installations, Films, and web–based knowledge creation. While his work for the stage resides in the repertoire of ensembles worldwide, his installations are presented internationally in exhibitions and museums. Forsythe has been the recipient of numerous awards which include the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale and Der FAUST German Theatre Award, both for lifetime achievement.

ALVIN AILEY

Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. His experiences of life in the rural South would later inspire some of his most memorable works. He was introduced to dance in Los Angeles by performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, and his formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend Carmen de Lavallade. Horton, the founder of one of the first racially integrated dance companies in the United States, became a mentor for Mr. Ailey as he embarked on his professional career. After Horton’s death in 1953, Mr. Ailey became director of the Lester Horton Dance Theater and began to choreograph his own works. In the 1950s and 60s Mr. Ailey performed in four Broadway shows, including House of Flowers and Jamaica. In 1958 he founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974. Mr. Ailey was a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education, particularly those benefiting underserved communities. Throughout his lifetime he was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014 he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America. When Mr. Ailey died on December 1, 1989, The New York Times said of him, “you didn’t need to have known personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”