Awakening (2015) by Robert Battle
Cry (1971) by Alvin Ailey soloist Jacqueline Green
Revelations (1960) by Alvin Ailey
I really enjoyed watching Alvin Ailey. I don't know too much about dance, but I do appreciate it. I've always seen the posters all over the subway of the very fit dancers contorting their bodies in impossible positions. Finally, I got an opportunity to see them in Baltimore at the historic Lyric Opera House, thanks to Hopart. I didn't realize they took so many intermissions for dance performances, but they understandably have to catch their breath. We were there for about two and a half hours, but almost an hour of that time was spent in intermission. But I loved every minute of dance.
The first dance, Exodus was modern African-inspired. The style reminded me of the performance by Ronald K. Brown I saw last year at the Kennedy Center. The second dance was more contemporary. There was a story to it that made use of bright background lights reminiscent of the lights that shine down from UFOs.
Cry gave me chills. A gorgeous solo number, Jacqueline Green danced with grace and elegance and strength. And then there's Revelations, the signature suite by Alvin Ailey. The music is set to spirituals and blues music and goes through a history of the African American experience through slavery and freedom. It is extraordinarily powerful and moving to watch. There were a few non-black dancers in this one. I guess you can't discriminate, but it is kind of weird for a non-African American dancer to convey the African American experience.
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