Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Ailey 2 – the second company of the iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater –returns The Lowry, Salford on 13 & 14 October, its first visit there since 2011. The company’s astonishing young dancers are among the most talented of their generation and the company is renowned for merging their spirit and energy with the creative vision of today’s most outstanding choreographers. The result is captivating performances of grace, strength and soul – shot through with the unique Ailey spirit.
Ailey 2’s new artistic director Francesca Harper, herself an internationally-renowned performer and choreographer, has put together an exhilarating repertoire by a diverse range of choreographers which includes a timeless classic from Alvin Ailey.
Revelations, the company’s signature piece, was choreographed by Ailey when he was only 29 years old in 1960. A life-changing work, it has been seen by more than 23 million people in 71 countries, more than any other modern dance work. Using African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Revelations explores the deepest reaches of the soul. Ailey said that one of America’s richest treasures was the cultural heritage of the African American and this enduring classic is a tribute both to that heritage and Ailey’s genius.
The company will perform the intensely propulsive central section of William Forsythe’s 1989 work, Enemy in the Figure. The choreography is driven by Thom Willem’s percussive and rhythmic electronic score which also influences the radical use of light and shadow in its design. This excerpt puts the formidable dance skills of the Ailey 2 dancers on fine display, giving their craft and vitality an invigorating framework.
Robert Battle is Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. His 2001 classic The Hunt is a primal ritual with a distinctly urban feel fuelled by a thundering percussion soundtrack by Les Tambours du Bronx. This athletic work, originally choreographed for six male dancers, explores the relationship between modern sports and the rites of the gladiators, revealing the predatory side of human nature and the primitive thrill of the hunt. Battle found inspiration for the work in his background in martial arts.
Francesca Harper created her futuristic work Freedom Series on the company in 2021. Inspired by her Ailey homecoming, she has created a landscape of memories, a hybrid world where the past strives to influence the future. Developed in collaboration with the Ailey 2 dancers, Harper’s work examines identity and community. This excerpt is danced to a montage of acoustic and electronic sounds. Freedom Series’ unexpected twists and turns bring tender moments to its intrinsic ferocity.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey 2 have built powerful legacies which have impacted generations. New Ailey 2 artistic director Francesca Harper embodies this heritage. She took her first dance steps at The Ailey School, the official school of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where her mother Denise Jefferson was director from 1984-2010. Harper aims to bring fresh perspectives to Ailey’s legacy, while nurturing new creative voices and propelling the company forward.
Ailey 2 has an extensive community outreach programme including masterclasses, open rehearsals and workshops alongside special projects being hosted by member venues as part of the Ailey Project UK.
The dancers of Ailey 2 for the 2023/24 season are: Andrew Bryant; Spencer Everett; Jaryd Farcon; Maya Finman-Palmer; Patrick Gamble; Alfred L. Jordan II; Kiri Moore; Corinth Moulterie; Kali Marie Oliver; Tamia Strickland; Kayla Mei-Wan Thomas; and Maggy van den Heuvel.
Ailey 2 is at The Lowry, Salford on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th October 2023. For more information and tickets visit www.thelowry.com.
