The Count will return to Atlanta once again, but he will bite for the first time on the stage of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta Ballet’s production of Bram Stokers’s Dracula. The always popular tale will run for eight performances, February 5 through 15, 2009 with live music by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.
This will be the fifth time that Atlanta Ballet presents Michael Pink’s version of this haunting, heart-pounding story ballet. The Ballet will once again bring world renowned choreographer Pink to the city to direct the drama, which is taken from his and Christopher Gable’s original production.
Set to Philip Feeney’s griping score which includes wolverine howls and haunting heartbeats, audiences follow the story of businessman Jonathan Harker to Transylvania, his destined meeting place with Count Dracula – a vampire who is a picture of courtly elegance and menacing force. Dracula, surviving on the blood of the living, casts spells over Jonathan, his fiancée Lucy, and her friend Mina. Only the audience will discover their fate in this terrifying yet romantic tale.
The event is presented by SunTrust. Tickets range from $15 - $95 and are available through Ticketmaster Arts Line at (404) 817-8700 or stop by any Ticketmaster outlet or the Fox Theatre Box Office. Order tickets on-line at www.atlantaballet.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for parties of ten or more can be ordered by calling 404-873-5811 X 207.
Founded in 1929, Atlanta Ballet is the longest, continuously operating ballet company in the United States. Atlanta Ballet 's eclectic repertoire spans ballet history, highlighted by beloved classics and inventive originals.
Among Atlanta Ballet’s proud and unique 75-year history are its three Artistic Directors, Miss Dorothy Alexander, whose vision brought dance to the South; Robert Barnett, who turned Atlanta Ballet into a professional company; and currently, John McFall. Under McFall’s leadership Atlanta Ballet continues its commitment to share and educate audiences on the empowering joy of dance.
Atlanta Ballet opened the Centre for Dance Education in 1996 and is dedicated to nurturing young dancers while providing an outlet for adults to express their creativity. With diverse class offerings and student population, the Centre serves over 150,000 people in metro Atlanta each year. Atlanta Ballet 's roots remain firmly grounded in the Atlanta community and continue to play a vital role in the city's cultural growth and revitalization.
Thursday, February 5 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 6 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 7 - 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 – 2:00 p.m.
Friday, February 13 – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 14 – 8:00 p.m.Sunday, February 15 – 2:00 p.m.
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Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
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Monday, January 19, 2009
STOMP to Teach Master Class at Crunch on Jan 29th
Patrons at the Crunch Buckhead gym are in for a special treat when cast members from the international percussion sensation STOMP teach a Master Class on Thursday, January 29 from Noon-1pm. “Stompers” will join Crunch instructors to bring some new moves to the floor when they teach a body percussion class! This will feature some of the smooth moves seen in the hit touring show and is free and open to the public, on a first come basis.
“We are so excited about having the ‘Stompers’ here at Crunch. It's a great opportunity for participants to learn the moves from the actual cast,” states, Jennifer Renfroe, Crunch's Regional Group Fitness Director.
During the entire winter schedule (January-March) Crunch Buckhead will offer a STOMP inspired class on Thursdays from Noon-1 pm for their members. They are located at 3365 Piedmont Road, near the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree, in Tower Place. For more information on the club call them at 404-262-2120 or visit them online at www.crunch.com. Crunch knows that students are looking for motivation to keep them interested in their fitness routine and they are hoping the STOMP inspired workout will keep them having fun! To help refine their own moves, some of Crunch’s top fitness instructors will be attending STOMP while the show is in town at the Fabulous Fox.
Crunch is a health club chain that leads the industry in fusing fitness and entertainment. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch serves over 100,000 members with 28 gyms in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. Renowned for its one-of-a-kind group fitness classes and unique programming, Crunch is more than a gym. It is a fitness community for all types of people, with all types of goals, exercising all different ways; working it out at the same place together.
Theater of the Stars will present STOMP at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from January 27 through February 1. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or 404-817-8700.
STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews, and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans. As USA Today says, “STOMP finds beautiful noises in the strangest places.” STOMP. See what all the noise is about. For information on STOMP visit www.stomponline.com
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Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
“We are so excited about having the ‘Stompers’ here at Crunch. It's a great opportunity for participants to learn the moves from the actual cast,” states, Jennifer Renfroe, Crunch's Regional Group Fitness Director.
During the entire winter schedule (January-March) Crunch Buckhead will offer a STOMP inspired class on Thursdays from Noon-1 pm for their members. They are located at 3365 Piedmont Road, near the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree, in Tower Place. For more information on the club call them at 404-262-2120 or visit them online at www.crunch.com. Crunch knows that students are looking for motivation to keep them interested in their fitness routine and they are hoping the STOMP inspired workout will keep them having fun! To help refine their own moves, some of Crunch’s top fitness instructors will be attending STOMP while the show is in town at the Fabulous Fox.
Crunch is a health club chain that leads the industry in fusing fitness and entertainment. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch serves over 100,000 members with 28 gyms in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. Renowned for its one-of-a-kind group fitness classes and unique programming, Crunch is more than a gym. It is a fitness community for all types of people, with all types of goals, exercising all different ways; working it out at the same place together.
Theater of the Stars will present STOMP at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from January 27 through February 1. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or 404-817-8700.
STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews, and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans. As USA Today says, “STOMP finds beautiful noises in the strangest places.” STOMP. See what all the noise is about. For information on STOMP visit www.stomponline.com
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Line Dancine Classes in Tyrone and Fayette County!
Fayette County has a lot to offer for anyone interested in line dancing, whether you’ve never tried it before or if you’re a seasonal expert. Classes are offered at the Tyrone Recreation Center and the Fayette County Kiwanis Center covering levels from beginner to intermediate.
See below for classes that best meet your needs.
To register contact these recreation centers:
Fayette Classes – 770-716-4320 ALL CLASSES ARE 4 WEEKS
Tyrone Classes – 770-487-4694 ALL CLASSES ARE 4 WEEKS
Mondays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center - Beginner Classes at 6:30; Intermediate Classes at 7:30 p.m. Next Session begins February 2nd. $25.00 per person
Tuesdays - Tyrone Recreation Center - Day Classes - Beginners Only. Line Dance at Lunch - from 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. beginning February 3rd. $25.00 per personTyrone Recreation Center - Evening Classes - Beginner Classes at this time. Classes are from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. beginning February 3rd. $25.00 per person. Intermediate classes may be scheduled on a different night based on demand. Contact Cynthia Baldwin at 770-487-3730 or cell 404-317-4779 if you are interested in an Intermediate Class in Tyrone.
Thursdays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center -Day Classes - Beginners only. Line Dance at Lunch - from 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. beginning February 5th. $25.00 per person
Fridays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center - Open Dance Party. Next scheduled party is the third Friday on February 20th at 8:00 p.m. $5.00 door fee. This party for class members and non-class members.Tyrone Depot - Dance Classes to be held from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. $5.00 fee paid to me.. Open Dance is scheduled from 7:45 - 11:00 p.m. $10 fee paid to Tyrone Depot for party. Classes & dance parties will be held on Friday, February 27th; Friday, March 27th, and Friday, April 17th. Monthly classes & parties will continue throughout the year based on participation.
All locations (except Tyrone Depot) require pre-registration through the recreation centers. Please rsvp to Cynthia Baldwin for the Tyrone Depot classes at 770-487-3730 or cell 404-317-4779 so they will know whether to hold classes.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
See below for classes that best meet your needs.
To register contact these recreation centers:
Fayette Classes – 770-716-4320 ALL CLASSES ARE 4 WEEKS
Tyrone Classes – 770-487-4694 ALL CLASSES ARE 4 WEEKS
Mondays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center - Beginner Classes at 6:30; Intermediate Classes at 7:30 p.m. Next Session begins February 2nd. $25.00 per person
Tuesdays - Tyrone Recreation Center - Day Classes - Beginners Only. Line Dance at Lunch - from 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. beginning February 3rd. $25.00 per personTyrone Recreation Center - Evening Classes - Beginner Classes at this time. Classes are from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. beginning February 3rd. $25.00 per person. Intermediate classes may be scheduled on a different night based on demand. Contact Cynthia Baldwin at 770-487-3730 or cell 404-317-4779 if you are interested in an Intermediate Class in Tyrone.
Thursdays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center -Day Classes - Beginners only. Line Dance at Lunch - from 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. beginning February 5th. $25.00 per person
Fridays - Fayette County Kiwanis Center - Open Dance Party. Next scheduled party is the third Friday on February 20th at 8:00 p.m. $5.00 door fee. This party for class members and non-class members.Tyrone Depot - Dance Classes to be held from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. $5.00 fee paid to me.. Open Dance is scheduled from 7:45 - 11:00 p.m. $10 fee paid to Tyrone Depot for party. Classes & dance parties will be held on Friday, February 27th; Friday, March 27th, and Friday, April 17th. Monthly classes & parties will continue throughout the year based on participation.
All locations (except Tyrone Depot) require pre-registration through the recreation centers. Please rsvp to Cynthia Baldwin for the Tyrone Depot classes at 770-487-3730 or cell 404-317-4779 so they will know whether to hold classes.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
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Monday, January 12, 2009
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Celebrates 50th Anniversary in Atlanta Feb. 19 - 22
Features Live Onstage Performances by Sweet Honey In The Rock
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) will return to Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theater, February 19-22, during a 50-city global tour in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Led by the world-renowned Artistic Director Judith Jamison, the Company will present a diverse repertory of exciting premieres, dramatic new productions, revered classics, and repertory favorites.
After its critically acclaimed, record-breaking season in New York, the internationally known Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the city to showcase the unrivaled beauty and power of Ailey dancers as they perform choreography infused with modern dance, African rhythms, jazz and ballet.
“We are ecstatic about the golden anniversary celebration of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,” said Jamison. “Our anniversary tour would not be complete without stopping in the city of Atlanta.”
Atlanta audiences can look forward to new productions of historic works from the Company repertory: Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece Blues Suite, first seen at the Company’s premiere performance in 1958, brings to life “blood memories” of rural, Depression-era Southern Texas poignantly evoking the sorrow, humor and humanity of the blues and Suite Otis (1971), by Tony-Award winning choreographer and former AAADT company member George Faison, is ripe with the romance and humor of young lovers out on the town in a sizzling suite of dances to the timeless songs of Georgia-native Otis Redding.
Additionally, AAADT company member Hope Boykin has choreographed Go in Grace; an innovative collaboration with Grammy-Award winning female a cappella musical group Sweet Honey In The Rock, who will perform their original score live onstage with the dancers for three performances. Due to its overwhelming popularity, every performance of the 2009 Atlanta engagement will culminate in Alvin Ailey’s beloved Revelations which features traditional African-American spirituals.
Before each performance in Atlanta, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50 – A Golden Anniversary Celebration, a short film commemorating the Company’s rich history, will be shown to audiences. Ailey’s 18-month 50th Anniversary celebration also includes commemorative merchandise: Hallmark Ailey greeting cards; Ailey Ascending, a photographic art book, by Andrew Eccles; Ailey Movado Museum Time Piece; A Young Ailey Dancer, a children’s book by Valerie Gladstone and Jose Ivey; and an Ailey Barbie® Doll.
To purchase tickets, call Ticketmaster at 404-817-8700, or visit www.foxtheatre.org or www.ticketmaster.com. Groups of 10 or more should call the Fox Theatre Group Sales hotline at 404-881-2000 for discounted rates. Special performances for student groups will be on Thursday, February 19 and Friday, February 20 at 10:30am; tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 404-881-2000. Detailed programming information is as follows:
Thurs 2/19 (student perf.)@ 10:30am ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS excerpt, REVELATIONS
Thurs 2/19 (evening) @7:30pm BLUES SUITE / CLASSIC AILEY HIGHLIGHTS/REVELATIONS
Fri 2/20 (student perf.)@ 10:30am ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS excerpt, REVELATIONS
Fri 2/20 (evening) @ 8:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
Sat 2/21 (matinee) @ 2:00pm BLUES SUITE / CLASSIC AILEY HIGHLIGHTS/REVELATIONS
Sat 2/21 (evening) @ 8:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
Sun 2/22 (matinee) @3:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
In addition to performances, AAADT will share its mission of bringing dance back to the people by presenting special master classes for Atlanta’s young people. Ailey will implement the Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach curriculum program in Atlanta Public Schools, thanks to the J.P. Morgan National Art of Learning Sponsorship. This program utilizes Alvin Ailey's signature work, Revelations, as the inspirational framework for a comprehensive study of language arts, social studies and dance.
Georgia Power is the sponsor of AAADT’s 50th Anniversary Atlanta Season.
Coca-Cola is the sponsor of the Family Matinee Program in Atlanta.
J.P. Morgan is the National Art of Learning Sponsor.
Citi provides major support for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation’s
Arts In Education and Community programs.
Altria Group provides major support for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s New Works Fund.
MetLife Foundation provided leadership support for “Go in Grace.”
Movado Group provided major support for the new production of “Blues Suite.”
American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
The 2009 North American Tour is sponsored, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts.
REPERTORY FOR ATLANTA ENGAGEMENT
World Premiere
Go in Grace
Choreography: Hope Boykin
Music: Sweet Honey in the Rock (original composition & performing live onstage)
Company member Hope Boykin weaves a gentle, affecting tale of community, family and growth that illustrates the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” Boykin casts the dancers and singers as members of a society who unite to move a young girl forward in wisdom and grace to a commissioned score composed and performed live onstage by Sweet Honey In The Rock. Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music out of the rich textures of African American legacy and traditions, this Grammy-Award winning female vocal ensemble possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the multifaceted sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation.
New Productions
Classic Ailey Highlights (various excerpts)
A new program featuring choreographic gems from Alvin Ailey’s revered career, demonstrating the tremendous range and resonance of one man’s genius., including excerpts of Phases (1980), Landscape (1981), For “Bird” – With Love (1984), Caverna Magica (1986), Opus McShann (1988), his final work.
Phases (1980) / Composer: Pharoah Sanders, Donald Byrd, Max Roach
In this sensual jazzy section, Mr. Ailey brightly showcases femininity versus masculinity.
Landscape (1981) / Composer: Bela Bartok
Alvin Ailey’s moody, lovely landscape of dance styles was inspired by the choreographer’s travels in Eastern Europe and the music of Bela Bartok.
For Bird – With Love (1984)
Composer: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Jerome Kern, Coleridge-Tatlor Parkinson
Mr. Ailey’s theme is the artist in conflict with society, as the ballet depicts the life of legendary jazz musician Charlie Parker. In this theatrically impressive section filled with elaborate props, costumes and sets, Charlie Parker invites Dizzy Gillepsie to a club, and highlights a snapshot of the duo’s real-life relationship.
Caverna Magica (1986) / Composer: Andreas Vollenweider
In a combination of athleticism and artistry, the male solo section of Caverna Magica glows with extraordinary jumps and turns. This piece exemplifies perfectly the “Ailey style”—choreography featuring a combination of jazz, ballet, and modern dance.
Opus McShann (1988) / Composer: Jay McShann and others
A choreographic portrait of Jay McShann, the “great practitioner of the Kansas City jazz piano style and living legacy of Kansas City jazz,” Opus McShann conveys the various styles this jazz master exudes through his music. From the sexy, beguiling duet in “Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You,” to the comical meandering in “Doo Wah Doo,” Opus McShann presents the jazz doctor as a modern day African American icon with whom everyone can relate. The original Ailey dancers who first performed this piece studied swing, lindy-hop, and the jitterbug to perfect this lively and upbeat ballet’s movement style.
Blues Suite (1958)
Choreography: Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Blues Suite marked the launch of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at its premiere in 1958, and defined Mr. Ailey’s choreographic genius in presenting real people on the concert dance stage. With the rumble of a train and the toll of distant bells, a cast of vividly-drawn characters from the barrelhouses and fields of Alvin Ailey’s southern childhood are summoned to dance and revel through one long, sultry night, poignantly evoking the sorrow, humor and humanity of the blues. Dance Magazine wrote, “Blues Suite galvanized the crowd and announced the arrival of a major choreographer. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Suite Otis (1971)
Choreography: George Faison
Music: Otis Redding
The timeless music of pioneering soul singer Otis Redding sets the stage for former AAADT company member and Tony Award-winning choreographer George Faison’s playful battle of the sexes. The yearning sensuality of soul stirring songs such as “Satisfaction,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and other favorites burst through this wildly popular six-part suite of dances ripe with romance and humor.
Ailey Signature Masterpiece
Revelations (1960)
Choreography: Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Alvin Ailey said that one of America’s richest treasures was the cultural heritage of the African-American—“sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful”. This enduring classic is a tribute to that heritage and to Ailey’s genius. Using African-American religious music--spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues--this suite fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, recognized by the US Congressional resolution as a “Vital American Cultural Ambassador to the World,” was founded in 1958 and has performed for more than 21 million people in 71 countries and on 6 continents. Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. is the umbrella organization which includes AAADT; Ailey II, founded in 1974 as a junior performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School, founded in 1969 and currently offering some of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs which is committed to bringing dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people throughout the world; and The Ailey Extension, a program that offers dance and fitness classes to the general public at Ailey’s permanent home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue), New York, NY.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) will return to Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theater, February 19-22, during a 50-city global tour in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Led by the world-renowned Artistic Director Judith Jamison, the Company will present a diverse repertory of exciting premieres, dramatic new productions, revered classics, and repertory favorites.
After its critically acclaimed, record-breaking season in New York, the internationally known Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the city to showcase the unrivaled beauty and power of Ailey dancers as they perform choreography infused with modern dance, African rhythms, jazz and ballet.
“We are ecstatic about the golden anniversary celebration of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,” said Jamison. “Our anniversary tour would not be complete without stopping in the city of Atlanta.”
Atlanta audiences can look forward to new productions of historic works from the Company repertory: Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece Blues Suite, first seen at the Company’s premiere performance in 1958, brings to life “blood memories” of rural, Depression-era Southern Texas poignantly evoking the sorrow, humor and humanity of the blues and Suite Otis (1971), by Tony-Award winning choreographer and former AAADT company member George Faison, is ripe with the romance and humor of young lovers out on the town in a sizzling suite of dances to the timeless songs of Georgia-native Otis Redding.
Additionally, AAADT company member Hope Boykin has choreographed Go in Grace; an innovative collaboration with Grammy-Award winning female a cappella musical group Sweet Honey In The Rock, who will perform their original score live onstage with the dancers for three performances. Due to its overwhelming popularity, every performance of the 2009 Atlanta engagement will culminate in Alvin Ailey’s beloved Revelations which features traditional African-American spirituals.
Before each performance in Atlanta, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50 – A Golden Anniversary Celebration, a short film commemorating the Company’s rich history, will be shown to audiences. Ailey’s 18-month 50th Anniversary celebration also includes commemorative merchandise: Hallmark Ailey greeting cards; Ailey Ascending, a photographic art book, by Andrew Eccles; Ailey Movado Museum Time Piece; A Young Ailey Dancer, a children’s book by Valerie Gladstone and Jose Ivey; and an Ailey Barbie® Doll.
To purchase tickets, call Ticketmaster at 404-817-8700, or visit www.foxtheatre.org or www.ticketmaster.com. Groups of 10 or more should call the Fox Theatre Group Sales hotline at 404-881-2000 for discounted rates. Special performances for student groups will be on Thursday, February 19 and Friday, February 20 at 10:30am; tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 404-881-2000. Detailed programming information is as follows:
Thurs 2/19 (student perf.)@ 10:30am ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS excerpt, REVELATIONS
Thurs 2/19 (evening) @7:30pm BLUES SUITE / CLASSIC AILEY HIGHLIGHTS/REVELATIONS
Fri 2/20 (student perf.)@ 10:30am ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS excerpt, REVELATIONS
Fri 2/20 (evening) @ 8:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
Sat 2/21 (matinee) @ 2:00pm BLUES SUITE / CLASSIC AILEY HIGHLIGHTS/REVELATIONS
Sat 2/21 (evening) @ 8:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
Sun 2/22 (matinee) @3:00pm GO IN GRACE* / SUITE OTIS / REVELATIONS
In addition to performances, AAADT will share its mission of bringing dance back to the people by presenting special master classes for Atlanta’s young people. Ailey will implement the Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach curriculum program in Atlanta Public Schools, thanks to the J.P. Morgan National Art of Learning Sponsorship. This program utilizes Alvin Ailey's signature work, Revelations, as the inspirational framework for a comprehensive study of language arts, social studies and dance.
Georgia Power is the sponsor of AAADT’s 50th Anniversary Atlanta Season.
Coca-Cola is the sponsor of the Family Matinee Program in Atlanta.
J.P. Morgan is the National Art of Learning Sponsor.
Citi provides major support for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation’s
Arts In Education and Community programs.
Altria Group provides major support for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s New Works Fund.
MetLife Foundation provided leadership support for “Go in Grace.”
Movado Group provided major support for the new production of “Blues Suite.”
American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
The 2009 North American Tour is sponsored, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts.
REPERTORY FOR ATLANTA ENGAGEMENT
World Premiere
Go in Grace
Choreography: Hope Boykin
Music: Sweet Honey in the Rock (original composition & performing live onstage)
Company member Hope Boykin weaves a gentle, affecting tale of community, family and growth that illustrates the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” Boykin casts the dancers and singers as members of a society who unite to move a young girl forward in wisdom and grace to a commissioned score composed and performed live onstage by Sweet Honey In The Rock. Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music out of the rich textures of African American legacy and traditions, this Grammy-Award winning female vocal ensemble possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the multifaceted sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation.
New Productions
Classic Ailey Highlights (various excerpts)
A new program featuring choreographic gems from Alvin Ailey’s revered career, demonstrating the tremendous range and resonance of one man’s genius., including excerpts of Phases (1980), Landscape (1981), For “Bird” – With Love (1984), Caverna Magica (1986), Opus McShann (1988), his final work.
Phases (1980) / Composer: Pharoah Sanders, Donald Byrd, Max Roach
In this sensual jazzy section, Mr. Ailey brightly showcases femininity versus masculinity.
Landscape (1981) / Composer: Bela Bartok
Alvin Ailey’s moody, lovely landscape of dance styles was inspired by the choreographer’s travels in Eastern Europe and the music of Bela Bartok.
For Bird – With Love (1984)
Composer: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Jerome Kern, Coleridge-Tatlor Parkinson
Mr. Ailey’s theme is the artist in conflict with society, as the ballet depicts the life of legendary jazz musician Charlie Parker. In this theatrically impressive section filled with elaborate props, costumes and sets, Charlie Parker invites Dizzy Gillepsie to a club, and highlights a snapshot of the duo’s real-life relationship.
Caverna Magica (1986) / Composer: Andreas Vollenweider
In a combination of athleticism and artistry, the male solo section of Caverna Magica glows with extraordinary jumps and turns. This piece exemplifies perfectly the “Ailey style”—choreography featuring a combination of jazz, ballet, and modern dance.
Opus McShann (1988) / Composer: Jay McShann and others
A choreographic portrait of Jay McShann, the “great practitioner of the Kansas City jazz piano style and living legacy of Kansas City jazz,” Opus McShann conveys the various styles this jazz master exudes through his music. From the sexy, beguiling duet in “Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You,” to the comical meandering in “Doo Wah Doo,” Opus McShann presents the jazz doctor as a modern day African American icon with whom everyone can relate. The original Ailey dancers who first performed this piece studied swing, lindy-hop, and the jitterbug to perfect this lively and upbeat ballet’s movement style.
Blues Suite (1958)
Choreography: Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Blues Suite marked the launch of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at its premiere in 1958, and defined Mr. Ailey’s choreographic genius in presenting real people on the concert dance stage. With the rumble of a train and the toll of distant bells, a cast of vividly-drawn characters from the barrelhouses and fields of Alvin Ailey’s southern childhood are summoned to dance and revel through one long, sultry night, poignantly evoking the sorrow, humor and humanity of the blues. Dance Magazine wrote, “Blues Suite galvanized the crowd and announced the arrival of a major choreographer. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Suite Otis (1971)
Choreography: George Faison
Music: Otis Redding
The timeless music of pioneering soul singer Otis Redding sets the stage for former AAADT company member and Tony Award-winning choreographer George Faison’s playful battle of the sexes. The yearning sensuality of soul stirring songs such as “Satisfaction,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and other favorites burst through this wildly popular six-part suite of dances ripe with romance and humor.
Ailey Signature Masterpiece
Revelations (1960)
Choreography: Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Alvin Ailey said that one of America’s richest treasures was the cultural heritage of the African-American—“sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful”. This enduring classic is a tribute to that heritage and to Ailey’s genius. Using African-American religious music--spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues--this suite fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, recognized by the US Congressional resolution as a “Vital American Cultural Ambassador to the World,” was founded in 1958 and has performed for more than 21 million people in 71 countries and on 6 continents. Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. is the umbrella organization which includes AAADT; Ailey II, founded in 1974 as a junior performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School, founded in 1969 and currently offering some of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs which is committed to bringing dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people throughout the world; and The Ailey Extension, a program that offers dance and fitness classes to the general public at Ailey’s permanent home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue), New York, NY.
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