Ailey 2 at The Bournemouth Pavilion

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world’s best dance companies, has successfully toured the UK three times in the past five years, presented by Dance Consortium, but this will be the first time its younger second company, Ailey 2, will appear in Britain. Appearing at the Bournemouth Pavilion on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th Mar 2011, in partnership with Pavilion Dance, Ailey 2 is renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the world’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers.

During the weekend of Ailey 2, Pavilion Dance is hosting an “Ailey 2 Fest” of shows and events; a ticket for Ailey 2 also gives customers the following for FREE!

Open Rehearsal with Ailey 2 – great for schools

Fri 4 March: 4.45pm – 5.30pm, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre - FREE with Ailey 2 tickets

A rare opportunity to see how a performance comes together. There’s is no need to book, people can just turn up. 

Desert Crossings – free dance performance by top dance company

Fri 4 March: 6.30pm – 7.25pm, Pavilion Dance – FREE with Ailey 2 tickets

Featuring outstanding dancing, powerful music and dramatic lighting. Desert Crossings makes the perfect match to the Ailey 2 performance, straight after.  

Gospel Sing-a-long

Sat 5 March: 2pm – 4pm, Pavilion Dance - £5 or FREE with Ailey 2 tickets

Bring your friends and family to this fun class that introduces soul and gospel styles and improves confidence in vocal abilities. Sing contemporary gospel, African songs and even pieces from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations.

Gospel Choir Performance

Sat 5 March: 7pm – 7.30pm, Pavilion Dance - £5 or FREE with Ailey 2 tickets.

In a rousing pre-performance to Ailey 2, be astounded by the power of 70 voices as local choir, Unity, sing music from Ailey's Revelations and gospel songs. Enjoy choir and then come to the Ailey 2 straight after.

In Conversation with Denise Rowe

Sat 5 March: 6pm – 6.45pm - Pavilion Dance – FREE

UK dancer Denise will discuss her use of traditional African, as well as contemporary dance. There will be a screening of two of her short films including Fields, a happy film about children dancing in rural Zimbabwe.  

African Dance Class

Sat 5 March: 4pm – 6pm, Pavilion Dance - £5 or FREE with Ailey 2 tickets

Denise Rowe will teach traditional and modern African dance, with support from Omer Makessa on guitar.

No previous experience in African Dance necessary. For adults and young people aged 14+

Tickets for Ailey 2 can be purchased via the Ticketline on 0844 576 3000, online at www.bic.co.uk or in person at the BIC/Bournemouth Pavilion Ticket Offices.

To book for the “Ailey 2 Weekend” activities at Pavilion Dance, customers should call 01202 203630, email paviliondance@dancesouthwest.org.uk or show their Ailey 2 ticket in person at Pavilion Dance.

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Ailey 2 will be performing Programme B at the Bournemouth Pavilion:

The External Knot (2007) 

Troy Powell’s (Ailey 2’s Associate Artistic Director) The External Knot is an exhilarating favourite featuring music by Philip Glass and Robert Schumann. Highlighting the company’s exquisite story-telling skills with the journey of a young man searching for his inner-self, this piece captures his internal battle through

loneliness and despair to reconciliation.

The Hunt (2002)

Set to a wildly percussive soundtrack by Les Tambours du Bronx, Robert Battle’s extraordinary ballet for six men examines the relationship between modern sports and the rituals of the gladiators, revealing the aggressive side of human nature and the primitive thrill of the hunt.

Splendid Isolation II (excerpt) (2006)

Jessica Lang created Splendid Isolation II specifically for Ailey 2. Set to the beautiful and haunting choral piece O Maria, Stella Maris by Trio Mediaeval and Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp Minor, this visually stunning work focuses on a woman trapped centre-stage in the folds of an elegant white dress.

Revelations (1960)

Alvin Ailey’s jubilant, soul-stirring suite is one of the most uplifting ballets in the modern dance repertoire. This enduring classic is a tribute to the cultural heritage of the African-American and to Ailey’s genius. Featuring traditional spirituals songsermons, gospel songs and holy blues from the American South, Revelations is the best-loved dance in the whole world.

“In all the dance world there is nothing quite like Revelations.” The Washington

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Ailey 2 dancers have been trained at The Ailey School and after two years with the company, many of them go on to perform with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, with other prominent dance companies, on Broadway, or in other commercial work. Currently, 77% of the 30 dancers in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater honed their craft in Ailey 2.

The younger company is full of passion, enthusiasm and energy and is led by Artistic Director Sylvia Waters, herself a former dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Associate Artistic Director, Troy Powell, who began training at the age of nine at The Ailey School before joining Ailey 2 and then performing with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for a decade.

The 12 members of Ailey 2 perform diverse dance repertoires, which include Alvin Ailey classics along with thrilling new works by today’s most prominent choreographers. For the UK tour, there will be two programmes, which will both include the much-loved Alvin Ailey classic Revelations, featuring traditional spiritual songs, gospel songs and holy blues from the American South. Revelations is now on the English curriculum. Other pieces which will be in one or other of the programmes will be Donald Byrd’s Shards, Thang Dao’s Echoes, loosely based on his family’s journey from Vietnam to America and featuring all 12 dancers, Troy Powell’s The External Knot with music by Philip Glass and Robert Schumann, Artistic Director Designate of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Robert Battle’s The Hunt, which examines the relationship between modern sports and the rituals of the gladiators, and Jessica Lang’s Splendid Isolation II, The Calling, which was created in 2006 for Ailey 2 and is set to music by Trio Mediaeval and focuses on a woman trapped centre-stage in the folds of an elegant white dress.

When questioned about the company’s first international touring year, Artistic Director Sylvia Waters said, “This is a groundbreaking year for Ailey 2. The Company has earned a place on the world stage, and we look forward to sharing our unique spirit, dance artistry, and choreographic works with audiences from Belfast, UK to Columbus, Ohio!”

Ailey 2's UK tour is organised by Dance Consortium. Its UK tours are supported by Arts Council England. For further information please visit www.danceconsortium.com.

SYLVIA WATERS, Artistic Director

Since Ailey 2’s inception over 35 years ago, Artistic Director Sylvia Waters has been responsible for the growth and expansion of one of the country's most vibrant dance companies. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance at The Juilliard School, and studied with distinguished faculty members Antony Tudor, Martha Graham, Alfredo Corvino, Ethel Winter, Helen McGhee, Bertram Ross and Mary Hinkson. Following her graduation from Juilliard, Ms Waters moved to Paris, where she appeared regularly on television and worked with Michel Descombey, then director of the Paris Opera Ballet, as well as Milko Sparembleck, and subsequently performed in Brussels and at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Ms. Waters returned to the United States in 1968 and joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where she toured as a principal dancer until assuming her current position with Ailey 2. Ms Waters has also established a distinguished reputation as a teacher, conducting master classes throughout the US and Europe. In 1997, she received an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York at Oswego. She has served as a panellist for the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. In 2008, Ms. Waters received the Legacy Award as part of the 20th Annual IABD Festival, Syracuse University’s Women of Distinction Award and the prestigious Dance Magazine Award. Most recently, Ms Waters was a Visiting Lecturer at Harvard University during the 2010 spring semester.

TROY POWELL, Associate Artistic Director

Troy Powell, a native New Yorker, began his dance training at the age of nine at The Ailey School. Following his graduation from The High School of Performing Arts, he became a member of Ailey 2. Mr. Powell joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1991. He toured throughout the United States, South America, Europe and South Africa for ten years before becoming a master teacher at The Ailey School and resident choreographer of Ailey 2. Mr. Powell has choreographed ballets for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey 2, Dallas Black Dance Theater, National Dance Company of the Bahamas and Alaska Dance Theater, as well as three episodes of “Sesame Street.” His guest artist credits include performing with companies such as Batsheva, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Complexions. Featured in an American Express commercial with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mr. Powell has also appeared on television in George C. Wolfe's “The Colored Museum,” the PBS Great Performances: Dance in America special A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, choreographed by Judith Jamison, and most recently, America’s Next Top Model.

-ENDS-

Tickets are on sale now.  Call the Ticketline on 0844 576 3000, book online at www.bic.co.uk or visit the BIC or Pavilion Ticket Office in person.  Minicom 01202 454804.  Corporate & Community Groups 10+ 01202 451865.

Event: Ailey 2               

Venue: Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre          

Date(s): Fri 4 & Sat 5 Mar 2011          

Time(s): 8pm

Tickets: £22.50, £19.50, £15, £12.50 (Concessions Available)

Schools: £7.50 – visit http://www.paviliondance.org.uk/page/144/Ailey+2+for+Schools/184 to view the Ailey 2 For Schools package.

BIC Marketing Contact:

Zoë Handscomb – Marketing & Promotions Officer

Tel: 01202 456511

Email: zoe.handscomb@bhlive.co.uk

 Pavilion Dance Marketing Contact:

 Jo O’Connell – Marketing & Communications Manager

 Tel: 01202 203637

  Email: jo.oconnell@dancesouthwest.org.uk

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