Alvin Ailey Dancers to Grace the Stage in Nashville this Weekend

Nashville Enlivened by the Rhythm of Ailey Dancers

In a pulsating display of human emotion expressed through dance, Nashville, Tennessee, is set to host the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater this weekend. Known as one of the world’s leading dance companies, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater is scheduled to perform at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center from April 26-28, 2024, at 505 Deaderick St, Nashville, TN.

This unforgettable performance is a part of a grand 21-city United States tour that kicked off in Atlanta on January 25. Fresh off a triumphantly received 65th Anniversary season in New York City, the troupe is set to whirl its way through major US cities such as Washington, D.C., Miami, Boston, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles, with the tour winding up in Newark in a Mother’s Day performance on May 12.

Returning to Ailey’s Roots: Celebrating Life, Love, and Hope

Marking this season are two captivating season premieres: “CENTURY” by Amy Hall Garner and “Me, Myself and You” choreographed by former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish. Garner’s “CENTURY” is a stirring tribute to her grandfather on his centenary, bringing to life the affirming spirit of this milestone against the melodic backdrop of Ray Charles, Count Basie, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. “Me, Myself and You”, on the other hand, is a mastery of love and decision-making set to a dreamlike dance, encapsulating Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood”.

Exploring Social Themes through Dance

This season also brings to the stage brand-new compositions that tap on contemporary issues and the undercurrents of human emotion. These include Ronald K. Brown’s “Dancing Spirit”, an homage to Ailey’s women dancers, set to the rhythm of Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, and Alonzo King’s “Following the Subtle Current Upstream”, an audacious depiction of life’s adversities. Also featured is Jamar Roberts’s “Ode”, a poignant reflection on gun violence set to Don Pullen’s Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1 Memories and Gunshots), and Hans van Manen’s “Solo”, a riveting seven-minute showcase of virtuosity.

Returning to Ailey Classics: From Roots to Revelation

Aside from these new productions, audiences can anticipate an array of Ailey Classics, including segments from “Memoria”, “Night Creature”, and “Pas de Duke” among others, all promising to captivate and move audiences to the core.

The tour de force of the show is, undoubtedly, the immortal Alvin Ailey masterpiece “Revelations”. Rooted in Ailey’s childhood experiences in the South, the dance resonates with its narrative of hope, determination, and transcendence, and has deeply touched viewers worldwide.

The dessert of the arts, dancing, paints in space like a sprinkler showering the earth with rhythm and emotion. This coming weekend, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater invites Nashville audiences to partake in this feast of choreographed poetry, to sip from the rich chalice of human experience, and allow dance to speak where words sometimes fail.