Alvin Ailey audiences are always so fun! Last night was their “Target night” (tickets were severely discounted, sponsored by Target), and these kinds of audiences are the best — people screaming and cheering throughout; yelling “yeah” and “go girl!”, unable to help themselves from taking pictures — with the flash (!), and this one guy kept yelling out “Praise the Lord” during Revelations.
I have no time to write — am off to Art Basel for the weekend — but it was an excellent night. In addition to the always moving Revelations (I will never tire of seeing that), they’ve done something to Bigonzetti’s Festa Barocca — it’s so much better now; they captured the humor this time, and they’ve really amped up the passion / sensuality / struggle in those pas de deux. The audience went wild for it, including myself.
And Judith Jamison’s Divining was so magnificent. It’s a beautiful combination of ballet and African and the music is fascinating. She made it in the 80s but they’ve restaged it. Don’t miss it!
ABT may have the world’s top ballet dancers, but this company has the best all-around dancers who can do just about anything and look like the best in the world at it. And does Antonio Douthit have a skeleton? That man’s body moves in ways I’ve just never seen a body move before!
Go see them — they’re at City Center through the very beginning of January.
More when I get back (and the interviews with Bell and Tayeh as well). Now off to Miami!
Photo above of cast in Jamison’s Divining, by Nan Melville.
