alvin-ailey_web.jpgMIAMI — Led by Miami native Robert Battle in his third season as artistic director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. The Miami performances are part of a 23-city North American tour that marks the 25th season since the passing of legendary founder Alvin Ailey.

Ailey’s sixth annual Miami engagement will showcase Miami native Jamar Roberts and 30 other dancers in a collection of repertory favorites, premieres and new productions.

The program featured the premieres of multi-award-winning British choreographer Wayne McGregor’sChroma, and celebrated dance storyteller Ronald K. Brown’s uplifting Four Corners.

Created in 2006 for The Royal Ballet, Chroma has a score by Joby Talbot and music by Jack White III of The White Stripes and a set by architect John Pawson. Four Corners is choreographer Ronald K. Brown’s fifth work for Ailey’s dancers.  Set to the music of Carl Hancock Rux and various artists, the 11 dancers on a spiritual journey bring to life the vision of four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds.

The Friday, Feb. 21st evening program as well as the Sunday matinee program will include  LIFT, a world premiere by choreographer Aszure Barton, as well as the premiere of modern dance innovator Bill T. Jones’ joyful tour-de-force D-Man in the Waters (Part I).

The Family Matinee on Saturday, Feb. 22 will be a special Ailey/Duke Ellington program featuring productions of The River and Pas de Duke, along with Night Creature, three of the 14 ballets founder Ailey created that celebrate Duke Ellington. The Family Matinee will be followed by a free Q&A with the Ailey dancers.

Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations, an American classic acclaimed as a must-see and recognized by U.S. Senate resolution  is set as the finale at all performances. 

The Arsht Center is located at 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.