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Alvin Ailey’s Season Comes to a Close on January 5th. It has its Beauty and Disappointments.
Alvin Ailey’s season is in full swing and will finish on January 5th. Consistently excellent; It’s the time of year I cherish as it is one of my favorite companies to review. For the most part, this season is no less dear than all the others previous, with an exception. I will start with the most outstanding of these three new works first. That is Grace, choreographed by the ever-imaginative, divine Ronald K. Brown and costumed by super-talented Omatayo Wunmi Olaiya. Grace is nothing less than an undulating tour de force of visual movement. It includes excellent sounds reminiscent of the 80s and 90s, joyous rolling waves of dance exemplified in red streaks of billowy costume threaded through white, silky fabric. These cut-off shapes enhance the instrument of the body. Strongly defined dance strokes with African influences and a retro feel made the audience bounce to the beat and move to the groove via annunciating motion that only Brown could provide. Among many brilliant dancers, Leonardo Brito and Patrick Coker pull you into the vortex of its excellent spell.
Many Angels is a seamless dance played out in the spaces between air and clouds choreographed by Lars Labović. With exquisite music by Gustav Mahler, it is a tightly woven piece as light and compelling as the clouds’ ever-changing…
