Personally, Leelah ’29 says, the performance helped me see a real life example of art as social justice, and in a time where there is so much polarization and hate surrounding politics, seeing a beautiful dance work about the experiences of the many groups of people in the United States resonated with me deeply.
On the first evening of the trip, we had the opportunity to attend a performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. They performed repertoire by Ailey and other choreographers, as well as two of Ailey’s most famous ballets: “Revelations,” an exploration of Black culture, history, and music; and “Cry,” a solo created by Ailey as a present to his mother, in honor of all Black women and mothers. As a modern dancer, I’ve always wanted to see a full performance of Ailey’s work, and it was especially powerful in a historic theatre like DC’s Warner Theatre. As a group, we discussed the meanings of the various dances, and their cultural significance in the dance world and in America in general. Personally, the performance helped me see a real life example of art as social justice, and in a time where there is so much polarization and hate surrounding politics, seeing a beautiful dance work about the experiences of the many groups of people in the United States resonated with me deeply. As a whole group, we all found the performance very powerful, with the dancers’ artistry, athleticism, and emotion bringing us into an amazing and moving experience.
