Loie Fuller Isadora Duncan Ruth St Denis Ted Shawn DENISHAWN Martha Graham Doris Humphrey Charles Weidman Humphrey Weidman Lester Horton Erick Hawkins Jose Limon Katherine Dunham Merce Cunningham Pearl Primus Alvin Ailey Erick Hawkins 1917 1994 LOOK IN BOOK technique Inspired by Native American culture Plains Daybreak Choreography Erick Hawkins 1979 Music Alana Hovhaness Set Masks Ralph Dorazio Lighting Design Robert Engstrom Performers Members of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company Use of the feet rhythmic simple movements not as much sharpness more flow between movements more symbolic pieces in their hands no scenery costumes very simple color blocks elemental look into space and the body what it can do Merce Cunningham b 1919 From Humphrey Weidman Jose Limon 1908 1972 carrying Doris Humphrey s technique forward LOOK IN BOOK From Lester Horton Alvin Ailey 1931 1990 Studied with both Horton Graham highly dramatic dance artists HISTORY Took over teaching choreography when Horton died Premiered Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in 1958 NYC LEGACY Horton technique spread particularly to the East Coast Broke down racial barriers stereotypes about dancing and race Individual dancer versus a specific type Cultural ambassador via extensive touring Ailey integrated AAADT in 1962 I thought that we were just being put into a category I wanted my dancers to feel that they were not just black dancers that they were part of society An integrated company enlarges the statement I ve been trying to make Early on Ailey adopted a procedure highly unusual for modern dance using the work of other choreographers Ailey utilized modern jazz African American cultural dance with a focus on African American heritage LEGACY IN ACTION Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble Ailey 2 Alvin Ailey American Dance Center BFA in collaboration with Fordham University Revelations Choreography Alvin Ailey 1960 Music Traditional Gospels Spirituals Set Costume Design Ves Harper Performers Members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
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