Customer Reviews

Four by Ailey: An evening with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater [VHS]

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The four ballets presented on this tape show not just the Ailey company at its best, but serve as a sort of testament to Ailey himself. Two of the works ("Divining" and "The Stack-Up") are works by two choreographers among many Ailey made a "home" for; the former work is by former Ailey dancer and current Artistic Director Judith Jamison, the latter by the late Katherine Dunham protege Talley Beatty. The whole reason I bought the tape though, was for "Cry," Ailey's 1971 tour-de-force orginally created for Judith Jamison. Though the soloist recorded here (Deborah Manning) is more than equal to the task, I will still always wish I had had the opportunity to see Jamison dance it in person.