Alvin Ailey - New Works

Sadler's Wells

Every few years, Sadler's Wells is briefly BLESSED by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and what a treat we had during this visit! New artistic director Alicia Graf Mack has made her mark.

I couldn't say a bad word about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; it's impossible for them to have flaws. They have made such a huge mark in dance history and always go out of their way to create something new and impactful. The artistic director, Judith Jamison, sadly passed away in 2024, and it was beautiful to see one of her pieces reimagined, 'A Case of You'; it felt like a perfect tribute to Jamison and Ailey. 'The New Works' felt like Alicia Graf Mack showing the British audience how she will bring new angles, whilst maintaining the Ailey style and values. It was a shame to miss the 'Legacy' show, to watch some of the older pieces! If you were lucky enough to catch one or both of the shows, then you will know how special and rare it was. This review is based on 'New Works', which was made up of 5 separate dances. 'Blink of an Eye', 'Song of the Anchorite', 'Many Angels', 'A Case of You' and the piece that changed the world 'Revelations'. We will talk about each one.

Blink of an eye, this was a piece choreographed by Mehdi Walerski and had quite a big cast. The dynamics of this piece were what made this show a work of art. This was the piece that showed off the dance theatre's performers'out-of-this-world strength and stamina. It's all about the idea of moments of things being there and then not, the fleeting time and how it can feel stuck, whilst moving so quickly and of course how it is all like the 'Blink of an Eye'. It would go from being a whole group of performers on stage to just one in a matter of seconds, moments of stillness and frantic moving around. Whilst it was so minimal, it carried a heavy meaning. It was a visually interesting piece of dance, addictive and pleasing to watch. So many still frames created an image with the dancers' bodies that blew the audience away. The stage would, in one minute, be filled with light, then darkness. A playful piece.

Song of the Achorite was a meditative choreography crafted by Jamar Roberts, which was performed by one dancer. The piece is performed alongside Jazz music by trumpeter Avishai Cohen. The choreography, whilst the movements are matched to the music, also gives a different tone; whilst the jazz trumpet music is loud and vibrant, the dance is relaxing and settles your soul. The scenic design in this is the strongest and most interesting; it is created by Joseph Anthony Gaito. It is a projection of a large branch that covers the stage and looks real, alongside a wash of blue lighting by Yi- Chung Chen. The two design elements work in harmony to create the atmosphere of the dance. It shows the themes of medieval religious texts perfectly, and the choreography does feel ritualistic. It is a beautiful piece of choreography.

Many Angels is another piece of stunning choreography which feels like it belongs in a painting. This dance is choreographed by Lar Lubovitch and has costumes designed perfectly by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme to embellish the performers' movements. This has a medium-sized cast and also has a spiritual tone, but in a different way. This piece feels very classical; the dancers' technique is shown at its highest standard here, because the way they hold their bodies to create these heavenly images is astounding. It is a piece that highlights how Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre takes dance styles and makes them their own, making opportunities available to all, whilst creating some of the best of the BEST dancers. It's a piece that shows who the company are and the ability they have.

A Case of You, the choreography by Judith Jamison that has been restaged by Clifton Brown. This is a piece from the archives that deserves this spotlight. It is a piece of the dance theatre's history because it clearly shows Ailey's influence on Jamison. It feels inspired by Alvin Ailey's 'Blues Suite ', and it has so much of Ailey's style: incredible lifts, relationships between the characters. It's a duet filled with chemistry and emotion, and whilst it was short, it told a long story about the two characters. How their relationship develops and the power struggle. An incredible piece that deserves to be in the spotlight.

Revelations is the original Alvin Ailey piece that took the dance world by storm. It's about culture, religion and roots. It shows struggle, devotion to God and hope. This piece of dance will never age, never lose its power, and the choreography will never fail to make the audience's jaws drop to the floor. If you want to see dance theatre at its finest, then this is the piece you cannot miss out on. Each dance has the power to blow you away, leave you wanting more and wishing the time were not moving so fast. The fact that this is still so prominent shows how important Ailey's work within the dance industry was, what it meant to people and how we will never ever let it go. This choreography is dance history and should always be preserved and enjoyed. This is dance theatre at its best.

It is a treat that we don't get often to be able to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and what has developed since the last time they came to Sadler's Wells. If you get the opportunity to see any of their work, you should SNAP it up, because it will never fail to wow audiences, and they dance in a way that makes it look easy, even though the dancers are clearly extremely athletic and strong. Their shows are theatre core memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. It's so much more than dance; it is history, and as someone who has followed their work for a long time, it was an honour to see them and write about their work. I can't wait to see them the next time they're back in London.