“[Ailey] has gone on to become nothing short of an American cultural treasure that remains as popular and artistically relevant as ever.”
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Robert Battle, artistic director
Matthew Rushing, associate artistic director
Although the Ailey company’s hugely popular annual Berkeley residency cannot take place in 2021, here the international dance sensation offers a stunning video program to remind us of the power, beauty, and resilience of live performance. Under the leadership of Robert Battle, the Ailey company continues to dazzle, exploring classic and contemporary repertoire that boldly takes on the defining issues of the day while celebrating movement in all its expressive forms.
The centerpiece of this Cal Performances at Home exclusive presentation is the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by Jamar Roberts, the company’s resident choreographer. Roberts has been widely praised for creating visceral, subtle works that engage artfully with contemporary issues such as gun violence, and most recently, with the devastating effect the pandemic and police misconduct have had on Black bodies and Black lives. He has said, “I’m very concerned with beauty…with these situations that are hard to speak about, I always try to make a point that there’s something beautiful that sits side by side with it.
This special program will also feature screenings of rare archival footage from the company’s storied repertoire.
The Cal Performances at Home Spring 2021 season is dedicated to Gail and Dan Rubinfeld, leading supporters of Cal Performances and the well-being of our artists for almost 30 years.
Patron Sponsors: Gail and Dan Rubinfeld
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Cal Performances at Home Pricing
The pricing for individual Cal Performances at Home performances is on the honor system and is based on the number of people watching the performance.
Going
Solo
- One person viewing the performance
Date
Night
- Two people viewing the performance
Social
Bubble
- Four or more people viewing the performance
Rock
Star
- Average price you would have paid to see this live*
* “Rock Star” is, well, above and beyond! You’re a true believer, a superhero in our book.
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