By Peggy Phillips
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 4/6/25 – In 1979, as a dancer, I attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s performance at De Anza College—a moment that forever changed the way I understood movement and storytelling through dance. Watching Judith Jamison and the company perform, I saw possibilities I had never imagined—ways to convey emotion, tell a story, and embrace the beauty of the body in motion. Their movements—flexing, expanding, collapsing, and rising again with resilience—seamlessly blended ballet’s foundation with something freer, more expressive, and yet still deeply rooted in technique.
Founded by the legendary Alvin Ailey, the company has long celebrated the African American experience and the universal themes of struggle, joy, and resilience. Ailey was more than a choreographer—he was a visionary who merged ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary styles into something uniquely powerful. His 1960 masterpiece, Revelations, which was also presented tonight at the Music Center, left an indelible mark on me. Its themes of joy and spirituality unfolded through movement that was both precise and boundless—deeply rooted yet transcendent. The creative use of props—such as parasols and flowing fabric—added an additional layer, extending the dancers’ bodies beyond themselves. But what struck me most was how the choreography captured the essence of nature and everyday life: the rippling flow of water, the grounded strength of the earth, the flight of birds, the labor in the fields, and the simple act of drinking water from a stream. Ailey’s movement was drawn not just from classical technique, but from life itself.
Another revelation was the way Ailey reimagined the use of the dancers’ arms and hands. In ballet, arms are typically held in controlled, rounded positions, following strict lines. But here, they reached, curved, pulsed, and carved through the air with a raw, expressive power. Hands opened and closed like blooming flowers, fluttered like wings, or pressed together in prayer. This entirely new approach to movement infused the choreography with an emotional depth I had never experienced before—it wasn’t just about form; it was about feeling, about storytelling through every inch of the body.
That performance reshaped my approach to choreography and teaching, inspiring me to craft pieces that told stories by breaking free from ballet’s rigid precision while still honoring its discipline. I began exploring movement inspired by nature, the animal world, and the expressive potential of the arms and hands. Ailey’s influence became the cornerstone of my artistic voice, encouraging me to see dance not just as a structured form but as a living, breathing language that connects us to the world around us.
Tonight, as I sat at The Music Center in Los Angeles, I was transported back to that life-changing evening so many years ago. The current cast paid tribute to Alvin Ailey’s legacy with extraordinary grace and power. Many Angels, featuring Samantha Figgins, James Gilmer, Miranda Quinn, Christopher R. Wilson, and Vernard J. Gilmore, was absolutely stunning—so moving and beautifully performed that it took my breath away. Treading, performed by Jacquelin Harris and Yannick Lebrun, was executed with exceptional grace and precision. Their performance was truly outstanding, defined by powerful movements and expressive physical strength.
The energy in the theater was electric. The audience’s thunderous applause and standing ovations confirmed what I already knew—Alvin Ailey’s work is timeless. His legacy lives on in every dancer, every movement, and every heart moved by his art.
Watch a performance clip here: YouTube Link
