Whitney Museum of American Art

"Edges of Ailey"
Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) is not only an icon of modern dance, founding the internationally renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) in 1958, he is also among the most culturally and historically impactful artistic figures in the United States and the world. Edges of Ailey unites the stories of how Ailey came to be, the ideas that preoccupied him, and the inspirations behind his visionary choreography and company.

Ailey often said his dance was about "blood memories" — his recollections of
"the blues, spirituals, gospel, work songs, all those things going on in Texas in the 1930s during the Depression." The breadth of this exhibition reflects the ambitions of the artist who said, "I wanted to paint... I wanted to sculpt. I wrote poetry. I wanted to write the great American novel," before devoting his life to the art of "movements full of images."Read more