Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater coming to Civic Center

DES MOINES — The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is coming to the Des Moines Civic Center for one night only at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18.

Tickets are on sale now at the Civic Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at DesMoinesPerformingArts.org. Groups of 10 or more should call (515) 246-2340.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by choreographer Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance forever changed the perception of American dance.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has gone on to perform for an estimated 23 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents, as well as millions more through television broadcasts. In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the company as “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world,” one that celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.

Alvin Ailey’s March performance will include two repertory favorites, Revelations and Another Night, as well as two new productions of Ailey classic works, The River and Pas de Duke.

Revelations (1960) — American classic acclaimed as a must see for all, Alvin Ailey’s signature masterpiece is a tribute to his heritage and genius. Using African-American religious music — spirituals — this suite fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.

Another Night (2012) — Choreographed by Kyle Abraham, Another Night innovatively fuses the many dynamic facets of American dance and showcases the artistry and versatility of the Ailey dancers.  The work for ten dancers is set to Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers rendition of one of Dizzy Gillespie’s seminal compositions, A Night in Tunisia.

The River (1970/Ailey Company Premiere — 1980) — Originally choreographed in 1970 for American Ballet Theatre, is a legendary collaboration between two great American artists, Alvin Ailey and Duke Ellington. The suite combines classical ballet, modern dance and jazz in sections suggesting tumbling rapids and slow currents on a voyage to the great sea, mirroring the journey of life.

Pas de Duke (1976) — Alvin Ailey’s modern dance translation of a classical pas de deux, was created in 1976 for two of the world’s most renowned dancers, Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov. First presented as part of the “Ailey Celebrates Ellington” festival at Lincoln Center’s New York State Theater for the nation’s bicentennial, it commemorates America’s two great art forms — modern dance and jazz music.

For more information on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, visit www.alvinailey.org/.