Black and Gold Performing Arts Series: Ailey II

Description

Ailey II demonstrates captivating dance skills Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Ramsey Theatre at Wayne State College. The celebrated second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater of New York City, Ailey II has amazed audiences across the U.S. for more than 50 years. The performance is part of the WSC Black and Gold Performing Arts Series with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Tickets are required for the performance. To secure tickets, visit www.wsc.edu/performing-arts and select “Purchase Event Tickets.” Tickets are $10 each. WSC faculty, staff, and students attend free, but must obtain a ticket using their NUID number on the ticketing website. Ailey II’s performance at WSC is part of a 28-city tour launched in October 2024 and ending in May, celebrating the life and legacy of beloved Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison. Repertory features two world premieres as well as a beloved classic. Founded in 1974, Ailey II has advanced Alvin Ailey’s vision for more than five decades by giving early-career dancers a bridge from world-class training at The Ailey School to the professional stage. Led by Artistic Director Francesca Harper, dancers bring technical mastery and emotional depth to works by the most daring established and emerging choreographers. “This season Ailey II will thrill audiences across the country with mesmerizing premieres alongside returning favorites and iconic dances by Alvin Ailey,” explains Francesca Harper. “The 12 rising stars ignite, unite, and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds while honoring the legacy and creative spirit of Mr. Ailey.” The WSC performance includes Houston Thomas’ world premiere of “Down the Rabbit Hole.” Inspired by “The Matrix” film series, “Down the Rabbit Hole” explores how technology weaves into the fabric of daily life, transforming how humans interact and function. Set to music by Johannes Goldbach and Pomassl, this high-powered piece begs the question: Technological change — are we powering it or is it powering us? Alia Kache creates a cinematic experience in her new work “Mystery at Sky Square.” Based on the mischievous Akan folkloric character Anansi the Spider, love and revenge take center stage in this film noir-style dance theater work. Complete with 1940s-inspired costumes, narration from an original screenplay by Ryan Blackwell, a foreboding atmosphere, and music by Omari Tau, “Mystery at Sky Square” blends all the right elements of a classic whodunit for the stage. The tour also features Alvin Ailey’s “Streams,” an abstract exploration of bodies in space, danced to a percussion score by Miloslav Kabelac. Ailey II is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information, contact the WSC Department of Music at 402-375-7359.