Skip to content

Our Story

JUMP TO:

AILEY is Legacy in Motion. From the Company's first concert in 1958 to the organization’s vast impact around the globe, AILEY enriches the field of dance and shares the African American cultural experience through performances, training, classes, and community programs.
Alvin Ailey

Dance is for everybody. I believe that dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people.

Alvin Ailey

Our Founder

Alvin Ailey was an incomparable dancer, a forward-facing visionary, and one of the most significant choreographers of the 20th century, whose work changed the course of modern dance forever. His legacy lives on today.
Read MoreWatch Portrait of Ailey
Read MoreWatch Portrait of Ailey

Our Organization

Alvin Ailey’s vision went well beyond a single dance company. Today, AILEY shares the power of dance in theaters, classrooms, and communities around the world.
An unrivaled force, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is AILEY's world-renowned founding company.
Learn More
Performances
The next generation of dance, Ailey II performs works by emerging and established choreographers.
Learn More
Performances
Stars are born and storied careers begin through training at The Ailey School.
Learn More
Training
Alvin Ailey's enduring mission lives on through Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs.
Learn More
Community
All are welcome to learn and embrace the power of movement through open classes at Ailey Extension.
Learn More
Classes

Our Mission

AILEY strives to further the pioneering vision of the choreographer, dancer, and cultural leader Alvin Ailey by building an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all. This performing arts community plays an essential social role, sharing the art of dance with people of all races, ages, and backgrounds.

Our Location

The Joan Weill Center for Dance is the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world. 

Plan Your VisitRentals

Resources

Learn more about AILEY’s history and keep up to date with our latest news.
A shirtless man holds tree branches over his head

History

M. White, M. Marshall, E. Thompson Moore in Revelations. Photo by Jack Mitchell

Blog

Alvin Ailey, center, poses with three dancers.

Archives

Recently on view at the Whitney’s Edges of Ailey exhibition, Radical Accounting is a series of data-driven visualizations that explore the evolution, global reach, and artistic legacy of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Through dynamic animations, the project highlights the company’s touring history, repertoire, and the generations of dancers who have carried Alvin Ailey's vision forward.

AILEY's Dance Artists, 1958–2023

This video illustrates the growth of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from a small touring ensemble to an internationally acclaimed institution. It highlights the transmission of dance knowledge across generations of performers, emphasizing Alvin Ailey's role in sharing a living history of dance worldwide.

AILEY, City by City and Year by Year

Focusing on the company's expansive touring history, this animation maps out Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's performances across various cities and years. It showcases how the company built a global presence, reflecting AILEY's commitment to bringing dance to diverse audiences.

AILEY's Performance History, 1958–89

This piece delves into the company's repertoire during its formative years, portraying the range and evolution of performances. It presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's body of work as a dynamic, living museum of dance, preserving and innovating choreographic traditions.

AILEY 2024 Annual Report