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A black and white photo of a group of dancers performing in unison. They are all wearing white tops and black pants, and are mid-kick with one leg raised and arms extended. The background is light.

Repertory

Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot

COMPANIES

CHOREOGRAPHER

RUN TIME

27 Minutes

COMPANY PREMIERE

New York City Center, 1989

WORLD PREMIERE

1960

MUSIC

Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, and Lalo Schifrin

DÉCOR

Talley Beatty

COSTUMES

Matthew Cameron

LIGHTING

Nicola Cernovitch

Talley Beatty's sizzling, sultry suite of jazz ballets fuses elements of African, Caribbean, and classical dance. “Congo Tango Palace,” the last section of the work, represents an imaginary ballroom in Spanish Harlem where the music is steamy and the interactions between men and women are equally so. 

A black and white photo of a group of dancers forming a pyramid-like formation. A male dancer stands at the front with arms extended. Other dancers behind him have their arms outstretched, and a female dancer stands elevated at the back. Chairs are hanging in the air above them. The background is light.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Talley Beatty's Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot Photo by Jack Mitchell. (©) Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. and Smithsonian Institution

A black and white photo of three dancers. Two male dancers in dark outfits lift a female dancer in a dress as she extends one leg. Two chairs hang in the air above them. The background is light.

Carl Bailey, Renee Robinson, and Gary DeLoatch Talley Beatty's Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot Photo by Jack Mitchell. (©) Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. and Smithsonian Institution

A black and white photo of a group of dancers performing in unison. They are all wearing white tops and black pants, and are mid-kick with one leg raised and arms extended. The background is light.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Talley Beatty's Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot Photo by Jack Mitchell. (©) Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. and Smithsonian Institution