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Two sets of dancers on stage do the same pose of a man holding a womans hands while she leans forward in arabesque

Repertory

The Still Point

COMPANIES

CHOREOGRAPHER

RUN TIME

16 Minutes

COMPANY PREMIERE

New York City Center, 1980

WORLD PREMIERE

The Dance Drama Company of Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, 92nd Street YM-YWHA, 1955

COSTUMES

Stanley Simmons

LIGHTING

Chenault Spence

Set to excerpts from Debussy's “String Quartet in G Minor (Op. 10),” Todd Bolender's choreographic short story tells of a lonely young girl who at last finds love. Prior to its addition to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s repertory, the ballet had been performed on pointe.

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; 
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is... 
– T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton" 

Two sets of dancers on stage do the same pose of a man holding a womans hands while she leans forward in arabesque

Pat Dingle, Kevin Brown, April Berry, and Keith McDaniels in Todd Bolender's The Still Point Photo by William Hilton

Three women in white dresses reach one arm up to the sky while kicking one leg behind them.

Estelle Spurlock, Donna Wood, and April Berry in Todd Bolender's The Still Point Photo by William Hilton

A woman in a white dress leans over a man on his knees arching backwards

Donna Wood and Roman Brooks in Todd Bolender's The Still Point Photo by William Hilton