ABSTRACT
What is the magic of Alvin Ailey’s Revelations that keeps audiences filling the theater? The skill, the craft, the musicality and ultimately the spirit and the truthfulness of his choreography are examined. The body of Ailey’s work fits into three general categories: abstract evocations of music; intensely emotional dances which are responses to social issues; and choreography celebrating the gifts and personalities of specific dancers. Examples of each of these categories are explored through such works as Masekela Langage, Night Creature, and Revelations.
