Edges of Ailey: A Personal Reflection on Legacy and Movement

Alvin Ailey, circa 1960. (Photo: John Lindquist/Whitney Museum of American Art)

In mid-November, unaware of the poignant irony that would soon unfold, I found myself wandering through the vibrant halls of the Whitney Museum of American Art, eyes scanning the Edges of Ailey exhibition for glimpses of Judith Jamison. The legendary dancer, who led the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as artistic director after its founder’s death from AIDS-related complications in 1989, had been my original dance idol and a beacon of inspiration throughout my life. As a teenager with dreams of dance, I had her majestic image from Ailey’s Cry pinned to my fridge, praying daily to channel even a fraction of her grace and power. Now, I searched for her influence, her indelible mark on the company, hoping to reconnect with that youthful adoration.

It wasn’t until the next day, November 9, that news of Jamison’s passing at age 80 would send shockwaves through the dance world. The realization that I had been re-immersing myself in the legacy of Alvin Ailey, the visionary Black choreographer who revolutionized modern dance, just as Jamison was taking her final breaths added a layer of profound significance to my visit.

I came to dance late—studying ballet and jazz with more enthusiasm than skill—but Ailey’s filmed performances became my guide. I watched them obsessively, hoping to improve my leaps and dramatic expression. Though I never mastered the art myself, dance moved me deeply and continues to do so. Years later, as a full-time dance critic for The Globe and Mail, reporting from New York and beyond, I had the chance to meet Alvin Ailey himself. In our 1987 interview, he articulated the vision that the Whitney exhibition now celebrates. “All the works I’m creating now are about the Black experience,” he told me, his voice resonating with conviction. “It’s important to keep a perspective on our heritage.”

Curated by museum staffers Adrienne Edwards with assistance from Joshua Lubin-Levy and CJ Salapare, Edges of Ailey brings Ailey’s vision to life on an unprecedented scale. Spanning 18,000 square feet on the museum’s fifth floor, the exhibition transcends a mere retrospective, offering an expansive exploration of Ailey’s art and its cultural resonances. Deep red walls pulse with energy, housing works by over 80 artists whose creations echo Ailey’s spirit and extend his legacy. An 18-channel video installation dominates the space, looping archival footage of Ailey’s performances alongside interviews with him and his collaborators. His voice—soft yet commanding—resonates: “I’m a Black man whose roots are in the sun and the dirt of the South.” These words anchor the exhibition’s thematic sections: Southern roots, Black spirituality, migration, liberation and collaboration.

Benny Andrews, The Way to the Promised Land (Revival Series), 1994. (Photo: David Tufino)

Among the visual artworks are Beverly Buchanan’s miniature shacks, which evoke memories of sharecropping life in Texas—Ailey’s birthplace—and Ralph Lemon’s Alvin Ailey Dancing Revelations #3, which captures the essence of movement that defined his choreography. Revelations itself—the signature piece that has captivated audiences since 1960—is present on the wraparound screens in fragments that feel both reverent and fleeting.

The exhibition illuminates both Ailey’s influences and his far-reaching impact. Handwritten notes, performance programs, and photographs offer intimate glimpses into his creative process and personal struggles. These artifacts stand alongside works by visual artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kara Walker, revealing unexpected connections and highlighting the choreographer’s broad cultural resonance beyond the world of dance.

One particularly moving moment comes in a montage of video messages recorded by company members during Ailey’s final days. “We love you! Come back soon!” they say with palpable emotion. It’s a reminder that Ailey was not only an artistic visionary but also a mentor who fostered community within his company.

The exhibition’s impact extends beyond its visual elements. Throughout its run, over 90 live performances are taking place, featuring both emerging choreographers and established dance artists like Bill T. Jones, all drawing inspiration from Ailey’s legacy. These performances bring the exhibition to life, transforming the museum space into a dynamic stage that bridges past and present.

On the day of my visit, I witnessed one such performance. Trinidad-born Yusha-Marie Sorzano, a former Ailey dancer turned choreographer, presented This World Anew. Three women in diaphanous costumes moved barefoot through flowing, gestural sequences. Their solos and partnering work hinted at hidden narratives, echoing Ailey’s gift for storytelling through movement. But it was the setting that truly captivated.

Tisha-Marie Soriano's This World Anew. (Photo: Deirdre Kelly)

Framed by the Whitney’s vast window overlooking the Hudson, the dancers performed as day faded into dusk. The shifting light became an integral part of the piece, a visual metaphor for the cycles of influence and renewal explored throughout the exhibition. As I watched, I was reminded of Ailey’s enduring impact—how his artistry continues to inspire new generations of dancers and choreographers, each adding their own voice to the ever-evolving story of Black dance in America.

As the gallery filled with New Yorkers just off work, I found myself retracing my steps through the exhibition. The contrast between Sorzano’s contemporary piece and Ailey’s archival treasures crystallized the show’s essence: a living testament to an ever-evolving art form. My then mind drifted to my own journey—from a starry-eyed teen with Jamison’s photo on my fridge to the seasoned critic I’d become. Edges of Ailey isn’t merely a retrospective; it’s an invitation to engage with movement as both memory and resistance.

Departing the museum, I felt a renewed obligation to write about this exhibition, to acknowledge the profound influence Jamison and Ailey have had on my life and career. As Alicia Graf Mack steps into the role long held by Jamison at the helm of the Ailey company, I’m reminded of the cyclical nature of dance—how knowledge, style, and inspiration are passed from one generation to the next. Just as Ailey and Jamison shaped my understanding of dance, Mack now guides a new generation of dancers and choreographers. This continuity, so vividly illustrated in the exhibition, underscores my own role as a critic: to observe, interpret, and document this ongoing evolution of an art form that has been central to my life for decades.

Judith Jamison in Cry. (Photo: Max Waldman, 1976)

Edges of Ailey is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art through February 9, 2025.

– Deirdre Kelly is a Toronto-based journalist, author and internationally recognized dance critic and style writer on staff at The Globe and Mail newspaper from 1985 to 2017. She writes for Dance Magazine in New York, the Dance Gazette in London, and NUVO in Vancouver, and is a contributor to the International Dictionary of Ballet and AWOL: Tales for Travel-Inspired Minds. The best-selling author of Paris Times Eight and Ballerina: Sex, Scandal and Suffering Behind the Symbol of Perfection, she is a two-time recipient (2020 and 2014) of Canada’s Nathan Cohen Prize for outstanding critical writing. In 2017, she joined York University as Editor of the award-winning The York University Magazine where she is also the publication’s principal writer. In 2023, she published her latest book, Fashioning The Beatles: The Looks That Shook The World.