As one of the most iconic figures in dance history, Alvin Ailey changed the face of modern dance with his own style of choreography that centered on the Black experience. Audiences will now have the opportunity to delve deeper into his illustrious career and equally impactful personal life in the new documentary Ailey.
Directed by Jamila Wignot, Ailey highlights so many of the essential works of Ailey’s career, including his creation of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and as a mentor to generations of gifted, Black entertainers and activists. Wignot employs voice recordings from Ailey towards the end of his life as a way of creating a deeper portrait, one exploring his relationship with his mother and own sexuality (he died of AIDS-related complications in 1989). Ailey premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released by NEON on July 23, and ahead of a stop at Tribeca, the first trailer has arrived.
Dan Mecca said his Sundance review, “Has any choreographer mattered more to American dance than Alvin Ailey? The documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot, makes a good case that there has not. Comprised of amazing archival footage, peer interviews, and choreographer Rennie Harris prepping a modern-day performance in honor of the artist, Wignot paints a full picture of a complicated man.”
Watch the trailer below.
Ailey opens on July 23.