Revered Dance Company Returns to Memphis Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The world-renowned dance company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs a limited engagement Feb. 2-3 at the historic Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are on sale now. 

Emotions are engaged when Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s extraordinary dancers bring to life contemporary works that touch on timely topics and the beloved classic Revelations - Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece that fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul and is acclaimed as a must-see for all.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance.

The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents – as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms.

In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the company as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World” that inspires all in a universal celebration of the human spirit using the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition. When Ailey began creating dances, he drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals, and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work, Revelations. Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work.

Nearly 60 years after its founding, the Ailey Company continues to move forward under the direction of Robert Battle, furthering Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 235 works by more than 90 choreographers have been part of the Ailey Company’s repertory.

Tickets are on sale now and are available for purchase online at the official Orpheum Theatre website at www.orpheum-memphis.com, the Orpheum Box Office (901-525-3000), and Ticketmaster. Special group rates are also available by calling 901-529-4226 or emailing groups@orpheum-memphis.com. 

For more information on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, visit www.alvinailey.org. 

About the Orpheum Theatre Group

The mission of the Orpheum Theatre Group is to enhance the communities we serve by utilizing the performing arts to entertain, educate, and enlighten while preserving the historic Orpheum Theatre and the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education. For more information, visit www.orpheum-memphis.com.

# # #