Ailey Spirit Gala Celebrates Lincoln Center Residency

The Ailey Spirit Gala launched its two-week season at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater Thursday, June 10, 2015. Benefits from the Gala were directed towards providing scholarships for students of The Ailey School and supported Ailey’s innovative Arts in Education & Community Programs. DJ M.O.S. set the tunes for the party following the performance, which honored the Ford Foundation.

The special evening kicked-off the 15 nights of performances guided under Artistic Directors Robert Battle of Takademe, Matthew Rushing of ODETTA and Manuell Vignoule of Breakthrough, and Christopher Huggins of Annointed. Many performances feature an expanded performance of Alvin Ailey’s signature Revelations.

The performance included pieces by dancers of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, the Ailey School and AileyCamp.

Model and actor Tyson Beckford served as Honorary Chair for this year's Gala. Attendees included co-chairs of the Gala and guests such as Janet Mock, Tituss Burgess and Naturi Naughton.

“The Ailey Spirit Gala is the perfect New York night - a world class institution having a world class celebration for a great cause,” said Beckford. “Seeing Ailey is an unforgettable experience and I am honored and excited to be part of this very special evening.”

Each year the Ailey company hosts a series of engagements at Lincoln Center among other venues across the country. The Alvin Ailey Dance theater began in 1989 and is now lead by Artistic Director Robert Battle. For more information and tickets visit www.alvinailey.org.

The two-week full schedule:

6/10, 7:00pm - The Ailey Spirit Gala (includes Revelations)
6/11, 7:30pm - Toccata, After the Rain Pas de Deux / Exodus / Revelations
6/12, 8:00pm - ODETTA / Suspended Women, In/Side / Revelations
6/13, 2:00pm - Toccata, After the Rain Pas de Deux / Exodus / Revelations (Q&A session to follow)
6/13, 8:00pm - Bad Blood / Uprising / ODETTA
6/14, 3:00pm - ODETTA / Bad Blood / Revelations
6/14, 7:30pm - Toccata, After the Rain Pas de Deux / Exodus / Revelations
6/16, 7:30pm - Chroma / Grace / Takademe, Revelations
6/17, 7:30pm - Night Creature, A Case of You / No Longer Silent / Revelations
6/18, 7:30pm - Chroma / Grace / Takademe, Revelations
6/19, 8:00pm- Exodus / Suspended Women, Takademe / Revelations
6/20, 2:00pm - Toccata, After the Rain Pas de Deux / Exodus / Revelations (Q&A session to follow)
6/20, 8:00pm - Night Creature, A Case of You / No Longer Silent / Revelations
6/21, 3:00pm- Bad Blood / Uprising / ODETTA
6/21, 7:30pm - Exodus, Strange Humors/ No Longer Silent / Revelations