Cal Performances Presents

Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 8pm Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 8pm Thursday, March 5, 2009, 8pm Friday, March 6, 2009, 8pm Saturday, March 7, 2009, 2pm & 8pm Sunday, March 8, 2009, 3pm Bank of America Sponsors Zellerbach Hall Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Cal Performances Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ® ank of america is proud to sponsor Cal Performances’ presentation of the B legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Thanks to Cal Performances’ Alvin Ailey, Founder long-established relationship with the company, Bay Area audiences enjoy more Ailey performances in Berkeley than anywhere else in the world outside of the JUDITH JAMISON, Artistic Director company’s home season in New York. In addition to this year’s much anticipated and sure-to-sell-out public performances, Cal Performances will introduce more Masazumi Chaya, Assistant Artistic Director than 3,500 local schoolchildren to the company’s supreme skill, infectious en- ergy and diverse choreography through two SchoolTime performances. The Ailey company’s SchoolTime performances have a special significance, since Alvin Ailey Company Members himself was first introduced to dance through a high school field trip to the Guillermo Asca, Olivia Bowman, Kirven J. Boyd, Hope Boykin, Clifton Brown, Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Another exciting connection to the legacy of Anthony Burrell, Courtney Brené Corbin, Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Khilea Douglass, Alvin Ailey is the Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp at Cal Performances, which is Antonio Douthit, Vernard J. Gilmore, Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Chris Jackson, an intensive six-week summer dance program for underserved youth. Conceived by the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation and locally produced by Cal Performances, Gwynenn Taylor Jones, Willy Laury, Yannick Lebrun, Roxanne Lyst, Amos J. Machanic, Jr., the Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp is one of only 10 AileyCamps nationwide and Rachael McLaren, Aisha Mitchell, Akua Parker, Briana Reed, Jamar Roberts, the only AileyCamp sponsored by and located on a major university campus. Renee Robinson, Matthew Rushing, Glenn Allen Sims, Linda Celeste Sims, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Constance Stamatiou, Tina Monica Williams, Marcus Jarrell Willis Through celebrated public performances, engaging SchoolTime shows and trans- formative art education programs, Cal Performances enriches the cultural lives Sharon Gersten Luckman, Executive Director of thousands of families in the San Francisco Bay Area. We encourage you to spread the word and continue your support for Cal Performances as the leading presenter of performing arts in our region.

Major funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of We at Bank of America have a deep commitment to strengthening our communi- Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency, Altria Group, Inc., American Express, Bloomberg, The Booth Ferris Foundation, J. P. Morgan, ties and have been consistently ranked as one of the top Corporate Philanthropists MetLife Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, in the Bay Area. In addition to our support for the performing arts, we provide The Prudential Foundation and Target. grants to non-profits and other organizations focused on workforce development, affordable housing, and education. Our associates and their families have contrib- uted thousands of hours volunteering in Bay Area neighborhoods and participat- ing in volunteer fundraising activities including Rebuilding Together Oakland, These performances are made possible, in part, by Bank of America. Habitat for Humanity East Bay, American Heart Association Heart Walk, Junior Cal Performances’ 2008–2009 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. Achievement and March of Dimes Walk America. Bank of America is proud and committed to the East Bay neighborhoods in which we live and work.

4 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 5 Program A Program A

Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 8pm Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 8pm Zellerbach Hall

PROGRAM A

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: A Golden Anniversary Celebration

pause

Go in Grace

intermission

Suite Otis

intermission

Revelations

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s R. Deshauteurs, C. Brown, A. Machanic, Jr. and R. Robinson in Hope Boykin’s Go in Grace. Photo by Paul Kolnik. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: cast A Golden Anniversary Celebration father (2008) Amos J. Machanic, Jr.

Steven Budlong, Executive Producer mother Produced and Directed by Amanda Rogers and Stephen Mann Renee Robinson Edited by Steve Pecarific brother This film was made possible by the generous support of Citi. Matthew Rushing

little girl Rosalyn Deshauteurs PAUSE boyz Kirven J. Boyd, Antonio Douthit

Go in Grace community (2008) Ysaye Maria Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil, (West Coast Premiere) Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, Shirley Childress Saxton

Choreography and Costumes Hope Boykin Leadership support for this new work has been provided by MetLife Foundation. Choreographic Assistance Samuel Deshauteurs Music Sweet Honey in the Rock®* Special support has been provided by the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey through the generosity of the Arvin Gottlieb Lighting Design Al Crawford Charitable Foundation and the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation.

6 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 7 Program A

Jc^kZgh^ind[8Va^[dgc^V! 7Zg`ZaZn Generous support was received from The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey—Sara & Bill Morgan New Works Endowment Fund.

Additional funding was provided by NJPAC Alternate Routes. deZc]djhZ Hope Boykin is a three-time recipient of the American Dance Festival’s Young Tuition Scholarship. She attended Howard University and performed with Lloyd Whitmore’s New World Dance Company in AZXijgZh™Idjgh™AVWh™ Washington, D.C. Ms. Boykin was a student and intern at The Ailey School. She was assistant to the Hedgih™BjhZjbh™ late Talley Beatty and an original member of Complexions. Ms. Boykin was a member of Philadanco EZg[dgbVcXZh™@^YhÉ6Xi^k^i^Zh and received a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award. In 2005, Ms. Boykin choreographed ™:kZcih[dgEgdheZXi^kZ Acceptance in Surrender in collaboration with Abdur-Rahim Jackson and Matthew Rushing for Alvin HijYZcih™;gZZ6Yb^hh^dc Ailey American Dance Theater. She joined the Company in 2000.

Sweet Honey In The Rock®: Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music from the rich textures IWjkhZWo YWbZWo$X[ha[b[o$[Zk of African-American legacy and traditions, the music of Sweet Honey In The Rock captures the complex .Vb")eb IV`Z76GIdg68 +'&%,*(#((/* IgVch^iVcYjhZ[gZZ sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop and jazz im- XVbejhh]jiiaZh provisation. In the best and hardest of times Sweet Honey In The Rock invites communities across the United States and around the world to join together in hope, love, justice, peace and resistance; to open their minds and hearts to contemplate who we are and how we respect and treat one another as well as our planet.

* “Grace” words and music: Carol Maillard, music: Jordan Maillard Ware, © 4 Jagadish Music (2008 BMI); “Show Me How/In Your Vibe” words and music: Aisha Kahlil, © Thunderhead Music (2008 BMI); “Give Love” words and music: Nitanju Bolade Casel, © Veg^a Clear Ice Music (2008 BMI); “Zabba Du Bay” words and music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “Family &-i] Line Movin’ Through” words and music: Carol Maillard, © 4 Jagadish Music (2008 BMI); “Zabba Call and Response” words and music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “One More Dance” music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “Rite of Passage” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Let’s Talk About Hair” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Let Go” words and music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (ASCAP); “Lets Talk About Clothes” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwells Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Say ‘No’” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Confrontation” music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “Good and Evil” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Footsteps on My Journey Now/Breathe” words and music: Carol Lynn Maillard, © 4 Jagadish Music (2008 BMI); “I Understand” words and music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “Everywhere I Go” words and music: Louise Robinson, © Earth to Asha Music (2008 ASCAP); “Say ‘Yes’” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI); “Go in Grace” words and music: Ysaye M. Barnwell, © Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (2008 BMI).

INTERMISSION

Suite Otis (1971)

A Tribute to the late Otis Redding Dedicated to Thelma Hill

Choreography and Costumes George Faison Music Otis Redding* Lighting Design Chenault Spence

8 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 9 Program A Program A

cast — tuesday evening cast — tuesday evening Jamar Roberts, Linda Celeste Sims, Roxanne Lyst, Antonio Douthit, pilgrim of sorrow Rachael McLaren, Anthony Burrell, Vernard J. Gilmore, Tina Monica Williams, “I Been ’Buked” The Company Clifton Brown, Constance Stamatiou, Matthew Rushing, Renee Robinson Arranged by Hall Johnson*

cast — wednesday evening “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Chris Jackson, Hope Boykin, Arranged by James Miller† Tina Monica Williams Glenn Allen Sims, Constance Stamatiou, Olivia Bowman, Chris Jackson, Hope Boykin, Yannick Lebrun, Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Khilea Douglass, “Fix Me, Jesus” Linda Celeste Sims, Glenn Allen Sims Kirven J. Boyd, Courtney Brené Corbin, Anthony Burrell, Yusha-Marie Sorzano Arranged by Hall Johnson* take me to the water Generous support for this new production was provided by The Pamela D. Zilly and John H. Schaefer New Works Endowment “Processional/Honor, Honor” Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Olivia Bowman, Fund, The Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Nicolas Rohatyn New Works Endowment Fund and Elaine & Stephen Wynn. Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis, Chris Jackson

George W. Faison danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1967 through 1970. He was “Wade in the Water” Constance Stamatiou, Matthew Rushing, the first African-American choreographer to win a Tony Award for his choreography in The Wiz (1975). Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Renee Robinson In the early 1970s, he created two modern American dance classics, Suite Otis and Slaves, for the George “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins Faison Universal Dance Experience. He choreographed for Broadway and choreographed and directed “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins. numerous productions for regional theaters. In the early 1980s, he changed his professional career fo- cus to writing, directing and choreographing dramatic and musical theater pieces. He co-produced and “I Wanna Be Ready” Amos J. Machanic, Jr. wrote the Cosby Salutes Ailey NBC-TV special celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Company. He Arranged by James Miller is co-founder and the producing artistic director of the Faison Firehouse Theatre, located in a former Harlem firehouse. In addition to the theatre, he has developed a unique performing arts-based outreach move, members, move and youth theatre project, the Faison Firehouse Respect Project. In the fall, Mr. Faison presented his first “Sinner Man” Jamar Roberts, Clifton Brown, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Kirven J. Boyd performance season at the Faison Firehouse Theatre.

* All music performed by Otis Redding. All rights reserved. Used by permission. “Just One More Day” written by Otis Redding, “The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Steve Cropper & McEvoy Robinson © 1965 renewed 1993, Irving Music, Inc. (BMI) & Cotillion Music. “Can’t Turn You Loose” Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers written by Otis Redding © 1965, renewed 1993, 1968, 1973, Irving Music, Inc. (BMI); Tro Essex. “My Lover’s Prayer” written by Otis Redding © 1966, renewed 1994, Irving Music, Inc. (BMI); Cotillion Music. “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” written by Mick Jagger & “You May Run On” The Company Keith Richards, published by ABKCO Music, Inc. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” written by Otis Redding & Jerry Butler © 1965, Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers renewed 1993, Irving Music, Inc. (BMI); Essex Music. “Try a Little Tenderness” written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly & Harry Woods, published by Campbell, Connelly & Co. Ltd. EMI Music Publishing. “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

cast — wednesday evening INTERMISSION pilgrim of sorrow “I Been ’Buked” The Company Arranged by Hall Johnson* “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Willy Laury, Khilea Douglass, Revelations Arranged by James Miller† Olivia Bowman (1960) “Fix Me, Jesus” Akua Parker, Anthony Burrell Choreography Alvin Ailey Arranged by Hall Johnson* Music Traditional take me to the water Décor and Costumes Ves Harper “Processional/Honor, Honor” Marcus Jarrell Willis, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Costume Redesign for “Rocka My Soul” Barbara Forbes Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Yannick Lebrun, Chris Jackson Lighting Nicola Cernovitch

10 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 11 Program A

“Wade in the Water” Courtney Brené Corbin, Vernard J. Gilmore, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Aisha Mitchell “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins. “I Wanna Be Ready” Guillermo Asca Arranged by James Miller move, members, move “Sinner Man” Chris Jackson, Antonio Douthit, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Abdur-Rahim Jackson “The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

* Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. † Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

MPD Exhibition

Mark Morris: Portraits January 30–March 25, 2009 Museum of Performance & Design, San Francisco

This exhibition features 16 portraits by such renowned photographers as Annie Leibovitz, Martin Shoeller and William Wegman documenting 24 years in the life of one of America’s most prolific dancemakers. MPD is located in the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue (at McAllister), 4th Floor, in San Francisco. Gallery hours are Wednesday–Saturday, 12–5pm. Admission is free. Three additional prints, by photographers Klaus Lucka, Jesse Frohman and Max Vadukul, will be on view from March 12–25, in the lobby of the War Memorial Opera House during a portion of San Francisco Ballet’s 2009 Repertory Season. For more information, call (415) 255-4800 or visit the Museum’s website at www.mpdsf.org.

12 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 13 Program B Program B

Thursday, March 5, 2009, 8pm Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: Saturday, March 7, 2008, 2pm Zellerbach Hall A Golden Anniversary Celebration (2008)

Steven Budlong, Executive Producer PROGRAM B Produced and Directed by Amanda Rogers and Stephen Mann ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS Edited by Steve Pecarific

This film was made possible by the generous support of Citi. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: A Golden Anniversary Celebration

pause PAUSE Blues Suite (excerpt)

Streams (excerpt) Blues Suite Choral Dances (excerpt) (1958) (excerpt) Mary Lou’s Mass (excerpt) Choreography Alvin Ailey The Lark Ascending (excerpt) Restaging Masazumi Chaya Music Traditional Hidden Rites (excerpt) Décor and Original Costume Design Ves Harper Costume Redesign Normand Maxon Night Creature (excerpt) Original Lighting Design Nicola Cernovitch Lighting Redesign Chenault Spence Cry (excerpt) cast intermission good morning blues Phases (excerpt) The Company

Landscape (excerpt) i cried Glenn Allen Sims and The Company For “Bird”—With Love (excerpt)

Caverna Magica (excerpt) Streams (1970) Opus McShann (excerpt) (excerpt)

intermission Choreography Alvin Ailey Restaging Masazumi Chaya Revelations Music Miloslav Kabelac, Eight Inventions, Op. 45* Costume Design A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design Chenault Spence

14 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 15 Program B

cast — thursday evening scherzo Clifton Brown, Matthew Rushing

cast — saturday afternoon scherzo Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Antonio Douthit

* By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publishers and copyright owners.

Choral Dances (1971) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Benjamin Britten, “Choral Dances” from Gloriana Words William Plomer Costume Design A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design Nicola Cernovitch

cast — thursday evening country girls Hope Boykin, Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Tina Monica Williams, Courtney Brené Corbin, Olivia Bowman, Roxanne Lyst

cast — saturday afternoon country girls Hope Boykin, Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Khilea Douglass, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Rachael McLaren, Olivia Bowman

Mary Lou’s Mass (1971) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Mary Lou Williams, “Our Father” Costume Design A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design Chenault Spence

cast Renee Robinson

16 CAL PERFORMANCES Program B

The Lark Ascending (1972) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Ralph Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending, Romance for Violin and Orchestra* Costume Design Bea Feitler Lighting Design Chenault Spence

cast — thursday evening Linda Celeste Sims, Clifton Brown

cast — saturday afternoon Constance Stamatiou, Jamar Roberts

* Used with permission of Oxford University Press, Inc.

Hidden Rites (1973) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Patrice Sciortino, “Les Cyclopes”* Scenic Design Paul Sylbert Costume Design Bea Feitler Lighting Design Chenault Spence

cast — thursday evening of love Tina Monica Williams, Vernard J. Gilmore

cast — saturday afternoon of love Khilea Douglass, Willy Laury

* Music courtesy of Patrice Sciortino from the recording Les Cyclopes, published by Editions Musicales Transatlantiques.

18 CAL PERFORMANCES Program B Program B

Night Creature cast — saturday afternoon from Ailey Celebrates Ellington (1974) Rachael McLaren (excerpt) * “Right On, Be Free” performed by The Voices of East Harlem. Used with permission of the publisher, Really Together Music. Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Duke Ellington, Night Creature* Original Costumes Jane Greenwood Costume Production Management Elissa Tatigikis Iberte INTERMISSION Costume Reconstruction Parsons Meares Lighting Chenault Spence

Night creatures, unlike stars, do not come o u t at night—they come o n , each thinking that before the night is out he or she will be the star.—Duke Ellington Phases (1980) cast — thursday evening (excerpt) movement 2 Choreography Alvin Ailey Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Amos J. Machanic, Jr., Roxanne Lyst, Khilea Douglass, Rachael McLaren, Restaging Masazumi Chaya Courtney Brené Corbin, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Olivia Bowman, Kirven J. Boyd, Willy Laury, Music Larry Mizell, “Flight Time,” performed by Chris Jackson, Yannick Lebrun, Marcus Jarrell Willis, Anthony Burrell Donald Byrd* Scenic Design Paul Sylbert cast — saturday afternoon Costume Design Bea Feitler movement 2 Lighting Design Chenault Spence Olivia Bowman, Clifton Brown, Akua Parker, Aisha Mitchell, Roxanne Lyst, Courtney Brené Corbin, cast — thursday evening Constance Stamatiou, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Kirven J. Boyd, Willy Laury, Chris Jackson, Yannick Lebrun, Marcus Jarrell Willis, Anthony Burrell flight time Renee Robinson, Jamar Roberts, * Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. Chris Jackson, Akua Parker, Aisha Mitchell, Kirven J. Boyd, Khilea Douglass, Yusha-Marie Sorzano

Cry cast — saturday afternoon (1971) flight time (excerpt) Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Antonio Douthit, Chris Jackson, Akua Parker, Aisha Mitchell, For all Black women everywhere—especially our mothers. Willy Laury, Khilea Douglass, Roxanne Lyst

Choreography Alvin Ailey * Courtesy of Al Ruby Music Inc. and Almo Music Corp. Music Chuck Griffin* Costume Design A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design Chenault Spence Landscape (1981) cast — thursday evening (excerpt) Constance Stamatiou Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Béla Bartók, Piano Concerto No. 3 (1945)* Costume Design A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design Chenault Spence

20 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 21 Program B

cast — thursday evening romance Linda Celeste Sims, Amos J. Machanic, Jr., Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Marcus Jarrell Willis, Yannick Lebrun, Guillermo Asca

cast — saturday afternoon romance Constance Stamatiou, Guillermo Asca, Vernard J. Gilmore, Marcus Jarrell Willis, Yannick Lebrun, Chris Jackson

* By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publishers and copyright owners.

For “Bird”—With Love from all of us forever touched by his magic (1984) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Music Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Jerome Kern Original Music, Arrangment, Conducting Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Set and Costume Design Randy Barcelo Lighting Design Timothy Hunter

cast — thursday evening

a night in tunisia

bird (a man, a musician) Glenn Allen Sims, alto saxophone

men close to him—musicians Matthew Rushing, trumpet Yannick Lebrun, piano Guillermo Asca, bass Vernard J. Gilmore, drums Willy Laury, tenor saxophone

women close to him—three signers and a pianist Olivia Bowman, Hope Boykin, Roxanne Lyst, Rosalyn Deshauteurs

showgirls Akua Parker, Aisha Mitchell

22 CAL PERFORMANCES Program B Program B

the progenitor, the man who came before, a club manager Opus McShann Anthony Burrell (1988) (excerpt) cast — saturday afternoon Choreography Alvin Ailey a night in tunisia Music Jay McShann and Walter Brown Performer Jay McShann bird (a man, a musician) Décor and Costume Design Randy Barcelo Anthony Burrell, alto saxophone Costume Redesign Jon Taylor and Corin Wright Lighting Design Timothy Hunter men close to him—musicians Antonio Douthit, trumpet cast — thursday evening Yannick Lebrun, piano Abdur-Rahim Jackson, bass jumpin’ the blues Guillermo Asca, drums Renee Robinson, Matthew Rushing, Linda Celeste Sims, Glenn Allen Sims, Rosalyn Deshauteurs, Willy Laury, tenor saxophone Guillermo Asca, Tina Monica Williams, Jamar Roberts, Hope Boykin, Vernard J. Gilmore, Olivia Bowman, Amos J. Machanic, Jr., Roxanne Lyst, Abdur-Rahim Jackson women close to him—three signers and a pianist Rachael McLaren, Khilea Douglass, cast — saturday afternoon Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Courtney Brené Corbin jumpin’ the blues Hope Boykin, Clifton Brown, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Guillermo Asca, Courtney Brené Corbin, showgirls Antonio Douthit, Khilea Douglass, Chris Jackson, Constance Stamatiou, Willy Laury, Akua Parker, Aisha Mitchell Olivia Bowman, Anthony Burrell, Rachael McLaren, Yannick Lebrun

Caverna Magica INTERMISSION (1986) (excerpt)

Choreography Alvin Ailey Revelations Music Andreas Vollenweider, “Caverna Magica,” (1960) “White Winds,” “Behind the Wall” Décor and Costume Design Carol Vollet Garner Choreography Alvin Ailey Costume Redesign Jon Taylor Music Traditional Lighting Design Timothy Hunter Décor and Costumes Ves Harper Costume Redesign for “Rocka My Soul” Barbara Forbes cast — thursday evening Lighting Nicola Cernovitch Clifton Brown cast — thursday evening cast — saturday afternoon pilgrim of sorrow Jamar Roberts “I Been ’Buked” The Company Arranged by Hall Johnson*

“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Chris Jackson, Roxanne Lyst, Arranged by James Miller† Olivia Bowman

24 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 25 Program B Program B

“You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

“Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

cast — saturday afternoon

pilgrim of sorrow “I Been ’Buked” The Company Arranged by Hall Johnson*

“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Vernard J. Gilmore, Khilea Douglass, Arranged by James Miller† Olivia Bowman

“Fix Me, Jesus” Tina Monica Williams, Anthony Burrell Arranged by Hall Johnson*

take me to the water “Processional/Honor, Honor” Willy Laury, Roxanne Lyst, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis, Yannick Lebrun

“Wade in the Water” Rachael McLaren, Antonio Douthit, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Aisha Mitchell Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins in Revelations. Photo by Andrew Eccles. “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins.

“Fix Me, Jesus” Constance Stamatiou, Jamar Roberts “I Wanna Be Ready” Guillermo Asca Arranged by Hall Johnson* Arranged by James Miller

take me to the water move, members, move “Processional/Honor, Honor” Kirven J. Boyd, Khilea Douglass, “Sinner Man” Chris Jackson, Yannick Lebrun, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Yannick Lebrun, Marcus Jarrell Willis Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Abdur-Rahim Jackson

“Wade in the Water” Rachael McLaren, Clifton Brown, “The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Courtney Brené Corbin Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins. “You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “I Wanna Be Ready” Vernard J. Gilmore Arranged by James Miller “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts move, members, move “Sinner Man” Willy Laury, Anthony Burrell, All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

“The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company * Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers † Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

26 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 27 Program C

Friday, March 6, 2009, 8pm Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8pm Sunday, March 8, 2009, 3pm Zellerbach Hall

PROGRAM C

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: A Golden Anniversary Celebration

pause

Festa Barocca

intermission

Solo

pause

Revelations

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at 50: A Golden Anniversary Celebration (2008)

Steven Budlong, Executive Producer Produced and Directed by Amanda Rogers and Stephen Mann Edited by Steve Pecarific

This film was made possible by the generous support of Citi.

PAUSE

Festa Barocca (2008) (West Coast Premiere)

Choreography Mauro Bigonzetti Music Georg Friderich Handel* Costume Design Marc Happel Lighting Design Carlo Cerri

28 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 29 Program C Program C

cast * “As Steals the Morn” (L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato) and “La Rejouissance” (Musick for the Royal Fireworks), performed by Robert King, The Kings Concert, Hyperion Records. “Andante Allegro” from The Best of Handel CD, “Giulio Cesare in Egitto Va Tacito” and “Dove” from Rodelinda, performed by Andreas Scholl, Sir Neville Marriner, Jaap Schroder, John Eliot Gardiner, Sir solo Colin Davis, Raymond Leppard, Lorin Maazel and Bernard Haitink, Philips Classical/Universal Classics. “Menuet, Allegretto” Hope Boykin from The Best of Handel CD, “Se Fiera Belva Ha Cinto” from Rodelinda, performed by Marijana Mijanovic, Handel Affetti Barochi, Kammerorchester Basel, Sergio Giomei, Sony Classical, Sony/BMG Music. group The Company

duet INTERMISSION Constance Stamatiou, Clifton Brown

men & solo Hope Boykin & The Company Solo (1997) group The Company Choreography Hans van Manen Staging Mea van Dijken Venema duet Music Johann Sebastian Bach Renee Robinson, Guillermo Asca Costume Design Keso Dekker Lighting Design Joop Caboort quartet Roxanne Lyst, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Vernard J. Gilmore, Antonio Douthit cast

male solo Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Yannick Lebrun, Antonio Douthit Matthew Rushing This production was made possible, in part, by The Fred Eychaner New Works Endowment Fund. female solo Akua Parker (Friday), Yusha-Marie Sorzano (Saturday & Sunday) Hans van Manen began his career in 1951 as a member of Sonia Gaskell’s Ballet Recital. In 1952, he joined the Netherlands Opera Ballet, where he created his first ballet, Feestgericht, in 1957. He was a duet member of Roland Petit’s company in Paris, Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam and Netherlands Dans Linda Celeste Sims, Glenn Allen Sims Theater, where he later became a choreographer and Artistic Director of the company. He has created over 100 ballets, each carrying his unmistakable signature of clarity in structure and a refined simplicity of group elements, which have earned him the nickname of “the Mondrian” of dance. Mr. van Manen has staged The Company ballets for many companies, including Stuttgart Ballett, Berlin Opera, National Ballet of Canada, Royal Danish Ballet, Compañia Nacional de Danza and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, among others. Leadership support for this new work has been generously provided by Daryl Roth. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Sonia Gaskell Prize for his entire body of work, the pres- Generous support was received from The Fred Eychaner New Works Endowment Fund. tigious German Dance Prize and the Erasmus Prize for outstanding achievements in Dutch dance, and he was knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands in the Order of Orange Nassau. In 2003, the Foundation This work has also been made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency. Hans van Manen, which categorizes and takes inventory of Mr. van Manen’s cultural estate so that it may function as a production archive, was officially launched. Mauro Bigonzetti was born in Rome. He received his dance training at the Rome Opera Ballet School and became a member of the Rome Opera Ballet in 1978. In 1982, he joined Aterballetto where he per- formed works by Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian and Anthony Tudor. Mr. Bigonzetti created his first work, Sei in movimento, in 1990, which was set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach. He has since choreographed for companies around the world including PAUSE English National Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Deutsche Opera Berlin, Ballet del Teatro Argentino, New York City Ballet, Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse and Teatro alla Scala of Milan. In 1997, Mr. Bigonzetti was named Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Aterballetto, a position he held until late 2007. He is now focusing full-time on choreography.

30 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 31 Program C Program C

“Wade in the Water” Linda Celeste Sims, Jamar Roberts, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Renee Roberts “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins.

“I Wanna Be Ready” Matthew Rushing Arranged by James Miller

move, members, move “Sinner Man” Anthony Burrell, Yannick Lebrun, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Vernard J. Gilmore

“The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

“Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

cast — saturday evening

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s M. Rushing, B. Reed and R. Deshauteurs in Revelations. Photo by Andrew Eccles. pilgrim of sorrow “I Been ’Buked” The Company Revelations Arranged by Hall Johnson* (1960) “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Chris Jackson, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Choreography Alvin Ailey Arranged by James Miller† Aisha Mitchell Music Traditional Décor and Costumes Ves Harper “Fix Me, Jesus” Linda Celeste Sims, Glenn Allen Sims Costume Redesign for “Rocka My Soul” Barbara Forbes Arranged by Hall Johnson* Lighting Nicola Cernovitch take me to the water “Processional/Honor, Honor” Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Roxanne Lyst, cast — friday evening Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis, Chris Jackson pilgrim of sorrow “Wade in the Water” Constance Stamatiou, Vernard J. Gilmore, “I Been ’Buked” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Renee Robinson Arranged by Hall Johnson* “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins. “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Arranged by James Miller† Tina Monica Williams “I Wanna Be Ready” Clifton Brown Arranged by James Miller “Fix Me, Jesus” Akua Parker, Amos J. Machanic, Jr. Arranged by Hall Johnson* move, members, move “Sinner Man” Jamar Roberts, Antonio Douthit, take me to the water Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis “Processional/Honor, Honor” Marcus Jarrell Willis, Khilea Douglass, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Chris Jackson, Yannick Lebrun

32 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 33 Program C

“The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

cast — sunday afternoon

pilgrim of sorrow “I Been ’Buked” The Company Arranged by Hall Johnson*

“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” Willy Laury, Hope Boykin, Arranged by James Miller† Olivia Bowman

“Fix Me, Jesus” Akua Parker, Anthony Burrell Arranged by Hall Johnson*

take me to the water “Processional/Honor, Honor” Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Khilea Douglass, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Yannick Lebrun, Marcus Jarrell Willis

“Wade in the Water” Rachael McLaren, Antonio Douthit, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Aisha Mitchell “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins.

“I Wanna Be Ready” Glenn Allen Sims Arranged by James Miller

move, members, move “Sinner Man” Chris Jackson, Yannick Lebrun, Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts Marcus Jarrell Willis

“The Day Is Past and Gone” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

“You May Run On” The Company Arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

“Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” The Company Adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

* Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. † Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

34 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 35 About the Artists

All About Ailey: Celebrating 50 Years Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gratefully acknowledges The Joan & Sandy Weill Global This year,A lvin A iley A merican Dance Theater, Ambassador Fund, which provides vital support America’s cultural ambassador to the world, marks for Ailey’s national and international tours. its 50th anniversary of bringing African-American cultural expression and the American modern Judith Jamison (Artistic Director) was appointed dance tradition to the world’s stages. In 1958, Alvin Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Ailey led a group of young black modern dancers Theater in December 1989 at the request of her June 22–July 31, 2009 in a performance in New York City that changed mentor, Alvin Ailey, who personally chose her to forever the perception of American dance. Since succeed him before his untimely death. A native of e r k e l e y /o a k l a n d a i l e y c a m p at Cal Performances is a six-week summer youth pro- then, the Ailey company has gone on to perform Philadelphia, she studied with Marion Cuyjet, was B gram conceived by Alvin Ailey and locally produced and funded by Cal Performances. for an estimated 21 million people on six conti- discovered by Agnes de Mille and made her New AileyCamp, though not a training ground for professional dancers, uses dance as a vehicle nents, including two historic residencies in South York debut with American Ballet Theatre in 1964. for developing self-esteem, self-discipline, creative expression and critical thinking skills Africa and the first performances ever by a mod- She became a member of the Alvin Ailey American among underserved sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. ern dance company at the legendary Mariinsky Dance Theater in 1965 and danced with the com- Theatre in Russia. pany for 15 years to great acclaim. Recognizing her More than 50 young people will participate in this summer’s AileyCamp. All are offered Born in Rogers, Texas, on January 5, 1931, extraordinary talent, Mr. Ailey created some of his full scholarships, which include dance classes and activities, meals, transportation, camp Alvin Ailey was first introduced to dance by per- most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour uniforms, dance clothing and field trips. formances of the Katherine Dunham Dance de force solo, Cry. To produce our eighth annual AileyCamp this year, Cal Performances must raise over Company and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. After leaving the Company in 1980, $200,000 from foundations, corporations and individuals like you. We invite and encour- His formal dance training began when his friend Ms. Jamison appeared as a guest artist with bal- age you to make a gift to help us continue to fulfill Alvin Ailey’s vision of creating Carmen de Lavallade encouraged him to join let companies all over the world and starred in opportunities for the youth of our community. her in classes taught by modern dance pioneer the hit Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies. In Lester Horton. 1988, she formed her own company, The Jamison Your gift of $3,000 will help provide a full When Mr. Ailey began creating dance, he Project; a PBS special depicting her creative pro- scholarship for one student. drew upon his “blood memories” of Texas, the cess, Judith Jamison: The Dancemaker, aired nation- blues, spirituals and gospel music for inspiration, ally the same year. Your gift of $500 will help pay for six resulting in the creation of his most popular and As a highly regarded choreographer, weeks of breakfast, lunch and snacks for critically acclaimed work, Revelations. Since its Ms. Jamison has created works for many com- one student. Reminiscin’ premiere in 1960, Mr. Ailey’s masterpiece has been panies. Her most recent ballet, , was Your gift of $200 will help pay for trans- seen by more people around the world than any inspired by great female jazz artists and Edward portation for one student. other work of dance. Hopper’s famous painting, Nighthawks. Love Although he created 79 ballets in his life- Stories, with additional choreography by Robert Your gif t of $50 will help provide camp uni- time, Alvin Ailey maintained that his company Battle and Rennie Harris, was created in 2004. In forms and dance clothing for one student. was not exclusively a repository for his own work. 2002, HERE…NOW was commissioned for the Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey’s mis- Cultural Olympiad in Salt Lake City. She choreo- As a donor to AileyCamp, you will receive an sion by presenting important works from the past graphed Double Exposure for the Lincoln Center invitation to the Open House on July 8 and and commissioning new ones to add to an ever- Festival in July 2000. Divining (1984), Rift (1991), the End of Camp Performance in Zellerbach Photo by Pete DaSilva evolving repertoire that now encompasses over 200 Riverside (1995), Sweet Release (1996), Echo: Far Hall on July 30. works by more than 80 choreographers. from Home (1998) and Hymn (1993), her stirring Before his untimely death in 1989, Mr. Ailey tribute to Mr. Ailey, are other major works she has Please send your check, made payable to UC Regents, to AileyCamp Fund, 101 Zellerbach chose Judith Jamison to become Artistic Director choreographed for the Company. Hall #4800, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. Please write “AileyCamp” on the of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As the Ms. Jamison is an author, whose autobiog- memo section of your check. Gifts can also be made by credit card by calling Julia Robinson Company looks toward the next 50 years and be- raphy, Dancing Spirit, was edited by Jacqueline at (510) 643-5305. All gifts are fully tax deductible. yond, Ms. Jamison’s own remarkable vision lights Kennedy Onassis and published by Doubleday To learn more about AileyCamp, visit our display on the mezzanine during intermission or the way for this celebration. Beauty, spirit, hope in 1993. She is the recipient of many awards and go to http://cpinfo.berkeley.edu/information/education/aileycamp.php. and passion know no bounds. That is the power honorary degrees, including a prime-time Emmy of Ailey. Award and an American Choreography Award

36 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 37 About the Artists About the Artists for Outstanding Choreography in the PBS School and Fordham University, which offers a Ailey’s Night Creature for the Rome Opera House and danced with Ailey II, Ballet Metropolitano Great Performances: Dance in America special, unique combination of world-class dance training and The River for LaScala Ballet. In 2003, he re- de Caracas, Ballet Hispanico, Dance Compass, A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, and an honorary doctor- and a superior liberal arts education. Following the staged The River for North Carolina Dance Theater Shapiro & Smith and Foot Prints Dance Project. ate from Howard University. In December 1999, tradition of Alvin Ailey, Ms. Jamison is dedicated and for Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentina. Most re- Mr. Asca joined the Company in 1994. Ms. Jamison was presented with the Kennedy to asserting the prominence of the arts in our cul- cently, Mr. Chaya restaged Flowers, The Road of the Center Honor, recognizing her lifetime contribu- ture, spearheading initiatives to bring dance into Phoebe Snow, Masekela Langage and Blues Suite for Olivia Bowman (Brooklyn, New York) graduat- tions to American culture through the performing the community and programs that introduce chil- the Company. ed from LaGuardia High School of the Performing arts. In 2001, she received the Algur H. Meadows dren to the arts. She remains committed to pro- As a performer, Mr. Chaya has appeared on Arts. She received scholarships from North Carolina Award from Southern Methodist University and moting the significance of the Ailey legacy—dance Japanese television in both dramatic and musical School of the Arts and was a fellowship student at was presented with a National Medal of Arts, the as a medium for honoring the past, celebrating the productions. He wishes to recognize the artistic The Ailey School. Ms. Bowman was a member of most prestigious award presented to artists in the present and fearlessly reaching into the future. contribution and spirit of his late friend and fellow Donald Byrd/The Group and Complexions. She United States. In 2003, she received the “Making The move to Ailey’s permanent home in 2004, a artist, Michihiko Oka. joined the Company in 2001. a Difference” Award by the NAACP ACT-SO. state-of-the-art building located at 55th Street and In 2004, Ms. Jamison received the Paul Robeson Ninth Avenue in Manhattan, was the realization of Ronni Favors (Rehearsal Director) began danc- Kirven J. Boyd (Boston, Massachusetts) began his award from the Actors’ Equity Association in rec- her long-awaited dream. ing as a child in her hometown of Iowa City, formal dance training at the Boston Arts Academy ognition of her outstanding contribution to the Iowa. After studying at the National Music Camp and joined Boston Youth Moves in 1999 under the performing arts and commitment to the right of Masazumi Chaya (Associate Artistic Director) was in Interlochen, Michigan, as the recipient of the direction of Jim Viera and Jeannette Neill. He also all people to live in dignity and peace. In 2007, born in Fukuoka, Japan, where he began his clas- Camp Scholarship, she traveled to New York to trained on scholarship at the Boston Conservatory she won a “Bessie” Award for her lifetime com- sical ballet training. Upon moving to New York continue her training at The Ailey School as a fel- and as a fellowship student at The Ailey School. mitment to the preservation and development of in December 1970, he studied modern dance and lowship student. Ms. Favors was a member of Ailey Mr. Boyd has danced with Battleworks Dance dance and the arts. Most recently, she was honored performed with the Richard Englund Repertory II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) Company, The Parsons Dance Company and Ailey at “The BET Honors,” an event that recognizes Company. Mr. Chaya joined Alvin Ailey American and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and a re- II. He joined the Company in 2004. the lives and achievements of leading African- Dance Theater in 1972 and performed with the cipient of the Min-On Art Award. She served as American luminaries. Company for 15 years. In 1988, he became the Lar Lubovitch’s assistant in setting his works on Hope Boykin (Durham, North Carolina) is Today, Judith Jamison presides over the artisti- Company’s Rehearsal Director after serving as as- several companies, including Cleveland Ballet, a three-time recipient of the American Dance cally and fiscally vibrant Ailey organization. Her sistant rehearsal director for two years. A master the Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Ballet du Nord and Festival’s Young Tuition Scholarship. She at- presence has been a catalyst, propelling the organi- teacher, both on tour with the Company and in his AAADT. Ms. Favors was the ballet instructor at tended Howard University and performed with zation in new directions—the development of the native Japan, he served as choreographic assistant AileyCamp’s 1989 inaugural session in Kansas Lloyd Whitmore’s New World Dance Company Women’s Choreography Initiative; performances to Alvin Ailey and John Butler. In 1991, Mr. Chaya City and served as Artistic Director of the Camp in Washington, D.C. Ms. Boykin was a student at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 2002 was named Associate Artistic Director of the in 1990. She was the founding Director of New and intern at The Ailey School. She was assistant Cultural Olympiad in Salt Lake City, where she Company. He continues to provide invaluable York’s CAS/AileyCamp and provided guidance in to the late Talley Beatty and an original member carried the Olympic torch during the relay prior creative assistance in all facets of its operations. In the national implementation of the program. Ms. of Complexions. Ms. Boykin was a member of to the opening ceremonies; and two unprecedent- 2002, Mr. Chaya coordinated the Company’s ap- Favors was named Assistant Rehearsal Director Philadanco and received a New York Dance and ed engagements in South Africa. In recent years, pearance at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree- in 1997 and Rehearsal Director in 1999. During Performance “Bessie” Award. In 2005, Ms. Boykin she led the Company to historic performances at lighting ceremony, broadcast on NBC. the Company’s return to South Africa in the fall choreographed Acceptance in Surrender in collabo- the 2005 White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Mr. Chaya has staged numerous ballets in- of 1998, Ms. Favors engaged and rehearsed local ration with Abdur-Rahim Jackson and Matthew Russia, and the 2006 Les Étés de la Danse de Paris cluding Alvin Ailey’s Flowers for the State Ballet of dance students who performed with the Company Rushing for AAADT. This season, she choreo- festival in Paris, France. Ms. Jamison has contin- Missouri (1990) and The River for the Royal Swedish in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria in Johannesburg during graphed Go in Grace for the Company’s 50th anni- ued Mr. Ailey’s practice of showcasing the talents Ballet (1993), Ballet Florida (1995), National Ballet AAADT's return to South Africa in 1998, as well versary. Ms. Boykin joined the Company in 2000. of emerging choreographers from within the ranks of Prague (1995), Pennsylvania Ballet (1996) and as in Seattle in 2003 and 2008. of the Company. Colorado Ballet (1998). He has also restaged The Clifton Brown (Goodyear, Arizona) trained at As Artistic Director of The Ailey School, the Mooche, The Stack-Up, Episodes, Masekela Langage, various schools, including Take 5 Dance Academy, official school of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Bad Blood, Hidden Rites, Urban Folk Dance and The Company Ballet Arizona, New School for the Arts and The Theater, she has helped to implement a multicul- Witness for the Company. At the beginning of his Ailey School, where he was a student in the Ailey/ tural curriculum including the dances of West tenure as Associate Artistic Director, Mr. Chaya Guillermo Asca (Rego Park, New York), or “Moe,” Fordham BFA Program in Dance. Mr. Brown is Africa and South India. She is an advocate for restaged Ailey’s For “Bird”—With Love for a Dance as he is affectionately known, graduated from a recipient of a Donna Wood Foundation Award, education in the arts and was a guiding force in in America program entitled Alvin Ailey American LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts. a Level 1 ARTS award given by the National establishing the BFA program between The Ailey Dance Theater: Steps Ahead. In 2000, he restaged He was a fellowship student at The Ailey School Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and

38 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 39 About the Artists About the Artists was a 2005 nominee in the United Kingdom for a Antonio Douthit (St. Louis, Missouri) be- apprentice with River North Dance Chicago, and Bolton. She continued her studies at Jacob’s Pillow, Critics Circle National Dance Award for best male gan his dance training at age 16 at the Center of was a member of Ailey ll. Mr. Jackson joined the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, and as a fellow- dancer. In 2007, Mr. Brown received a “Bessie” Contemporary Arts under the direction of Lee company in 2004. ship student at The Ailey School. Ms. Lyst was a Award in recognition of his work with AAADT. Nolting and at the Alexandra School of Ballet. He member of Ailey II and Philadanco. She joined the He has performed with Earl Mosley’s Diversity of also trained at North Carolina School of the Arts, Gwynenn Taylor Jones (Berlin, Pennsylvania) Company in 2004. Dance and as a guest artist with the Miami City the Joffrey Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet and began her dance training with the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet. Mr. Brown joined the Company in 1999. the Dance Theatre of Harlem School. After gradu- Ballet at the age of 13. She continued her studies Amos J. Machanic, Jr. (Miami, Florida) studied ating from high school in 1999, Mr. Douthit be- at the Ballet Met Dance Academy in Columbus, dance at the New World School of the Arts and Anthony Burrell (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) came a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem where Ohio. Ms. Jones then moved to New York, where continued his training at The Ailey School, where began his training at Point Breeze Performing Arts he appeared in featured roles in the ballets South she studied at The Ailey School as a fellowship stu- he was a fellowship recipient. He was a member of Center at the age of 12. He later studied at various African Suite, Dougla, Concerto in F, Return and dent and later became a member of Ailey II. She Ailey II and joined the Company in 1996. institutions including Philadanco, Pennsylvania Dwight Rhoden’s Twist. He was promoted to solo- danced with Earl Mosley Diversity of Dance, Fred Ballet, the University of the Arts and The Ailey ist in 2003. He also performed with Les Grands Benjamin Dance Company, Cedar Lake Ensemble Rachael McLaren (Manitoba, Canada) began her School. As a dancer and choreographer, Mr. Burrell Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Mr. Douthit and performed choreography by George Faison for formal dance training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet worked with such artists as Beyoncé, Destiny’s joined the Company in 2004. Aretha Franklin. Ms. Jones joined the Company School. After graduating high school, she joined Child and Rihanna, and is featured in several com- in 2004. the Toronto cast of Mamma Mia! Ms. McLaren mercials, videos and feature films. He was also a Vernard J. Gilmore (Chicago, Illinois) began moved to New York to study at The Ailey School as member of Ailey II and is a national gold-medalist dancing at Curie Performing and Creative Arts Willy Laury (Paris, France) received his early a fellowship student and later joined Ailey II. She of the NAACP ACT-SO Competition in Dance. High School in Chicago and later studied at the dance training at the Janine Stanlowa Institute de has performed works by Karole Armitage, Dwight Mr. Burrell first joined the Company in 2000. Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater with Danse and the Studio Harmonic in Paris. Upon Rhoden, Francesca Harper and Nilas Martins. Marquita Levy, Harriet Ross and Emily Stein. He moving to New York City, Mr. Laury contin- Ms. McLaren joined the Company in 2008. Courtney Brené Corbin (Brentwood, Tennessee) attended Barat College as a dance scholarship re- ued his dance education at SUNY Purchase, The was born in Overland Park, Kansas. She began her cipient, received first place in the all-city NAACP Juilliard School, and The Ailey School where he Aisha Mitchell (Syracuse, New York) received dance training at Ballet Oklahoma. She contin- ACT-SO Competition in Dance in 1993 and stud- performed works by Judith Jamison, Matthew her primary dance training at the Onondaga ued her formal training at Dancenter North and ied as a fellowship student at The Ailey School. Rushing, and Ballett Frankfurt’s Alan Barnes. Mr Dance Institute, Dance Centre North and with the School of Nashville Ballet. Ms. Corbin has Mr. Gilmore is also a teacher and choreographer, Laury was featured in the motion picture Ever After Tony Salatino of Syracuse University. She studied also filmed a pilot for Nickelodeon and modeled and a former member of Ailey II. He joined the and appeared in Italian Vogue and Nylon Magazine. at North Carolina Dance Theater, Lines Ballet in Harper’s Bazaar/Japan magazine. In May 2004, Company in 1997. He also worked with Men’s Health photographer School, The Joffrey Ballet School and The Ailey Ms. Corbin graduated from The Ailey/Fordham Maria Elena Giuliani and was a member of Ailey School as a fellowship student. Ms. Mitchell is a BFA Program in Dance. She was a member of Abdur-Rahim Jackson (Philadelphia, Pennsyl- II. Mr. Laury joined the Company in 2004. graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Ailey II and joined the Company in 2005. vania) is a graduate of Franklin Learning Center Dance and was a member of Ailey II. She per- High School and received his BFA from The Yannick Lebrun (Cayenne, French Guiana) be- formed works by choreographers Alonzo King, Rosalyn Deshauteurs (New Orleans, Louisiana) Juilliard School. He received scholarships from gan training in his native country at the Adaclam Dwight Rhoden, Debbie Allen, Sean Curran and studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Freedom Theatre, Philadanco, Dance Theatre School under the guidance of Jeanine Verin. Nacho Duato. Ms. Mitchell is a bronze medalist Arts. She trained at Perry Mansfield, the School of Harlem, Boston Ballet and The Ailey School. After graduating high school in 2004, he moved of a 2001 NAACP National ACT-SO competition. of American Ballet and The Ailey School. After re- Mr. Jackson received a Marion D. Cuyjet Award to New York City to study at The Ailey School She joined the Company in 2008. ceiving her BFA degree from The Juilliard School, and was featured in the 2003 PBS American Masters as a fellowship student. Mr. Lebrun performed Mrs. Deshauteurs became a member of Ailey II. documentary, Juilliard. He danced with Ailey II in works by choreographers Troy Powell, Matthew Akua Parker (Kinston, North Carolina) began She joined the Company in 2000. 2000 and joined the Company in 2001. Rushing, Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Debbie Allen, her ballet training at age three. In 2000, she joined Scott Rink, Thaddeus Davis, Nilas Martins and Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she danced lead Khilea Douglass (Baltimore, Maryland) re- Chris Jackson (Chicago, Illinois) began danc- Dwight Rhoden and danced with the Francesca roles in Giselle, Agon and The Four Temperaments. ceived her dance training from Dance Theatre of ing at The Stairway of the Stars dance studio. In Harper Project, Modo Fusion. He was also a mem- Thereafter, she danced with Cincinnati Ballet and Harlem, the Baltimore School for the Arts and The 1998, he started his formal dance training at The ber of Ailey II. Mr. Lebrun joined the Company Ballet San Jose. Ms. Parker had the opportunity Ailey School, where she was a fellowship student. Chicago Academy for the Arts High School un- in 2008. to perform around the world and had the pleasure Ms. Douglass danced with the Lula Washington der the direction of Anna Paskevska and Randy of working with legendary icons Fredric Franklin Dance Theatre and was a member of Ailey II. She Duncan. Mr. Jackson later went on to pursue train- Roxanne Lyst (Annapolis, Maryland) began her and Geoffrey Holder. She joined the Company joined the Company in 2005. ing at The Ailey School where he was a recipient of professional dance training in Washington, D.C., in 2008. the 2001–2002 Alvin Ailey Fellowship. He was an under the tutelage of Alfred Dove and Adrian

40 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 41 About the Artists About the Artists

Briana Reed (St. Petersburg, Florida) began her works by Glen Tetley, Paul Taylor and Lila York. Ailey School, receiving a fellowship after her first Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create dance training at the Academy of Ballet Arts and Mr. Sims has performed for the King of Morocco year. She danced with Footprints Dance Company, music out of the rich textures of African-American the Pinellas County Center for Arts. She also stud- with choreography by Fred Benjamin and with the Millennium Project and the Shore Ballet legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey In The Rock ied at The Ailey School as a fellowship student. Urban Dance Theater and Creative Outlet Dance Company, and was invited to perform in Italy in possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures In 1997, Ms. Reed graduated from The Juilliard Theater of Brooklyn. In 2004, Mr. Sims was in- 1994 as part of a youth cultural exchange tour. In the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, tradi- School and was a member of Ailey II. She joined ducted into the Long Branch High School’s 1998, she was invited to join Ailey II. Ms. Williams tional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, the Company in 1998. Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. He joined joined the Company in 2000. hip-hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation. the Company in 1997. Sweet Honey’s collective voice, occasionally ac- Jamar Roberts (Miami, Florida) graduated from Marcus Jarrell Willis (Houston, Texas) began companied by hand percussion instruments, pro- the New World School of the Arts. He trained at Linda Celeste Sims (Bronx, New York) began her his formal training at the Johnston Performing duces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and the Dance Empire of Miami and as a fellowship dance training at Ballet Hispanico School of Dance Arts Middle School, the High School for the intricate rhythms. student at The Ailey School. Mr. Roberts was and is a graduate of La Guardia High School of the Performing and Visual Arts and Discovery Dance In the best and in the hardest of times, Sweet a member of Ailey II and joined the Company Performing Arts. In her senior year, Mrs. Sims won Group in Houston, Texas. At age 16, he moved to Honey In The Rock has come in song to com- in 2002. a Presidential Scholar award given by the National New York City and studied at The Ailey School munities across the United States and around the Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. During as a fellowship student. Mr. Willis is a recipient world, raising her voice in hope, love, justice, peace Renee Robinson (Washington, D.C.) began her the summers of 1993 and 1994, she was a schol- of a Level 1 ARTS award given by the National and resistance. Sweet Honey invites her audiences training in classical ballet at the Jones-Haywood arship student at the Pennsylvania Ballet School. Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts and to open their minds and hearts and think about School of Ballet. She was the recipient of two She has danced with El Piccolo Theatro de la has received scholarships to many schools including who we are and how we treat each other, our fellow Ford Foundation scholarships to the School of Opera and Ballet Hispanico. Mrs. Sims joined the the Juilliard School. He was a member of Ailey II creatures who share this planet, and of course, the American Ballet and was awarded full scholarships Company in 1996. and also worked with Pascal Rioult Dance Theater, planet itself. to the Dance Theatre of Harlem School and The Dominic Walsh Dance Theater and Tania Pérez- The 2008–2009 season finds Sweet Honey cel- Ailey School. In 2003, she performed at the White Yusha-Marie Sorzano (Miami, Florida) is Salas Compañía de Danza. Mr. Willis joined the ebrating her 35th birthday. What a year it has been House State Dinner in honor of the President of originally from Trinidad. She received her pri- Company in 2008. and what a year it will be! Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. Ms. Robinson was a member mary dance training from New World School of Sweet Honey’s latest release, Experience…101, of Ailey II and joined the Company in 1981. the Arts, The Miami Conservatory, and Dance The Ailey dancers are supported, in part, by was a 2008 Grammy Award nominee. After at- Theatre of Harlem. Ms. Sorzano is a graduate of The Judith McDonough Kaminski Dancer tending the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Matthew Rushing (Los Angeles, California) be- the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance and Endowment Fund. and walking the “red carpet,” the group summed gan his dance training at the Los Angeles County was a member of Ailey II in her junior year. She up the experience in one word: amazing. The ex- High School for the Arts. He received a Spotlight performed with Nathan Trice/Rituals and TU citement continued as Sweet Honey was asked Award and was named a Presidential Scholar in Dance (Artistic Directors Uri Sands and Toni Sweet Honey in the Rock to compose new material in celebration of Alvin the Arts. He trained at The Ailey School in New Pierce-Sands) and was a member of Complexions. Ailey American Dance Theater’s 50th anniver- York City and later became a member of Ailey II, Ms. Sorzano also performed with recording artists Founded by Bernice Johnson Reagon in 1973 at sary. Together, these two artistic treasures of the where he danced for a year. During his career, he Destiny’s Child and Rihanna. She joined the com- the D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company, African-American experience are performing this has performed as a guest artist for galas in France, pany in 2007. Sweet Honey In The Rock, the internation- once-in-a-lifetime collaboration throughout the Russia, Canada and Hungary and performed for ally renowned a cappella ensemble, has been a vital United States. former president Bill Clinton’s inaugural presiden- Constance Stamatiou (Charlotte, North and innovative presence in the music culture of Sweet Honey In The Rock is Ysaye Maria tial celebration. In 2003, Mr. Rushing performed Carolina) began her dance training at Pat Hall’s Washington, D.C., and in communities of con- Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil, at the White House State Dinner in honor of the Dance Unlimited and North Carolina Dance science around the world. Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson and Shirley President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. He joined the Theatre. In May 2002, she graduated from From Psalm 81:16 comes the promise to a Childress Saxton. Company in 1992. Northwest School of the Arts and studied at SUNY people of being fed by honey out of the rock. Purchase before becoming a fellowship student at Honey—an ancient substance, sweet and nurtur- Ysaye Maria Barnwell was born in New York Glenn Allen Sims (Long Branch, New Jersey) The Ailey School. Ms. Stamatiou was a member of ing. Rock—an elemental strength, enduring the City and has lived in Washington, D.C., for over began his dance training at the Academy of Dance Ailey II and joined the Company in 2007. winds of time. The metaphor of sweet honey in the 40 years. Her life experiences have taken her down Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey. He was a fellowship rock captures completely these African-American three major paths. She began in music at the age student at The Ailey School and performed in the Tina Monica Williams (Elizabeth, New Jersey) women whose repertoire is steeped in the sacred of two-and-a-half, studying violin for 15 years Garden State Arts Center’s Talent Expo in 1993. started dancing at a local dance school under the music of the Black church, the clarion calls of the with her father and majoring in music in high He attended The Juilliard School under the artistic direction of Michele Selvanto-Kowalski. In 1994, civil rights movement, and songs of the struggle for school. She sang in a choir while in junior high direction of Benjamin Harkarvy and performed Ms. Williams began her formal training at The justice everywhere. school and then in college. In 1976, she founded

42 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 43 About the Artists About the Artists the Jubilee Singers at All Souls Unitarian Church University. Ms. Casel is also the former assistant England Conservatory of Music, and performed production Bright Moments in Great Black Music. in Washington, D.C. It was there, in 1979, that director of the Art of Black Dance & Music, and with Ebony Jua, a local jazz ensemble that toured Her arrangement of “Strange Fruit” was featured Bernice Johnson Reagon witnessed her as a singer director of Young Afrique Dance Company, both the East Coast. While at Northeastern, Aisha di- in Freedom Never Dies, a PBS production of the life and a Sign language interpreter and invited her to in Massachusetts. rected M(ego) and the Green Ball of Freedom, Where of Harry Moore. audition for Sweet Honey In The Rock. Ms. Casel now works with her sister, Aisha we at?, a play by Martie Charles, and performed Ms. Kahlil was voted Best Soloist by the Dr. Barnwell is also a speech pathologist with Kahlil, as co-director of First World Productions, and directed Sister Sonji, by Sonia Sanchez. Contemporary A Cappella Society, for her work bachelor’s, master’s (SUNY Geneseo, 1963–1968) and heads her own publishing company, Clear Following her studies, Ms. Kahlil spent three on her composition “Fulani Chant,” and also for and Ph.D. (University of Pittsburg, 1975) degrees, Ice Music. Her compositions can be heard in the years in the Bay Area, where she worked as a vocal- her rendition of “See See Rider.” Her composi- and was a professor in the College of Dentistry 2006 Australian Broadcasting Company’s 2006 ist and dancer with the Raymond Sawyer Theatre tion “Wodaabe Nights” was featured in the film for over a decade. In 1981, she completed post- educational series, Sing!; Mystic Seaport’s mul- and Halifu Productions, while performing and Africans in America, and her composition “Fulani doctoral work and earned a Master of Science in timedia history presentation, Black Hands, Blue recording with the avant-garde jazz trio Infinite Chant” was included in the filmDown in the Delta, Public Health. Seas: The African-American Maritime Experience; Sound. She then returned to Boston, where she directed by Maya Angelou. Her work can also be Over the past two decades, Dr. Barnwell has and Tribeca Productions’ The Box. Ms. Casel was worked with Stan Strickland and Sundance and heard in Climb Against the Odds, a film produced earned a significant reputation as a commissioned a finalist in both the 2006 and 2007 International The Art of Black Dance and Music. by the Breast Cancer Fund. Ms. Kahlil’s film composer and arranger, author, master teacher Songwriter’s Competition and a Grammy Award A master teacher in voice and dance, Aisha has credits include Beloved, starring Oprah Winfrey, and choral clinician in African-American cul- nominee for Sweet Honey’s Experience…101, which taught at the Institute for Contemporary Dance, and with Sweet Honey and James Horner she has tural performance. She has written two children’s she produced. The Joy of Motion, the Boston Center for the Arts, written and recorded original music for the film books, No Mirrors in My Nana’s House and We Are Ms. Casel lives on the East Coast with her hus- Leslie College, the Dance Place and the D.C. Black Freedom Song, starring Danny Glover. One, both published by Harcourt, Inc.; a box-set band, Oso Tayari, and their teenage son, Obadele. Repertory Theatre, as well as teaching and lectur- In 2005, Ms. Kahlil was a finalist with her own of African-American stories and songs for young ing at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and at band, MyKa and the whole World Band, in the people, Um Hmm; and an instructional box-set, Aisha Kahlil possesses a dynamic, innate power Maharishi International University. annual Battle of the Bands contest, sponsored by Singing in the African-American Tradition. She and range in jazz, blues, traditional, contemporary Ms. Kahlil’s artistic pursuits have taken her to Discmakers, and was a winner in the International created the Community Sing which she conducts and African vocal styles and techniques. New York City, where she studied extensively at Songwriting Competition (ISC) performance cat- monthly in Washington, D.C., and the workshop Ms. Kahlil’s interest in music was evident at the Alvin Ailey School, and with Frank Hatchett, egory with her original song, “The Jewel Light.” Building a Vocal Community®—Singing in the an early age. She was a member of local choirs in Pepsi Bethel, Fred Benjamin and Emiko and Ms. Kahlil has toured with her band in the is- African-American Tradition, which she has con- her native Buffalo, New York, and performed as a Yasuko Tokunaga. She also appeared in Joseph lands of Hawaii; performing at the Four Seasons ducted on three continents, utilizing an African vocalist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Papp’s off-Broadway production of The Haggadah, Lodge at Koele, and more recently at Studio Maui, worldview and African-American history, values, in several productions including Porgy and Bess, co-composed and performed in the musical Two and at Casanova’s, performing songs from her CD and cultural and vocal traditions to work with and Carmen Jones and The Messiah. She also sang the Thousand Seasons, and danced with such compa- release Magical, featuring her own original compo- build community among singers and non-singers role of Monica in a special WGBH production of nies as Titos Sampas’s Tanawa. During this time, sitions and arrangements. alike. Her pedagogy is highly respected among Menotti’s The Medium, and performed at Carnegie she also performed with Talib Kibwe (T.K. Blue) musicians, educators, health workers, activists, or- Hall in Julius Eastman’s avant-garde composition and Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), and with Carol Maillard was born and raised in ganizers, and in corporate and non-profit sectors. The Thruway. She worked with the Studio Arena Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although she origi- Dr. Barnwell is also an aspiring actress whose most Theatre where she was awarded a full scholarship, Since her arrival in Washington, D.C., she nally attended Catholic University of America on recent endeavors include the narration for the NPR and at the Buffalo Black Drama Workshop, where has worked with Brother Ah and the Sounds scholarship as a violin performance major, she soon documentary W. C. Handy’s Blues. she toured in the production Willus Way Is Not a of Awareness and has been a featured artist in began writing music and performing with the dra- Violent Man, directed by Ed Smith. During this the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz in the Palm ma department and eventually changed her major Nitanju Bolade Casel became a member of time she became interested in the music of such Court, in which she presented a special perfor- to theatre. Sweet Honey In The Rock in 1985, after four jazz artists as John Coltrane, Leon Thomas, Betty mance of the music of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, the This passion for the stage brought her to the years of studying, performing, and cultural or- Carter, Yma Sumac and Pharoah Sanders, to name Queen Mother of the Classic Blues. Ms. Kahlil D.C. Black Repertory Company and the begin- ganizing in Dakar, Senegal. As a co-founder, a few. danced with the African Heritage Dancers and nings of the vocal ensemble that was to become with Marie Guinier, of Artistes des Echanges By the time she entered college as a theatre stu- Drummers, and Kankouran. She also served as ar- Sweet Honey In The Rock. Ms. Maillard is an Africaines, she worked in alliance with local art- dent at Northeastern University in Boston, it was tistic director for the Youth Ensemble of Dancers accomplished actress and has performed in film, ists, the National Council of Negro Women, the clear that Aisha had an intuitive inclination for vo- and Drummers at the Levine School of Music, television and on stage. Her theater credits encom- National Theatre Daniel Sorano, the University of cal jazz. Although her formal training had been in directed and choreographed for the First World pass a wide range of styles from musical comedy Dakar, Air Afrique, Television and Radio Orts, the European classical music, she began experimenting Dance Theatre, and co-directed and performed and revues to drama and experimental. She has Schomberg Center for Research and Development, with innovative, improvisational vocal techniques. for First World Productions, where she also co- performed on and off Broadway Eubie( , Don’t Get and the late Dr. Ewart Guinier of Harvard She studied voice and music theory at the New wrote, with Nitanju Bolade Casel, the original God Started, Comin’ Uptown, Home, It’s So Nice to

44 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 45 About the Artists About the Artists

Be Civilized, Beehive, Forever My Darling), with Ms. Robinson’s colorful career has taken her up Ms. Childress was first to recognize the need the Negro Ensemble Company (Home, Zooman many paths, including performances, both on and for more African-American interpreters, when she and the Sign, Colored Peoples Time, The Great Mac off-Broadway, and in film and studio recording. founded the organization Bridges to focus atten- Daddy) and the New York Shakespeare Festival She has also worn the producer’s hat as she, along tion on Black Deaf consumers and interpreters. (Spunk, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Under Fire, A with Ms. Maillard and Smokey Ronald Stevens, Ms. Childress was also a founding member of the Photograph…) and at the Actors Studio (Hunter). produced A Sho Nuff Variety Revue, a series of per- organization Black Deaf Advocates. TheRegistry of She can be seen in the feature films Beloved and formances showcasing some of New York’s finest Interpreters for the Deaf published a tribute to her Thirty Years to Life. On television, Ms. Maillard has talent, including Adolph Caesar, Sandra Reeves entitled Shirley Childress Johnson, the Mother of appeared in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Phillips, and legendary tap dancers Gregory Hines, Songs Sung in ASL, pointing out the distinction she Suicide and Halleluiah! (PBS), Law and Order: Avon Long and Joe Attles. has brought to the field. Ms. Childress has been SVU and Law and Order. Ms. Robinson was the founding director of the recognized for her interpreting service to the com- Ms. Maillard is a founding member of Sweet Bay Area a cappella quintet Street Sounds, taking munity with awards from Deaf advocacy organi- Honey In The Rock. Her powerful rendition of their music around the country and the world for zations the Silent Mission Circle at Shiloh Baptist “Motherless Child,” arranged for Sweet Honey, 14 years. Church, Deafpride, Inc., Women Unlimited and is featured in the motion picture The Visit and Ms. Robinson returned to Sweet Honey In The National R.I.D. Interpreters of Color. the Dorothy Height documentary We Are Not Rock in 2004, and combines her experience in the- Ms. Childress holds a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Vanishing. Ms. Maillard was Conceptual Producer atre and music to offer a workshop that explores education from the University of Massachusetts for the 2005 documentary film on PBS’s American the creative freedom in us all. Amherst. She has authored several articles on Masters, Sweet Honey In The Rock: Raise Your her experiences as a CODA and her work as a Voice! Produced and directed by Stanley Nelson A native of Washington, D.C., Shirley Childress Sign language interpreter. Ms. Childress’s family, (Firelightmedia Films), the film chronicled Sweet Saxton is considered by many Deaf and hearing sons Reginald and Deon and sisters Maxine and Honey’s 30th anniversary year (2003). people as an exemplar for Sign interpreting mu- Khaula, all Sign. As a vocalist, she has had the privilege to re- sic. Passionate about her work, Shirley is a skilled cord with Horace Silver, Betty Buckley and the professional Sign language interpreter who learned SYDA Foundation’s inspirational recording Sounds American Sign Language (ASL) from her Deaf of Light. parents. In their honor she founded the Herbert

In 2003, her poem H2O Flow was featured and Thomasina Childress Scholarship Fund to as- as the opening selection of Marjorie Reyersons sist other children of Deaf adults (CODA) to ex- photo/poetry book Water Music. And in 1998, plore Sign interpreting as a work option. she penned the herstory for Sweet Honey’s first Ms. Childress’s career has included providing songbook, Continuum. interpreting services for most life experiences—for Ms. Maillard lives in Manhattan and is students in high school and college classrooms, the mother of Jordan Maillard Ware, cur- for employees in staff meetings, job training, and rently attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, professional conferences, in legal settings and in Georgia. SGMKJ! religious services. In health care, she interpreted with the Mental Health Program for the Deaf at Louise Robinson, a native New Yorker, studied St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and with Project Access of concert bass for six years and attended the High Deafpride, Inc., which sponsored her first interna- School of Music and Art. tional assignment to Nairobi, Kenya, as interpreter A graduate of Howard University with a BFA, for a Deaf delegate to a UN conference. Ms. Robinson began her professional career at Ms. Childress’s extensive performing arts in- Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage. She accepted terpreting include an off-Broadway production of Robert Hooks’s invitation to become a member of Lost in the Stars, and with a host of artists includ- the new D.C. Black Repertory Company Acting ing Bernice Johnson Reagon, Linda Tillery and the Ensemble. It was out of this theatre company that Cultural Heritage Choir, Toshi Reagon and Big Ms. Robinson, along with Carol Maillard, Bernice Lovely, Holly Near, Pete Seeger and In Process. Johnson Reagon and Mie, formed the a cappella Ms. Childress has also interpreted for writers Maya quartet Sweet Honey In The Rock. Angelou, Alice Walker and Audrey Lorde.

46 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 47 About the Artists About the Artists

Alvin Ailey® Dance Foundation Administrative Staff Alvin Ailey® Dance Foundation Board of Trustees Recipient of a National Medal of Arts Chairman Joan H. Weill Sharon Gersten Luckman Executive Director President Henry McGee Calvin Hunt Senior Director, Performance and Production Bennett Rink Senior Director, Development and External Affairs Chairman, Executive Committee Philip Laskawy Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Vice-Chairmen Simin N. Allison ® Guido Goldman Dacquiri T’Shaun Smittick Company Manager Bruce S. Gordon E. J. Corrigan Technical Director Arthur J. Mirante II Kristin Colvin Young Stage Manager John H. Schaefer Jennifer McGrath Assistant Stage Manager Christopher J. Williams Jon Taylor Wardrobe Supervisor Al Crawford Lighting Director James G. Abruzzo, Eleanor S. Applewhaite, Debby Ballard, Antoinette Cooper Blair, Judith Byrd-Blaylock, Evan O’Brient Assistant Lighting Director Anthony M. Carvette, Michael J. Cavanagh, Kathryn C. Chenault, David S. Daniel, Judith M. Davenport, David Kerr Master Electrician Catherine Davis, Katherine Farley, Marion I. Fischer, Judith Jamison, Richard L. Kauffman, Debra L. Lee, Joe Gaito Master Carpenter Linda M. Lindenbaum, Sharon Gersten Luckman, Arthur J. Mahon, Gabriella E. Morris, Nicolas S. Rohatyn, Adam Omeljanuik Sound Engineer Samuel Deshauteurs Property Master Peter K. Scaturro, Richard Speciale, Lemar Swinney, Julia A. Walker, Peter B. Walker Andrew Blacks Flyman Brian Luftig Assistant Electrician Chairmen Emeriti Stanley Plesent, Esq. Corin Wright Senior Wardrobe Assistant Harold Levine Dante Baylor Wardrobe Assistant Sarah Alexander Assistant Company Manager Christina Collura Performance and Production Associate, Ticket Coordinator Laura Duelfer Production Assistant Masazumi Chaya Associate Artistic Director, Company Teacher Christina Collura Performance and Production Administrative Assistant Ronni Favors Rehearsal Director, Company Teacher Donald J. Rose, M.D. Director of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, Hospital for Joint Disease Shaw Bronner Director of Physical Therapy Sheyi Ojofeitimi Physical Therapist Laura Becica Physical Therapist

The dancers appearing in this performance are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists AFL-CIO, the labor union representing professional dancers, singers, and staging personnel in the United States. The production crew are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Touring Contact Does your investment advisor Opus 3 Artists 470 Park Avenue South, Ninth Floor North talk about performance? New York, New York 10016 phone (212) 584 7500, fax (646) 300-8200 www.opus3artists.com We do. Paul Szilard, Impresario Emeritus

Production Credits Lighting system provided by 4Wall Entertainment. Touring sound system provided by New York Audio Service Inc. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org. To start a conversation, call us at 510.433.1066. 1111 Broadway, Suite 1630, Oakland, CA 94607 www.bellinvest.com You can learn more about the Company’s newest works from any cell phone or landline. Call AileyConnect at (212) 514‑0010* and simply press the prompt number you want to hear followed by the pound sign. For a complete list of prompts, go to www.alvinailey.org/aileyconnect. *AileyConnect is a free service; cell phone minutes apply.

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