Latest news with #Ailey
Borneo Post
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Borneo Post
Survivors recall harrowing Tenom Pangi tragedy
The Tenom Pangi hydroelectric plant tragedy on October 30, 2022. – Photo courtesy from Sabah Electricity. TENOM (May 24): It was an ordinary day for auxiliary policeman Ailey Jamal when he began his evening shift at the Tenom Pangi hydroelectric plant on October 30, 2022. Despite the heavy rain, Ailey, 59, did not give much thought to the weather as he reported for duty just before 4 p.m. Sheltered inside the police guard house with his colleague Yunus, Ailey remembers watching the Padas River's rapid flow from the window. The river powers the Tenom Pangi hydroelectric station. Behind them stood a hill. A before and after photos of the Tenom Pangi hydroelectric plant tragedy on October 30, 2022. – Photo courtesy from Sabah Electricity. 'It was just a standard evening shift. We didn't think much of the thunderstorm,?said Ailey, who has served as an auxiliary policeman for 36 years with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) – now renamed Sabah Electricity. At around 7.30 p.m., a deafening roar erupted from the hill. Curious and alarmed, the two stepped out to investigate. What followed was a nightmare ?a massive landslide tore down the hillside, trapping Ailey and Yunus inside the guard house as soil, rocks and trees crashed down. Restoration work being carried out at the water intake station of the Tenom Pangi hydroelectric plant. 'Both the front and back doors were blocked. There was a small gap at the back, about a meter wide. We tried crawling out, but the soil kept collapsing into it,?said Ailey. Just then, they saw a beam of light cutting through the dark. It came from Petrus A. Joanis, 55, a plant operator at the water intake station 100 meters away. Earlier, Petrus had noticed the river's rising level but didn't anticipate a disaster. Thhe Tenom Pangi hydroelectric plant engines back in full operation. 'There was a blackout, followed by a thundering sound from the hill. We managed to restore power after several attempts and raised the division gate to control water flow,?Petrus recalled. When he couldn't contact the guard house, a gut feeling prompted him to check. 'I saw the guard house buried under soil and debris, with only the roof visible. I started to head back when I heard Yunus yelling my name,?Petrus said. Realizing they were trapped, Petrus extended his hand through the narrow gap and pulled both men to safety. From left: Ailey, Petrus, Dasiri and Raffi looking through the Sabah Electricity book title 'Kisah SESB / The SESB Story', following the Re-Operation Ceremony and 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Tenom Pangi Hydroelectric Power Station on May 14, 2025. 'We ran immediately, fearing a second landslide,?he said. The trio returned to the water intake station, where they waited out the night with another colleague. Meanwhile, four kilometers deeper into the station, six other SESB staff and auxiliary police were also trapped. Mohd Raffi Yahya, 40, the shift leader at Tenom Pangi, received a warning call from Petrus about rising water levels around 7 p.m. 'I reduced the load from 66MW to 36MW and went outside to check the conditions,?said Raffi, a 16-year veteran of the plant. Minutes later, water poured into the lower levels of the power plant, flooding areas housing critical transformers and turbines. Believing a hilltop water tank had burst or overflowed, Raffi requested a total plant shutdown at 7.36 p.m. ?just as all communications went down. Using a PABX line, Raffi contacted the Load Dispatch Centre and requested a rescue. He then led his team through waist-deep floodwaters to a guard post on higher ground, a journey that took nearly an hour. As rescuers could not reach them due to the blocked access road, the six trapped workers and officers decided to walk out the next morning ?a five-hour trek to safety. Miraculously, all 10 workers, including four auxiliary police, escaped without injuries. Restoration and Recognition Following the disaster, SESB immediately launched restoration efforts. Among the key figures involved was Assistant Mechanical Engineer Jimi Sikul @ Dasiri, 60, who boasts 39 years of service. Originally from Keningau, Dasiri joined SESB (then Lembaga Letrik Sabah) in 1986 and was stationed at Tenom Pangi for many years. He was set to retire in 2024 but extended his contract by six months to oversee the plant's re-operation. 'My employer asked me to stay until everything was up and running. After June, I'll finally retire and spend time with my family,?said the father of eight, smiling proudly after receiving SESB's Excellent Service Award. A New Beginning On May 14, 2025, the Tenom Pangi Hydroelectric Power Station officially returned to full operation. The re-operation ceremony coincided with the plant's 40th anniversary and was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Works, Datuk Shahelmey Yahya. Constructed in 1978 and completed in 1984, the Tenom Pangi station has long been vital in supplying energy to Tenom and its surrounding areas, playing a key role in Sabah's development.
Boston Globe
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
When your mom drives you to New York and back four times a week for dance class … that's love
Four days a week, Natalya wakes up, cooks lunch and dinner, then stores the meals in to-go containers as 17-year-old Nasya packs up and gets dressed. They load their belongings into their car — the food, Nasya's dance shoes and clothes, Natalya's homework for her master's program — make a quick stop at BJ's for gas, call Natalya's mother to say a prayer, and are on the road by late morning. By 4:30, they've arrived at their destination: the Joan Weill Center in Manhattan, home of the renowned Ailey School, where Nasya is enrolled in the company's pre-professional school year program. She takes ballet and modern classes at the Ailey studios for three hours, then returns to the car, where her mother has been waiting. Natalya puts the keys in the ignition. They're back home in Dorchester by midnight. This has been the drill for Natalya and Nasya every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (except they start earlier on Saturday) since Nasya began the Ailey program last September. Financially and logistically, a move, even temporarily, to New York City for the duration of the program was out of the picture for the Baines, so instead, they super-commute for dance class. Each week, they spend about 32 hours driving to or from New York City so Nasya can spend about 14 hours training with Ailey. Advertisement Nasya Baine, center, takes an intensive 'Contemporary with Muadi' dance class, on Wednesday at the OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center. At right is student Jay'dha Rackard, 17. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff 'I love seeing the reactions on people's faces when I tell them,' Nasya said with a laugh. When Nasya was offered a spot in Ailey's pre-professional program for this school year, both she and Natalya knew they'd do everything in their power to ensure she could attend. Founded by dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey in 1958, the Advertisement Choreographed by Ailey himself, ' It's 'Revelations' that first spoke to an 11-year-old Nasya. While she had taken a few years of dance at Jamaica Plain's 'What I like most about Ailey is that you can see someone lift their hand for a count of eight, and they'll capture you right then and there,' she said. Nasya Baine waited her turn while others did a routine in dance class, at the OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Hooked, Nasya set her sights on a career in concert dance, with a job with the Ailey company as her ultimate goal. She worked closely with her dance mentor ( Advertisement 'I was like, 'Oh my gosh, is this my child?'' she said. 'She just looked so stunning and confident, like it was just natural.' Still, she was a little skeptical when Nasya told her she wanted to audition for Ailey's New York-based yearlong pre-professional program. Would her daughter really be willing to forgo normal teenage life for this dream? Nasya dithered until the last possible moment. ('If pacing was a person, that was me,' she said.) But when the morning of the audition came, she marched into Natalya's bedroom. 'Mama, do we have time to make it to the audition today?' Natalya checked the clock: 10:30. The audition was in Manhattan that afternoon. 'Hop in the car,' she said. 'Let's go.' Stories like Natalya and Nasya's are commonplace at Ailey, of relentlessly dedicated dancers and the families who support them at all costs. Company member Christopher Taylor, for one, wouldn't have gotten his start at Ailey without a push from his grandmother (she found the application for an Ailey summer program that he had abandoned in his backpack, thinking he'd opt for basketball camp instead). 'She saw the paper and said, 'Alvin Ailey!' ' Taylor said. ''No, you're going to do this.'' He went, then received a scholarship to the Ailey School. For Taylor's entire first year at the school, his grandmother rode the bus with him from North New Jersey to the studio and back. In spite of the sacrifices it required, Taylor always knew Ailey was the place for him. 'It was the first example of Black men and women dancing that I ever saw,' he said, remembering when a teacher showed his class a DVD of Ailey performances. 'They were storytelling with their bodies; they were celebrating us.' To be able to do that for a living, he says, is a blessing. Advertisement Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Christopher Taylor in Alvin Ailey's "Revelations." The company performs in Boston April 24-27 at the Boch Center Wang Theater. Paul Kolnik/Photo by ©Paul Kolnik That's the prize Nasya is chasing. It's why she left her school and enrolled in online classes and gave up sleeping in and seeing friends on Saturdays. It's why Natalya squeezes in all her studying for her master's degree while Nasya is in the studio; why she carefully saves up to pay for gas and tolls; and why she drives on endless loop, even when she's so exhausted that she has to roll the windows all the way down so the chill keeps her alert at the wheel. This weekend, Taylor and the company are in Boston to showcase Ailey's dynamic, stirring works. As they take to the stage, Nasya and Natalya will be somewhere between New York and here, making their way back from another day at the Ailey School. In her classes at Ailey, Nasya says, one concept that's emphasized is partnership — an Ailey artist thinks of everything in their space as a partner, from the air that suspends them on a jump, to the floor that catches them when they land. In other words: Every movement is the work of a team. For aspiring young dancers like Nasya, that couldn't be more true. Some younger students peered into the studio where Nasya Baine, left, takes an intensive dance class. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Alyssa Vaughn is a writer and editor in Somerville.
CBS News
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Renowned dance theater hosts free class for Altadena seniors
Out of all the parts that made 76-year-old Vivien Fortunaso fall in love with her Altadena home, the garden was the one that she was most proud of. The Australia native chose Atladena as her permanent home in 1991 after a short stint in London. "Really friendly people," she said. "It's a very, very diverse community, which is why we like Altadena. She and her partner just finished a remodel with a dream kitchen overlooking the tranquil garden and the trail. "This became a really special place of us," Fortunaso said. "It's really hard to lose it." Fortunaso said that life has been a blur ever since the Eaton Fire destroyed their beloved home — at least, until recently. A few weeks ago, the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater invited Fortunaso and several other seniors who lost their homes to a free dance class. "Mr. Ailey believed dance came from the people and it should be given back to the people," teacher Aaron Thomas said. Ailey is known as the father of African American modern dance. He used movement to express his history of growing up poor in the Deep South. "We're hoping to take the personal stories for all of our seniors and friends who join us, and be able to take those experiences and turn it into something beautiful," Thomas said. The class began with a simple, seated warmup. Fortunaso reunited with her neighbor as they followed each movement carefully. The group focused on the theme of resilience, using word association to create special movements. They also learned some choreography from Ailey's ballet masterpiece, Revelations, which explores grief, joy and hope. During the exercise, Fortunaso unexpectedly began to cry after the class gave her the opportunity and permission to not only heal but to feel. "Hoping to have some fun, to be honest with you, and a distraction," she said. "This just released my sadness and my loss." The unforgettable, therapeutic experience erased the blur surrounding her life since the fire. "I think I'm going to more of it," Fortunaso said. "I think I'm going to go home and dance."
Los Angeles Times
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Why Alvin Ailey's new ‘Sacred Songs' is a homecoming: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 'Sacred Songs' is a homecoming of sorts. It was initially conceived to celebrate the 60th anniversary of 'Revelations,' the seminal masterpiece that closes every Ailey show. ' 'Revelations' is a history lesson through dance that evades antiquity, a timeless reminder of how far we've come, and how far we have to go,' wrote critic Lauren Warnecke. 'Technically demanding, choreographically sound and aesthetically magnificent, … it's the closest we get in dance to a permanent exhibit.' Matthew Rushing, the company's interim artistic director who choreographed 'Sacred Songs,' was intrigued by the chapter in Jennifer Dunning's 1996 book 'Alvin Ailey: A Life in Dance' that detailed the classic's initial form. 'It was over an hour long and with live musicians and singers on stage,' he told The Times. 'But when it came time to take it on tour, he decided to condense it by removing half of the songs.' Rushing perused the list of omitted 'Revelations' songs and collaborated with composer Du'Bois A'Keen to reimagine this left-out collection of spirituals for a new piece. 'These spirituals have such power and history, but some of them are extremely well known and important to a lot of people,' he said. 'We wanted to present them in a fresh way. We spent two weeks brainstorming with musicians at the 92nd Street Y in New York, where 'Revelations' premiered in 1960. It was amazing to be in that room, creating sounds to honor the original.' Though the debut of 'Sacred Songs' was delayed by the pandemic, the piece made its world premiere last year at New York City Center as part of the Whitney Museum of American Art's exhibit 'Edges of Ailey' — complete with instrumentalists and a chorus on stage. Its music fuses jazz, African drums, gospel and hip-hop, and it went over so well that the suite was recently released as an album. The company will perform Rushing's 'Sacred Songs' as part of its seven shows at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (April 2 to 6) — marking its Los Angeles premiere, a notable milestone for the L.A. native. While the dancers pays homage to Ailey and 'Revelations,' Rushing personally dedicates the song 'Troubles Troubling,' a reimagining of 'Troubles of This World,' to his late mother, Barbara DeLoach, who passed away as he was choreographing the piece. 'One of the omitted 'Revelations' songs happens to be about someone transitioning; the lyrics say, 'I'm going home to live with God,' ' said Rushing. 'I was able to choreograph this section as a way of grieving, and it's been the most amazing experience to watch that special part, sometimes with laughter or tears.' I'm Ashley Lee, and I'm looking forward to witnessing this new Ailey creation. I'm with my fellow Times staff writer Jessica Gelt to bring you more arts and culture news and things to do: 'Cypress Hill and the London Symphony Orchestra: Black Sunday Live at the Royal Albert Hall'When the hip-hop group released 'Black Sunday' in 1993, The Times' review noted it 'boasts even sharper insights, crisper beats and a more tantalizingly ominous tone' than their debut album. Last year, the icons reimagined this masterpiece release with the London Symphony Orchestra — yes, another 'Simpsons' joke predicted the future — and the resulting collaboration, conducted and arranged by Troy Miller, debuts stateside via a filmed performance. It's playing in theaters throughout L.A. on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, ahead of the live album's release on June 6. 'Multiple Loads'Nicholas Pilapil's last play, 'God Will Do the Rest,' had me laughing, crying and returning for a second viewing. His new stage show centers on two men in L.A. who fall in and out of love over the course of a decade. Playwrights' Arena is presenting a reading as part of its New Pages Lab, a series designed for playwrights to hear their work with an audience. George Salazar and Adrián González star in the reading, directed by Shinshin Yuder Tsai. Admission is free with online RSVP. Sunday, 1 p.m. Art of Acting Studio, 1017 N. Orange Drive, L.A. 'Yorgos Lanthimos: Photographs''Lanthimos' worlds operate like a transparent watch exposed straight through to the gears,' wrote Times film critic Amy Nicholson of the filmmaker's 2024 movie 'Kinds of Kindness.' 'The fascination comes from seeing how each piece of the machine pressures the others to behave. His characters speak their minds without apology.' Starting Saturday, the Oscar-nominated director and screenwriter exhibits his still photography for the first time, featuring images from his recent books: 'i shall sing these songs beautifully,' made during the filming of 'Kinds of Kindness' and published by Mack; and 'Dear God, the Parthenon Is Still Broken,' shot during the making of his 2023 hit 'Poor Things' and published by Void. The exhibition is on view through May 24. MACK + Webber at 939, 939 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles. — Ashley Lee FRIDAY🎸🎭 Adobe Punk Sparks fly as a 1980s musical trio squatting in an old Bell Gardens adobe home power through rehearsal in this punk rock musical written and directed by Gabriel Garza and Theresa Chavez.⏰ Through April 13. Margo Albert Theatre, Plaza de la Raza, 3540 N. Mission Road. 🎭 Into the Woods Musical Theatre West presents Stephen Sondheim's fairy-tale-fueled musical.⏰ Through April 13. Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. 🎼 🎻 Kerson Leong The Canadian violinist performs a dynamic program of sonatas by Poulenc, Fauré, Boulanger and Franck. Leong will also lead a master class at 11 a.m. Saturday.⏰ 7 p.m. Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 🎸 Papa Roach/Rise Against The bands team up for the Rise of the Roach tour.⏰ 7 p.m. Kia Forum, 3900 .W Manchester Blvd., Inglewood. SATURDAY🎸 Franz Ferdinand The Scottish rockers reach L.A. in the Human Fear tour.⏰ 7 p.m. The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd. 🎭 Jane Eyre Geoff Elliott directs Elizabeth Williamson's adaptation of the Charlotte Brontë novel. ⏰ Through April 20. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. 💃 A Jewish Child's Story Choreographer Louise Reichlin's autobiographical dance multimedia work reflects on her early dreams as the granddaughter of Jewish immigrants.⏰ 1:30 p.m. Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Ave. 🎼 Nowruz: The Concert — Return of the MastersThe Pacific Symphony and Farhang Foundation's annual celebration includes the Pournazeri Trio — Kaykhosro, Tahmoures and Sohrab Pournazeri.⏰ 8 p.m. Segerstrom Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 🪘🎵 Orquesta Akokán The Havana jazz ensemble provides a 21st century take on Cuban mambo.⏰ 8 p.m. The United Theater on Broadway, 929 S. Broadway, downtown L.A. 🎭 🎵 El Otro Oz Salsa, merengue, Mexican folk songs and Dora, 'a contemporary Latiné teenager,' take center stage in this bilingual musical inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz.'⏰ Through April 13. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City. SUNDAY🎭 🎵 Adanza: Show Me Your Dreams A musical adventure featuring juggling, unicycles, breakdancing, animation, bubbles, glow sticks, drumming, aerial artists and more.⏰ 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Friday; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday. The Eastwood, 1089 N. Oxford Ave. 🎭 Aristotle/Alexander The Greek philosopher engages in an intellectual battle of wits with his star pupil in a new play written and directed by Alex Lyras.⏰ 3 p.m. Sundays; 8 p.m. Saturdays, through May 4. Company of Angels, 1350 San Pablo St. 🎼 🎹 Leif Ove Andsnes The Norwegian pianist performs Grieg's Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7; Geirr Tveitt's Piano Sonata No. 29, Op. 129, 'Sonata Etere'; and Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28.⏰ 3 p.m. Soka Performing Arts Center, Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. 🎨 Carole Caroompas 'Heathcliff and the Femme Fatale Go on Tour' is a series of works created by the feminist artist between 1997 and 2001, inspired by Emily Brontë's 19th century novel 'Wuthering Heights.'⏰ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, through July 13. Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach. 🎼 Hear Now Music Festival: Voices Raised The 14th annual event features three programs of new music by contemporary Los Angeles composers: Electroacoustic with Vocal (co-presented with People Inside Electronics), Brightwork Ensemble, David Cubek, conductor HEX and Fahad Siadat, director; Instrumental Chamber Music (April 13); and Vocal Chamber Music (May 18). ⏰ 5 p.m. 2220 Arts + Archives, 2200 Beverly Blvd. 📺 Neo-Japonism: Samurai and Beyond Japanese broadcaster NHK showcases its use of technology in the presentation of its annual 'Taiga' historical dramas.⏰ 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through Sept. 1. Japan House, Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. 🎨 Su Yu-Xin The L.A.-based artist discusses materiality, the intersection of art and science, and the ways color shapes our understanding of the world with OCMA CEO and director Heidi Zuckerman.⏰ 3 p.m. Orange County Museum of Art, 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. A 90-year-old mystery was solved earlier this year when the Ebell of Los Angeles discovered that a series of frescoes painted by revered female muralist Maxine Albro in 1933 still exist beneath more than nine layers of paint in the center's north loggia. The frescoes were commissioned by the Ebell's president in 1933 and became a flash point for controversy, with many members of the prominent women's club complaining that they were too modern and did not fit with the aesthetic of the garden. The artworks were thought to have been destroyed in 1945, so it was with great joy that the Ebell discovered they had only been painted over and can be restored when the moment is right. Stephen Laughton's play, 'One Jewish Boy,' which premiered in London in 2018, is making its West Coast debut in an Echo Theater Company production at Atwater Village Theatre. The show explores the relationship between a young Jewish man and his mixed-race wife. It begins at a point of crisis in their marriage and unspools back to their first meeting in Ibiza many years ago. 'The debate between them is handled with admirable complexity, but the characters don't have enough room to develop beyond the central argument of the play,' writes Times theater critic Charles McNulty in his review. Ron Sossi, founder of L.A.'s Odyssey Theatre, died March 19 of congestive heart failure at age 85. Sossi was revered in the local theater community and known for his boundary-pushing experimentation and willingness to take big swings and risks when it came to the stage. Read Sossi's obituary by staff writer Cerys Davies, here. Joe Goode, the Los Angeles-based visual artist best known for his milk bottle paintings and his ties to the Light and Space movement, has died. He was 87. In an appreciation, Times Art Critic Christopher Knight writes, 'In the 1960s, Goode's work was uncomfortably tagged as Pop art. It shared some attributes of paintings by Ed Ruscha, his childhood friend from Oklahoma City, as well as Southern California artists as diverse as John Baldessari, Billy Al Bengston, Wallace Berman and Vija Celmins. But those artists approached representational imagery in a wide variety of ways. As his career developed over the next five decades, and as art movements began to unravel as a way to characterize art, the term fell away.' Ten Los Angeles-based contemporary arts institutions got a boost Friday when the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts announced its first Infinite Expansion Grants, which support upcoming projects that present, according to a news release, 'thought provoking and compelling work.' These new grants are a departure from previous years when the foundation supported more grantees with less money. By choosing only 10 organizations this time around, the foundation handed out larger grants ranging from $32,000 to $45,000. The current crop of grantees are: 18th Street Arts Center, the Brick, CalArts REDCAT, Fulcrum Arts/home LA, Future Roots/Canary Test, Human Resources, JOAN, Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), Pieter Performance Space, and Self-Help Graphics & Art. The title 'Infinite Expansion' is derived from one of Kelley's large drawings that features a small landscape at its center with psychedelic wood-grain patterns radiating outward. 'In a nod to the title, these grants emphasize the resounding impact that arts organizations and artists make in the communities they build and the world at large,' the foundation wrote in its announcement. — Jessica Gelt A gorgeous read on outgoing Loewe fashion house head Jonathan Anderson, and 'his holistic approach to design, seamlessly fusing together art, fashion, poetry, architecture, and interior design.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Alvin Ailey dance troupe returns to Detroit with world premiere performances
The world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater troupe will return to the Detroit Opera House this weekend, with multiple world premiere performances on the schedule. Chief among them is 'Sacred Songs,' a new work choreographed by Ailey interim artistic director Matthew Rushing, with music by Du'Bois Akeen. The piece is unique and highly anticipated as a spiritual sequel to the late Ailey's masterpiece, 'Revelations.' 'Revelations,' which must be witnessed to be believed, is more than just the company's signature piece; it is a singular, dam-bursting emotional achievement in art that leaves audiences weeping with gratitude and shouting with praise. So, too, does 'Sacred Songs,' which utilizes songs discarded from Ailey's original, longer draft of 'Revelations.' The piece was originally commissioned by New York's Whitney Museum as part of an Ailey exhibition and used dancers from Ailey Extension, a program where non-professional dancers with nine-to-five jobs take dance classes and perform. Last December, Rushing redeveloped it for the main company for its New York debut. 'Oh, it was a massive process,' Rushing said of the collaborative process with A'Keen. 'It was one of the most gratifying experiences I had in 2024. First of all, it's taking on the task of creating a work celebrating 'Revelations.' It's huge and it's intimidating at the same time because you don't want people to think that you're trying to create another 'Revelations.' Instead, I just wanted to pay tribute to the ballet. So, when I found out the original version of 'Revelations' was over an hour long and Mr. Ailey condensed it to take it on tour, I found the songs that Mr. Ailey took out, and decided to make a contemporary version of these songs so that the ballet I created would speak to not only past generations, but also our current and hopefully future generations. 'Normally, I'm in the studio with other dancers and our focus is creating choreography, but in this sense, teaming up with a musical director like Du'Bois was a new experience, but extremely fruitful, inspiring … all the good things.' A'Keen also spoke glowingly of the creative process with Rushing. 'When I started dancing,' he said, 'probably one of the first dance pieces I saw at, like, 19 was 'Revelations,' with Matthew performing in it. It was brilliant. We reconnected in 2020 or 2021, and then in 2023, we were grabbing a coffee or something, and he mentioned that he had this idea for a work that would be made up of these songs that were originally omitted from 'Revelations' for touring purposes. There were nine or so pieces of music that were cut, and he wanted to resurrect those and make a new work. 'I'm like, 'Absolutely – that would be a dream come true, to be able to work with Matthew in any capacity.' And he had known of my work in opera and dance, had seen me singing and performing and directing choirs. Those gospel roots, the choir, the opera, all of it kind of became a perfect storm for us to work together.' A'Keen said they began receiving requests for recordings of the music heard during the work, so "Sacred Songs" was released as an album. The music itself is powerful and refreshing, mighty yet gentle. The strong foundation of Negro spirituals is reshaped with operatic adventures, a heavy layer of jazz, and even rock influences. 'I always tell people I'm a student of Black culture,' said A'Keen, 'and I think that American culture is Black culture – that's my hot take. And so all of those musical influences from further back than we even explored in this work, from the field holler to the Negro spiritual, to the blues, to the gospel, to the R&B – all of these sounds are alive inside of us. They're blood memory, as Mr. Ailey would say. 'So it felt important for me to tap into those different sonic frameworks and explore the potential and possibility of using these Negro spirituals as a base, but also see how far they could go. 'Can it be a rock and roll song?' 'Can it be a calypso celebration song?' 'Can it be a quintessential '90s/early 2000s gospel sound?' And we have a jazz swing piece. We really wanted to play with form, and that was a big part of my research process – thinking about how to bend and mix genres.' Both collaborators said the response to 'Sacred Songs' has been wildly enthusiastic. 'It has been pretty amazing, I'm gonna be honest,' said Rushing. 'One of the challenging things about being a choreographer (is) you never know how the public will receive the work. Of course, you want everybody to enjoy it and embrace it, but you never know. But it's been extremely good feedback. People have said that they have been brought to tears and they've experienced peace by seeing the ballet, so I'm very happy.' 'Sacred Songs' will be performed at Friday night and Saturday afternoon's shows, along with Elisa Monte's 1981 classic, sensual duet 'Treading' and Ronald K. Brown's rapturous 1999 'Grace,' which taps into Duke Ellington, Jennifer Holiday and Fela Kuti for a 12-dancer journey to the Promised Land. Also this weekend: Detroit Public Theatre's 'Confederates' examines struggles of Black women in America Saturday night and Sunday afternoon's programs will include the world premiere of choreographer Hope Boykin's 'Finding Free,' set to a jazz and gospel-influenced score by prodigy Matthew Whitaker, and – another world premiere – 'Many Angels,' choreographed by Lar Lubovitch to the music of Gustav Mahler. These two performances will also close with the foundational 'Revelations.' One of the dancers in Monte's 'Treading' duet is 11-year Ailey veteran Jacquelin Harris, who is not from Detroit but has a major family presence in the Motor City. 'I'm originally from Charlotte, North Carolina,' she said, 'but I have family on both my maternal and my paternal side coming to see me in Detroit. A maternal grandmother and all of my aunts and uncles and cousins are coming. I think they've bought almost 100 tickets. They're really excited about that. And then, on my paternal side, I have some aunts and some cousins who are up in the Detroit area, so it always feels like a homecoming, even though I'm not technically from there.' For the troupe's 2024 Detroit performance, so many of Harris' relatives attended that they rented a bus to deliver them all to the opera house. 'They're getting the bus this year, as well,' she said, laughing. 'They were able to revive that tradition. So it's going to be a packed house. I told them to scream loud, so I hope they bring the energy!' Harris also paid tribute to the late Judith Jamison, Ailey's muse, who danced with the company from 1965 – 1980 and then served as artistic director for more than two decades after Ailey's death in 1989. A legendary, towering figure in American arts, Jamison died last November at 81. 'I'm excited to bring these works,' she said. 'I feel like this season, we're really celebrating dancing's spirit, honoring the life and legacy of Judith Jamison. All of the works that we bring definitely speak to humanity. They speak to our souls. They allow our spirits to shine. I hope that the community feels the Ailey spirit and enjoys our presence, as we enjoy their presence every single year.' Rushing added to the Jamison praise. 'One of the beautiful things about legacy,' he said, 'is that as one passes and makes their transition, the things that they have given their life to continue. And it is very clear that Ms. Jamison committed her life to extending Mr. Ailey's legacy. She was a visionary, a mentor, a trailblazer, an incredible dance artist as well as choreographer, and so we're committing the rest of our time here on this earth to celebrating her life and legacy. 'Our mission of dance came from the people, and we have to deliver it back to the people. Detroit has always been a faithful audience, and this is a partnership that we're going to honor as much as possible.' Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform four times between Friday, March 14, and Sunday, March 16, at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at or by calling 313-237-7464. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Co. members will offer a masterclass at the Detroit Opera House on Saturday, March 15, at 11 a.m. The class will include modern technique and movement from Mr. Ailey's signature works and is most suitable for intermediate/advanced dancers ages 13 and up. Pre-registration is required due to space limitations; to reserve a space, visit contact the box office at 313-237-7464, or email tickets@ Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Legendary Alvin Ailey dance troupe returns to Detroit this weekend
