The acclaimed Ailey II dance company returns to the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Feb. 1

 

Ailey II, the highly-acclaimed dance company that continues to invigorate the American dance scene, returns to the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m.

Ailey II merges the spirit and energy of the country’s best young talent with the passion and creative vision of two of today’s most outstanding choreographers: Artistic Director Sylvia Waters and Associate Artistic Director Troy Powell.

Ailey II’s 2010-2011 tour features a mixed repertory, including the works “The Corner” (2010), “Takademe” (1999), “Splendid Isolation II” (2006), “The Calling” (2005) and “Shards” (1988). The tour is made possible by the MetLife Foundation.

Dating back to 1974, Ailey II was originally formed as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, with members of the company hand-selected by Alvin Ailey from those most promising scholarship students enrolled in a special workshop at The Ailey School.  Today, the 12 members of Ailey II are personally selected by Sylvia Waters from The Ailey School student body. This junior company acts as a bridge between the school and the professional world, providing unique opportunities for young artists to refine their technique while gaining invaluable experience.

Ailey II embodies its founder’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that offers dance performances, training and community programs for all people. Ailey II dancers emphasize a balance of repertoire, technique and performance, and captivate audiences worldwide, translating their strength, agility and grace of body and soul into stirring, powerful performances. 

As noted in The New York Times, “Ailey II can be counted on to deliver high-energy dancing made even more electric by the push of youthful ambition.

Learn more about Ailey II and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at www.alvinailey.org, or view a promotional video of the company on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/AileyOrganization#p/u/7/CuyhQBJXAxo

Tickets for Ailey II – $25 for Balcony, $35 for Orchestra, $45 for Plaza – are available on the web at www.durangoconcerts.com or by calling 970.247.7657, or at the Ticket Office in Downtown Durango at 7^th and Main Ave. All sales final.

Showtime is 7 p.m., with doors to the Concert Hall and concessions, serving beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, opening at 6 p.m.

The Community Concert Hall is a not-for-profit, multi-use performance venue located on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Its ability to bring a diverse spectrum of shows to Southwest Colorado is made possible through a partnership with the college, a state-supported, independent institution of higher education, and the city of Durango, as well as through financial and in-kind contributions from generous members of the community.