Influences of Alvin Ailey

Influences of Alvin Ailey

1. Trainning

   • Horton
     • Biggest influence on Ailey- taught every day
     • Forced on using the body in the most effective way possible
     • Used the strength of the back and flexability
     • Use of body and spaitial awareness
       • Forming Clear and liner shapes- Lateral Streches, angled arms
   • Graham
     • Use of Contraction and realise
       • Heavily used in Ailey, Revelations, Cry
     • Giving into gravity
       • Cry, Majority of section on is on the floor
       • End of of mean olde frisco in blues suite
     • A very expressive style- aliey used to connceted with the auidence more
   • Ballet
     • The foot work of ballet is heavily used in Ailey
       • Pas de Duex- Baryshnikov's talent, Chaines, Abesque etc.
       • River 1970 use of chaines with contractions
   • Jazz
     • Used the isolation and occasional the synocpation of jazz
       • Blues Suite 1958, Layout, claps use of jazz fourth
       • For Bird- WIth love, Aural and Physical Setting influenced (broadway as well), Sharp kicks, as well as rib isolations

2. Childhood

   • Abodment as a child
     • love for his mother -cry Subject matter
   • Texas depression
     • Blue suites- Subject matter
   • Faith
     • Imagery of faith- Revealtions fix me jesus
     • Aural setting - Gosphel
     • Physical setting- Church clothes- Revealtions, mimual like churches
   • Insipred by Stella Alder - Blood memories

3. Experience

   • mental break down in the 1980's inspired For bird with love
   • Taking over Lester's company- gave him what it was like it run a company, but also gave him the coruage to move to NY , which allowed him to study Graham which is an important style.
   • 1940's started going to cinema, Fred astaire- jazz infulence and 45 he saw his first ballet and Dunham, this black compnay insipired him to dance (multiracial) and also gave him his Afro style.
   • He joined in many musical when he was in NY which gave him his broadway style, Choregraphic devices - climax, as well as the style was used in some of the pieces, revelations- rocka my soul
     • Also gave him his use of dancers- having indinivual characters for each dancers
   • 1963 directed his last play, this helps with his narrtive structures