Nasha Thomas Schmitt is the co-director, Arts and Education Program, Alvin Ailey, and National Dir. of Ailey Camp. She leads 8th-graders at Denny in a dance exercise during a week-long workshop.
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The legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is holding a week-long workshop at Denny Middle School, and 8th graders from four classes are participating at the Southwest Community Center. Troupe members tour the country and introduce dance to youngsters as a form of discipline, and source of fun.
"I love it," said 8th-grader Diego Montano, a student in Rachel Evans' class. "It's been nice. Actually I was expecting, like, normal dancing, sort of boring. I was never expecting all jumping around. It's actually pretty cool. I love to play soccer and track."
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958, at the 92nd Street Young Men's Hebrew Association in New York. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance.
Today, led by Artistic Director Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has gone on to perform for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.
Alvin Ailey dancers are scheduled to perform at the 5th Avenue Theatre March 25-27.
For more information, go to: www.alvinailey.org or www.5thavenue.org
