Billy Wilson and Alvin Ailey
Billy Wilson and Alvin Ailey first met on the set of Jamaica, where Ailey was a featured dancer. Born in Texas in 1931, Ailey, like Wilson, was a prominent black dancer and choreographer. In addition to his career on Broadway, Ailey created his own dance company in 1958 called the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Later in his life, Wilson and Ailey remained close friends, and Wilson choreographed many ballets for the company, including The Winter in Lisbon, one of the last ballets he choreographed before his death.
Sources:
Alvin Ailey – Dance, Revelations & Facts, Biography.com
Alvin Ailey. A Film Gives Voice to the Choreographer, Thirteen: Media with Impact
BILLY WILSON, A CAPITOL ASSET, The Washington Post
More about Alvin Ailey
Born in Texas in 1931, Ailey’s father left when he was young, leaving Ailey and his teenage mother behind. Drawing inspiration from black church services and music from local dance halls, Ailey moved to Los Angeles at age 12. There, he excelled academically and athletically. His introduction to the dance world came after seeing a performance by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In 1949, soon after watching, Ailey started studying modern dance and joined Lester Horton’s dance company, one of the first racially integrated dance schools in the United States.
In 1954, Ailey’s career changed tracks with his Broadway debut in Truman Capote’s House of Flowers. He also performed in The Carefree Tree and Jamaica. Ailey’s most notable achievement is the creation of his dance company, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, in 1958. He choreographed many ballets, including Blues Suite and Revelations. In the 60s, Ailey toured internationally, initially performing but then only choreographing. In 1969, he established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and in 1974, the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. Before he died in 1989, he had choreographed nearly 80 ballets. Ailey received many awards for his work, most notably the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 for his additions to American culture and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 for his commitment to civil rights and dance. Ailey’s legacy lives on in his Dance Theater, which continues to produce top dancers today.
Sources:
Alvin Ailey, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey – Dance, Revelations & Facts, Biography.com
Anna Owens
