Bernard Schmidt Productions, Inc - click to Contact Us
400 West 43rd Street, #34 L New York, N.Y. USA Tel/fax: 1-212-564-4443
International artists from around the world, at the crossroads of tradition and innovation!
AILEY II (USA)
AILEY II is an exceptional company that merges the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers. AILEY II began in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, when Alvin Ailey initiated a workshop composed of the most promising scholarship students from The Ailey School. The original members of the Company were handpicked by Mr. Ailey from among that group. AILEY II
embodies Mr. Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people. Today, it has become one of the most popular dance companies in the United States.
Now under the artistic direction of Troy Powell, AILEY II invigorates the American dance scene by offering unique opportunities for artists. AILEY II company members refine their technique while gaining invaluable performing and teaching experience during their tenure with the Company. Throughout its history, many AILEY II company members have gone on to pursue successful careers as dancers, teachers, choreographers with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, other professional dance companies, on Broadway and in various dance schools..
AILEY II’s distinctive repertory includes works by dance masters Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, Ulysses Dove, George Faison, Lar Lubovitch, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater former and current Artistic Directors Judith Jamison and Robert Battle. More recently, several innovative choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Donald Byrd, Kyle Abraham, Jessica Lang, Thang Dao, Kevin Wynn, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, former AILEY company member Marcus Jarrell Willis and Princess Grace Award-winning choregrapher Jae Man Joo contributed new works to the company repertory.
The company's yearly touring season includes performances all over the USA as well as annual international tours as a result of its first sold out week engagements at Wolfsburg's Movimentos Festival in Germany and France's Lyon Dance Biennale in 2010. Since then, the company has performed nearly 140 times in a total of 16 countries, from Canada to Greece including Bulgaria, Poland, Finland, the Baltic countries, Austria, Luxembourg, Jamaica and the French Caribbean to name a few.
AILEY II continues to win unmatched critical praise for it's residencies at major colleges and
universities as well as its visits to elementary, middle and high schools across North America. The Company has received numerous honors, awards and proclamations in recognition of its Community outreach programs showcasing the talent of the country’s best young dancers. The critically acclaimed AILEY II brings exciting dance and innovative outreach programs to diverse communities throughout the country and around the world.
The company also performs annually every Spring in New York City, at various venues such as The Joyce Theater, the world renown Apollo Theater in Harlem, and at it's own Ailey Citigroup Theater where its 2-week long 40th Anniversary Spring season took place during Spring 2014 with an unprecedented record of sold out attendance. The company returned to The Joyce Theater for one week in March 2015 and will perform at the NYU Skirball Performing Arts Center during March 29 - April 2, 2017.
Bernard Schmidt Productions, Inc.
