Choreographers: Alvin Ailey, Robert Battle and Kyle Abraham
Despite the eponymous founder’s passing in 1989, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre maintains a palpable sense of excitement when it performs. In this retrospective at Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director, Robert Battle has mixed classic performances with newer pieces by a range of choreographers.
The selected repertoire has been split into four thematic shows, Contemporary Voices, Modern Masters, Ailey Classics, and 21st Century Creations; with all but the last featuring Ailey’s seminal piece Revelations.
In Contemporary Voices, Battle has brought together three newer pieces opening with the Kyle Abrahams choreographed Are You in Your Feelings? It’s an emotional and energetic tale of the modern black American experience set to a soundtrack of modern black music, featuring the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill.
The performances are effortlessly smooth, bringing a blend of urban attitude and individual emotional depth as it balances the spirit and energy of community along with the longing for singular relationships and love. The choreography sits perfectly with the ultra-hip soundtrack, each giving the other greater emotion and depth.
This is followed by two shorter pieces, both choreographed by Battle. In For Four the music landscape shifts backward to the 1940s with a soundtrack of syncopated cool jazz. The dance moves from effortless cool to a more frenetic delivery delivered with sharp precision – it has the feel of the old black and white cartoons where everything is played at double speed. It’s mesmerising to watch and leaves you near-breathless at its delivery.
In Unfold the tempo slows considerably as the music shifts to an operatic influence. The dance duet is a sensual and tender exploration of each other. It’s beautifully performed and whilst giving a respite from the frenetic nature of For Four, it captivates with the fluidity of movement and the subtle gestures that underpin the narrative.
Contemporary Voices finishes with Ailey’s seminal piece, Revelations. A journey from deep sorrow to extreme joy, it is set to a backdrop of Spirituals – gospel, holy blues and song-sermon music.
The opening I Been Buked is sombre and melancholic that suggests the worst of the slave-era. It sets the scene for a spiritual journey that leads to a simple, yet beautiful, baptism scene, set to the song Wade In The Water. The piece ends gloriously with the euphoric Rocka My Soul In The Bosom Of Abraham. When this song is revived for an encore, even the deepest atheist would be hard pushed not to raise their arms palms facing skyward in absolute joy.
Contemporary Voices shares four very different dance and musical journeys, but each explores the nature of humanity. It presents modern dance as a vibrant, exciting, emotional and, at times, funny art form. It shows dance as a powerful teller of stories and physical link to one’s emotions. Above all, it delivers an evening that delights, entertains and will have you running back for more.
Runs in rep until 16 September 2023
The Reviews Hub Score
Sheer perfection
