Ailey, Alvin, Jr.

(born Jan. 5, 1931, Rogers, Texas, U.S.—died Dec. 1, 1989, New York, N.Y.) U.S. dancer and choreographer. In 1942 he moved to Los Angeles, where he studied dance and choreography (1949–54). He then moved to New York, where he performed in various theatrical productions. In 1958 he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, composed primarily of blacks. The numerous works he choreographed for the company included its signature (1960), set to black spirituals. From the 1960s to the 1980s, the company toured worldwide, and Ailey became one of the best-known U.S. choreographers.

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