Dance Legend Celebrates 50th Anniversary in Seattle

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform with local dancers on its 50th anniversary at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

SEATTLE — March 12, 2008

Black American song and dance had no place in New York’s performance halls in 1957. On March 30, 1958, Ailey changed more than the relationship of race to dance when his company premiered at The 92nd Street Y in Manhattan: he changed world history. Sunday, March 30, 2008, Seattle Theatre Group presents The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 50th anniversary performance at 2 p.m. at The Paramount Theatre.

Who: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s full company, Washington state dancers of diverse backgrounds aged 15-22

What: The 50th Anniversary performance of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, cultural ambassador to the world
Repertoire:
“Memoria”
“Night Creature”
“Reflections in D”
“Revelations”

When: Sunday, March 30 at 2 p.m.

Where: The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101

Cost: Click here for ticket information

The performance of “Memoria” will feature local youth dancers who have been learning the choreography for two weeks. AAADT has only performed “Memoria” in Seattle; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Berkeley; Paris; and Johannesburg. Alvin Ailey originally choreographed it as a joint effort of AAADT and its junior company, Ailey II.

About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater:
Let by Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, AAADT has performed for approximately 21 million people on six continents. They continue their role as the American cultural ambassador to the world by sharing the uniqueness of black American culture and shaping the history of modern dance.

About Seattle Theatre Group:
Seattle Theatre Group is the non-profit arts organization that programs the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in downtown Seattle. STG’s mission is to make diverse dance, music, film, theatre and arts education an integral part of our rich cultural identity while keeping Seattle’s historic Paramount and Moore Theatres alive and vibrant.

MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS

QUOTES

ATTRIBUTED TO ALVIN AILEY, FOUNDER OF ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

On “Memoria”:
“It’s interesting how my personal relationships affect my creativity. It seems as though nearly all of my dances have some basis in an event or a feeling I’ve had that I can usually trace…Nobody has ever asked me what Memoria is about. People everywhere understand it. Making the dance was a very deep and wrenching experience for me.”

ATTRIBUTED TO JUDITH JAMISON, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

“Alvin Ailey wanted to celebrate what he couldn’t see celebrated: that the image of African Americans, the beauty of it, the enormous talent that was out there was not being seen. He wanted to celebrate our experience, but he also wanted you to know that’s a universal experience, and he did.”

ATTRIBUTED TO JOSH LABELLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE THEATRE GROUP

“Seattle Theatre Group is honored to host the 50th anniversary performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It’s pretty fitting that the United States’ cultural ambassador to the world is celebrating such a historical moment at The Paramount Theatre, one of the premiere arts venues in the country.”

About Seattle Theatre Group (STG): Seattle Theatre Group is the non-profit arts organization that programs the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in downtown Seattle. STG’s mission is to make diverse dance, music, film, theatre and arts education an integral part of our rich cultural identity while keeping Seattle’s historic Paramount and Moore Theatres alive and vibrant.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Beth Evans (Agency)
Seattle Theatre Group
Public Relations Manager
911 Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.555.5555(office)
Email: bethe@theparamount.com
Web site: http://www.theparamount.com

* I created this writing sample for my Advanced Public Relations Writing class. The information is not meant to represent the organization described. It is for academic purposes only.

PR Ninja