Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Teatro Real welcomes the legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 14 to 18 October. One of the most influential companies in international contemporary dance, it presents two programmes that journey through the different stages of the ensemble's artistic evolution.

Thus, the first part of the production focuses on some of the most emblematic choreographies by its founder, pieces that defined the group's identity and remain essential benchmarks of 20th-century dance. In these, movement becomes a form of storytelling capable of expressing pain, resilience and celebration with unmistakable stage presence. The second programme brings together works by choreographers from later generations such as Medhi Walerski, Judith Jamison, Lar Lubovitch and Jamar Roberts, who present complementary perspectives on the body, transcendence and the human condition.

Founded in New York in 1958, amidst the height of the civil rights movement in the United States, the company has established itself as a world-renowned artistic reference. Its cultural significance was officially recognised in 2008, when the US Congress designated it as a Cultural Ambassador to the World, underlining the impact of a stage project that has transcended borders for over six decades.

Created by Alvin Ailey, the ensemble has developed a unique choreographic language that combines modern dance, ballet, jazz, and African and Caribbean traditions. This fusion of styles has given rise to an unmistakable aesthetic, marked by emotional intensity, lyricism and powerful physical demands. Although its artistic proposition possesses a universal dimension, the group maintains deep roots in the African American lived experience, which has become the core of a work that engages with memory, identity and spirituality.

Programme:

Programme A: The Legacy of Alvin Ailey (14, 16, 17 October, 19:00)

14 October

NIGHT CREATURE (fragm