In fulfillment of Mr. Ailey’s long-standing dictum, “dance is for everybody,” The Ailey is committed to bringing dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people throughout the world. “Six curtain calls, an encore and another three curtain calls.” That’s how a jubilant audience judged Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 15th opening night in Atlanta. From frenzy to calm waters, from jubilation to a magical mystical history lesson, the vibrant 45-year old Ailey company, is indeed, reason to jump for joy.” In a gift to the community the Alabama Ballet has secured this unique opportunity for Birmingham as the only southern city on The Ailey’s 2004-2005 tour. Sponsored by Alabama Power, the Hugh Kaul Foundation and the Robert Meyer Foundation, the opportunity for Birmingham audiences to experience the skill and artistry of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in its entirety, has not been possible in eighteen years. Wherever they go–and they have been virtually anywhere you might care to name–they raise the roof… The sheer joy flooding across the footlights is irresistible.” -Time Out London. To order tickets, call 975.ARTS, 1.877.ART.TIKS, or visit www.alabamaballet.org. For more information call 205.322.4300.

PRINCESS THEATRE HOSTS ASFA DANCE RESIDENCY

More than 30 young dancers from the Alabama School of Fine Arts Dance Department performed selected repertoire that reflected a variety of dance
styles from the classical, neo-classical and contemporary American works. The performance featured Act III of Napoli, the famous Danish ballet by August Bournonville.

Discover Dance school performances for 4th and 5th grades took place Tuesday, November 16 and Wednesday, November 17 at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30
p.m., and Thursday, November 18 at 12:30 p.m. A public performance was presented on Thursday, November 18 at 6:00 p.m.

Other ASFA residency activities included a Master Class for dance students in the community conducted by Therese Laeger and an outreach dance workshop with at-risk students at Decatur Youth Services conducted by Mimi Twyman. On Tuesday, November 16, Maragaret Galloway presented a Professional Development Workshop for teachers in the Decatur City Schools
from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

The Alabama School of Fine Arts is a public school offering more than 350 students in grades 7-12, a unique opportunity to explore their own talents in
the arts. The acclaimed school was ranked #4 among the 100 best schools in the country in Newsweek May 2003. The Dance Program is designed to provide
the serious dance student an opportunity to pursue the study of classical dance and then pursue a college degree or venture into the professional dance world. The historic Princess Theatre serves as the performing arts center for the City of Decatur, presenting arts performances and providing arts education programs for area schools and the community. For more information, contact Lindy Ashwander at 256/350-1745 or visit
www.princesstheatre.org and www.asfa.k12.al.us.

LYRIC DANCE ENSEMBLE PRESENTS ISADORA DUNCAN PROGRAM

The Lyric Dance Ensemble presented a program of original choreography by Isadora Duncan at the Children’s Dance Foundation, 1715 27th Court South,
Birmingham, on Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 p.m.

Isadora Duncan has been called “the most influential and the most notorious woman of the first quarter of the twentieth century,” by The New York Times.
Duncan first performed in Europe in 1899. She abandoned the rigid format of ballet technique for a dance form based on the simple beauty of natural
human movements and the rhythms of nature. Her costumes – flowing garments made of lightweight silk – added grace and purity to the dynamic momentum of her naturally inspired dances. Audiences all over Europe were captivated by her revolutionary new art form.

The Lyric Dance Ensemble concert featured authentic Duncan dances set to music by Brahms, Gluck, and Strauss. The Brahms waltzes are comprised of
different movement themes related to love, friendship, and affection. Choreographed in 1910, the pieces are romantic and typical of the best in Duncan lyricism.

The simple, direct music of Gluck compliments the Duncan style of dance. Works set to music by Gluck included Blessed Spirits, Cherubim, and Furies
from the opera Orpheus and Eurydice. These works are intended to portray the plastic movements of the Greek chorus rather than depict a literal narrative
of the story. “Air Gai” from another of Gluck’s operas Iphigenie and Aulide, uses movement images that reflect universal human themes of prayer,
playfulness and triumph.

Roses of the South, set to the same music by Strauss, is pure, enjoyable dancing. The dance is based on images of waves interwoven with a waltz. Thework begins gently as if it were a ripple on a body of water. As the musicintensifies, the dance gathers momentum, creating patterns of curves and undulations of the sea through the use of skips, turns and leaps. The work concludes with an exuberant display of flying runs and leaps. The Lyric Dance Ensemble was founded in 1996 to perform the work of

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