The School Matinee includes excerpts from Ronald K. Brown’s Grace and all of Alvin Ailey’s Revelations.

Grace (excerpts)

Ronald K. Brown’s spellbinding Grace is a fervent tour-de-force depicting individuals on a journey to the promised land. Described by The New York Times as “astounding, something to be sensed as well as seen,” this spiritually charged work is a rapturous blend of modern dance and West African idioms. As in many of Brown’s works, the movement alternates fluidly between extremes, with eruptions of power coupled with lightness. A serene solo for an angel-like figure in white gives way to fireball intensity as 12 dancers resembling contemporary warriors execute Brown’s whirling, pounding choreography—arms and legs slicing the air and fingers pointing to the sky.

Brown’s varied music choices closely reflect the heart of the work, with the spiritual grounding of Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday,” the contemporary yet timeless house music vibe of Peven Everett’s “Gabriel,” and the West African and African American traditions of Fela Kuti’s Afropop beats.

Revelations (1960)

Performed to African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs, and holy blues, Alvin Ailey’s Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. More than just a popular dance work, it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans. Seeing Revelations for the first time or the hundredth can be a transcendent experience, with audiences cheering, singing along, and dancing in their seats from the opening notes of the plaintive “I Been ’Buked” to the rousing “Wade in the Water” and the triumphant finale, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”

Choreographed when he was only 29 years old, Revelations is an intimate reflection inspired by childhood memories of attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, and by the work of writers James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. Set to a suite of traditional spirituals, Revelations explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition, from the deepest of grief to the holiest joy. A classic tribute to the resolve and determination of a people, the ballet has been seen by more people around the world than any other modern work.

1. Movement is a language as rich and expressive as written or spoken language. Much of this movement language is understood by all humans around the world. Because we understand and use movement language so readily, we are often not conscious of the many ways in which we use it to communicate. Encourage the class to make a list of ways in which we use movement to communicate, e.g., expressing emotions, giving directions, accomplishing tasks, teaching, playing, worshiping, entertaining, or telling a story.
2. Discuss the role dance plays in various cultures through social dances and folk dances. Ask students to describe or demonstrate social dances or folk dances that are traditional in their cultures. In which cultures does dance play an important role? Why?
3. Initiate an age-appropriate discussion about racism and breaking racial barriers to help students appreciate the groundbreaking work accomplished by Alvin Ailey. Like African-Americans in other fields, artists have struggled for opportunities to train and perform in their art forms. Mr. Ailey fortunately encountered a unique teacher, Lester Horton, who helped many dancers past the barriers that existed in the 1940s. Another Horton student of Ailey’s era, Janet Collins, became the first African-American classical ballerina. Invited to join the famed Ballet Russes in the 1940s, Collins was asked to use body make-up to appear “white.” She refused. Collins later joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. The recollections of artists of color provide a strong narrative about racial issues in the United States, past and present. Lead a discussion of these issues using Ailey’s life as an example.

1. In discussing a dance performance, it is often more productive to ask the question, “What did you see in the dance?” or “What do you remember most strongly from the dance?” rather than “Did you like the dance?” The first two questions lead to observation or analysis of the performance, while the third question encourages judgmental responses. Although an audience should respond both positively and negatively to a dance, critique should come into play later in the discussion process. Discussion of what aspect of a dance stays most strongly in the memory often reveals the choreographic choices at the heart of the work. Have students describe a memorable moment from the dance in various ways—verbally, in writing, by drawing, or through movement.
2. The Ailey performance offers opportunities for language arts activities. Have each student make a list of action words (verbs) and descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) generated by the performance or a particular part of the performance. Emphasize the descriptive aspect of the words, e.g., verbs like bend, bounce, twist, melt, and explode, and adjectives like smooth, trembling, open, linear, and heavy. Create a list of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs contributed by the class. Discuss whether the list is highly varied or if many of the words are similar. What does this reveal about the dances that inspired the words?
3. The process of choreography is similar to written language—assembling words (movements) into sentences (phrases). Give the class the opportunity to make sentences in movement. Review the everyday movements listed by your students in “Before the Performance” Activity 2. Have the students demonstrate everyday movements they remember from the performance, e.g., a walk, hug, a nod, or a pointing finger. Have the class choose four movements that will serve as basic material for the students to use. Divide the class into small groups. Each group will work together as a single choreographer and use the four movements to create a movement sequence. All four movements must be used, but they may be placed in any order. One movement may be repeated at the beginning, middle, or end of the pattern. Each group can also choose its spatial formation; a line, circle, clump, wedge, or soloist with chorus are some possibilities. Have each group show its movement sequence to the rest of the class. Ask each group to describe its decision-making process.

Source: Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs Resource Guide for Teachers