Alvin Ailey was born January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. Born to a 17-year-old mother, Ailey never knew his father, who abandoned the family when Ailey was just a baby. Ailey's mother raised him alone, first in Navasota, Texas, and then in Los Angeles. As was the custom for many African Americans during that time, mother and son turned to domestic tasks and picking cotton to make a living.
Alvin Ailey became a celebrated dancer and choreographer. He died December 1, 1989 in New York.
Alvin Ailey began studying dance in Los Angeles, taking classes from famed choreographer Katherine Dunham and later Lester Horton. Ailey left Los Angeles after 1953 and made his Broadway debut in 1954. Ailey stayed in New York City, studying ballet and modern dance. He founded the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in 1958, now known as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in New York.
At a time when segregation made life difficult for African Americans, Ailey gave young dancers a chance to excel in the arts. He created 79 ballets himself for dancers of various ethnicities. He stopped dancing professionally in 1965 to focus on choreography. Starting for three seasons in 1969, Ailey's dance group became the Brooklyn Academy of Music's resident company.
Alvin Ailey and his dance company enjoyed worldwide fame then and now. His was the first American dance company in 50 years to tour what was then the USSR. When the company performed in Leningrad in 1970, the dancers received an ovation that lasted more than 20 minutes. Other notable achievements include the 1975 Dance Magazine Award and Kennedy Center Honors in 1988.
The dance school that Alvin Ailey founded is still giving young dancers opportunities in the arts. More than 3,000 students receive training there every year from a distinguished faculty. In addition to dance training, the company is involved in community outreach programs. Dancers receive high-quality and diverse dance training, tuition assistance and other financial aid if needed. They also find all-around support, including counseling for nutritious and psychological needs.