Alvin Ailey is Back at City Center

By: Bonita Sostre

Photo by Paul Kolnik 2021

Alvin Ailey continues its annual season at City Center, running now through January 4, 2026. This season marks a historic milestone as the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack. According to the Ailey website, Mack is a former principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, having performed with the company from 2005 to 2008 and again from 2011 to 2014. She joins Ailey from The Juilliard School, where she served as Dean and Director of the Dance Division for eight years (2018-2025). Mack’s appointment signals a new chapter for the company, blending her extensive performance background with her innovative vision for the future of modern dance.

This season also features the premiere of Mehdi Walerski’s “Blink of an Eye,” a powerful new work that explores the fragile boundary between presence and absence, change and stillness. Walerski, a renowned choreographer and former dancer with companies like the Paris Opera Ballet, brings his signature fusion of contemporary and classical movement to the Ailey stage, captivating audiences with his exploration of human vulnerability and resilience.

The performances themselves are a vibrant celebration of color and movement, offering a warm respite during these cold, dark months. The program masterfully combines classic pieces with fresh, innovative works, attracting a diverse audience from young children experiencing dance for the first time to retired dancers and lifelong enthusiasts. 

In the seat behind me, a former dancer shared with his neighbor how Alvin Ailey’s performances are uniquely touching compared to other dance shows. He described how the company’s storytelling and emotional depth reach a profoundly personal level, resonating long after the curtain falls. For many, Alvin Ailey isn’t just a dance company; it’s a moving testament to cultural pride, resilience, and the unifying power of art.

Alvin Ailey is a must-see show, tickets are on sale now.