Alvin Ailey (As Captured By Carl Van Vechten)

Alvin Ailey grew up in Texas during the great depression to a single mother. At age 11, he moved to California, where he became involved with music and dance. He studied ballet and modern dance, though he never felt that either one fully expressed the style he was interested in. Unable to find a mentor practicing the kind of dance he was interested in, Ailey developed his own technique, marked by the long lines and articulated leg movements of ballet, with the expressive and narrative movements of the upper body associated with modern dance.

He was eager to create opportunities for black dancers, who were often excluded because of their skin color. However, it was never his intention to create an all-black dance company and he accepted dancers based solely on their talents.

Ailey’s most famous piece, Revelations, is thought to be the most performed and viewed modern dance piece ever.