2012-2013 SEASON SchoolTime Study Guide Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 11 a.m. Friday, April 26, 2013 at 11 a.m. Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley Welcome to SchoolTime Your class will a(cid:425) end a performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on Thursday, April 25 or Friday, April 26 at 11am (check your confi rma(cid:415) on form). The great American choreographer Alvin Ailey famously said, “I believe that dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people.” For over 50 years his glorious company has done just that. Today, under the inspired leadership of ar(cid:415) s(cid:415) c director Robert Ba(cid:425) le, the ensemble confi rms what dance lovers worldwide have long known - nothing beats the Ailey company’s unparalleled ar(cid:415) stry, athle(cid:415) c strength, and boundless passion. The SchoolTime program features the “divinely (cid:415) meless, rousing, and radiant” Revela(cid:415) ons (Atlanta Journal-Cons(cid:415) tu(cid:415) on) and works by today’s most exci(cid:415) ng choreographers. Using This Study Guide You can use these materials to engage your students and enrich their fi eld trip to Zellerbach Hall. Before coming to the performance, we encourage you to: • Copy the Student Resource Sheet on pages 2-3 for your students to use before the show. • Discuss the informa(cid:415) on on pages 4-7 About the Performance & Ar(cid:415) sts. • Read About the Art Form on page 8-9 and About the Music on pages 10-11 with your students. • Engage your class in two or more of the ac(cid:415) vi(cid:415) es on pages 13-15. • Refl ect by asking students the Guiding Ques(cid:415) ons, on pages 2, 4, 8 & 10. • Immerse students further into the subject ma(cid:425) er by using the Resource and Glossary sec(cid:415) ons on pages 16-17. At the performance: Your students can ac(cid:415) vely par(cid:415) cipate during the performance by: • Observing how the dancers express emo(cid:415) ons and ideas through their movements • Listening to how the music and lyrics add to the meaning and emo(cid:415) onal quality of the dance • Thinking about how music, costumes and ligh(cid:415) ng contribute to the overall eff ect of the performance • Marveling at the physical and mental discipline of the dancers • Refl ec(cid:415) ng on the sounds, sights, and performance skills you experience at the theater We look forward to seeing you at SchoolTime! SchoolTime Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  | Table of Contents 1. Theater E(cid:415) que(cid:425) e 1 2. Student Resource Sheet 2 3. About the Performance & Ar(cid:415) sts 4 4. About the Art Form 8 5. About the Music 10 6. Learning Ac(cid:415) vi(cid:415) es 13 7. Resources 16 8. Glossary 17 9. California State Standards 18 About SchoolTime 19 | SchoolTime Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 1 Theater E(cid:415) que(cid:425) e Be prepared and arrive early. Ideally you should arrive at the theater 30 to 45 minutes before the show. Allow for travel (cid:415) me and parking, and plan to be in your seats at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. Be aware and remain quiet. The theater is a “live” space—you can hear the performers easily, but they can also hear you, and you can hear other audience members, too! Even the smallest sounds, like rustling papers and whispering, can be heard throughout the theater, so it’s best to stay quiet so that everyone can enjoy the performance without distrac(cid:415) ons. The interna(cid:415) onal sign for “Quiet Please” is to silently raise your index fi nger to your lips. Show apprecia(cid:415) on by applauding. Applause is the best way to show your enthusiasm and apprecia(cid:415) on. Performers return their apprecia(cid:415) on for your a(cid:425) en(cid:415) on by bowing to the audience at the end of the show. It is always appropriate to applaud at the end of a performance, and it is customary to con(cid:415) nue clapping un(cid:415) l the curtain comes down or the house lights come up. Par(cid:415) cipate by responding to the ac(cid:415) on onstage. Some(cid:415) mes during a performance, you may respond by laughing, crying or sighing. By all means, feel free to do so! Apprecia(cid:415) on can be shown in many diff erent ways, depending upon the art form. For instance, an audience a(cid:425) ending a string quartet performance will sit very quietly, while the audience at a gospel concert may be inspired to par(cid:415) cipate by clapping and shou(cid:415) ng. Concentrate to help the performers. These ar(cid:415) sts use concentra(cid:415) on to focus their energy while on stage. If the audience is focused while watching the performance, they feel supported and are able to do their best work. They can feel that you are with them! Please note: Backpacks and lunches are not permi(cid:425) ed in the theater. Bags will be provided for lobby storage in the event that you bring these with you. There is absolutely no food or drink permi(cid:425) ed in the sea(cid:415) ng areas. Recording devices of any kind, including cameras, cannot be used during performances. Please remember to turn off your cell phone before the performance begins. SchoolTime Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  | 1 2 Student Resource Sheet Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Ques(cid:415) ons to Think About During the Performance • What does the Ailey company off er besides performances? • What infl uenced Ailey’s choreography? • What was the role of spirituals? What You’ll See About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater For “Bird” - With Love (on April 25) Choreographer: Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey created his dance company in 1958. He wanted to make new and expressive modern Dancers swing to the music of Charlie “Bird” dance works based on African American culture Parker in this tribute to the great jazz musician. and heritage. To make the company’s repertory Phases: Flight Time (on April 25) (selec(cid:415) on of works) varied, he included pieces by new and established choreographers. During its Choreography: Alvin Ailey over 50-year history, the company has performed An excerpt from Alvin Ailey’s stunning, classic jazz for almost 20 million people worldwide, and earned dance created at the height of his ar(cid:415) stry. the reputa(cid:415) on of one of the most popular American Excerpt from Grace (on April 26) dance companies. Choreography: Ronald K. Brown The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center was founded in 1969, and today over 3,500 students A spellbinding piece showing individuals on a from every part of the world receive training there. journey to the promised land. AileyCamp was started in 1989. This unique Revela(cid:415) ons (on April 25 & 26) na(cid:415) onal program invites students aged 11-14 to Choreographer: Alvin Ailey a(cid:425) end a free summer day camp featuring dance, Revela(cid:415) ons, created in 1960, is based on Alvin personal development and crea(cid:415) ve expression Ailey’s childhood memories of worshipping at his classes. Cal Performances hosts the Berkeley/ Bap(cid:415) st church in Texas. The music is a collec(cid:415) on Oakland AileyCamp for six weeks every summer. of African American spirituals. 2 | • Katherine Dunham incorporated Caribbean, African and American cultural dance styles to create unique movements. • Martha Graham’s dance technique was built on contrac(cid:415) on (becoming smaller and more pressed together) and release—movements that imitate the act of breathing. In a contrac(cid:415) on, the dancer exhales and curves the spine; in a release, the dancer inhales and li(cid:332) s the chest. About Spirituals The songs used in Revela(cid:415) ons are called spirituals. These are folk songs describing personal religious experiences. When Africans were brought to America as slaves, they lost their tradi(cid:415) onal music as well as their freedom. They added African chants, rhythms and harmonies to the Chris(cid:415) an songs they learned and created Alvin Ailey spirituals. Today, people sing spirituals to raise their spirits, strengthen their faith, and create A(cid:332) er Ailey’s death in 1989, Judith Jamison, a sense of community. There are two kinds of one of Ailey’s chief dancers, became the spirituals: company’s director and led the company for • Sorrow songs are sung slowly and sadly 22 years. In July 2011, Robert Ba(cid:425) le became and tell of the heavy burden of slavery and the the company’s new ar(cid:415) s(cid:415) c director. Today, he belief that be(cid:425) er days are coming. con(cid:415) nues Ailey’s commitment to bringing dance • Jubilees are faster, upbeat songs based on to all people. Bible stories celebra(cid:415) ng victory and joy. About Modern Dance and Ailey’s Spirituals came to serve many purposes for Choreography the slaves: Modern dance developed in America • Work—Singing spirituals made work less nearly 100 years ago as a reac(cid:415) on against the boring and set a rhythm for ac(cid:415) ons like picking or rules and structure of ballet. In ballet, dancers digging. Slave owners liked the singing because it appear weightless and perform elegant steps that made the slaves more produc(cid:415) ve. were created hundreds of years ago. Modern • Worship—At night, a(cid:332) er the owners were dancers embrace gravity and create choreography asleep, the slaves would go out into the woods from everyday movements like walking, skipping, (their invisible church) and worship. Spirituals running, and falling. were a big part of their religious ceremony. Ailey carefully observed ordinary people • Entertainment—At the end of a long day, as they moved, then chose movements that had slaves would o(cid:332) en sing spirituals for relaxa(cid:415) on. the most meaning for him and put them together in a dance. His unique choreographic style was • Code Songs—Communica(cid:415) on through infl uenced by three modern choreographers— spirituals, o(cid:332) en helped slaves escape. For Lester Horton, Katherine Dunham and Martha example, a hidden message in the song “Deep Graham. River” led to a mee(cid:415) ng at the river. “Wade in the Water” warned an escaped slave to go into the • Lester Horton’s dancers used as much river so bloodhounds couldn’t follow his scent. space as possible while turning, bending, and jumping across large distances. SchoolTime Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  | 3 3 About the Performance & Ar(cid:415) sts Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Circus Oz Guiding Ques(cid:415) ons: What are some of dancer/choreographer Alvin Ailey’s achievements? ♦ What factors inspired Alvin Ailey to create Revela(cid:415) ons? ♦ Name some of the Ailey company’ s programs for young people. ♦ The SchoolTime Performance For “Bird” - With Love (on April 25) Excerpt from Grace (on April 26) Choreography: Alvin Ailey, 1984 Choreography: Ronald K. Brown, 1999 Music: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie & Jerome Kern Music: Duke Ellington, Roy Davis, Fela Anikulapo Ku(cid:415) Costume Design: Randy Barcelo Costume Design: Omatayo Wunmi Olaiya Ligh(cid:415) ng: Timothy Hunter Ligh(cid:415) ng: William H. Grant III A tribute to the great jazz musician Charlie “Bird” One of the most popular works in the Ailey Parker, For ‘Bird’ - With Love brings the audience repertory, Ronald K. Brown’s spellbinding Grace is back to the relaxed atmosphere of an a(cid:332) er-hours a fervent tour-de-force depic(cid:415) ng individuals on a jam session at a local jazz club. The dancers journey to the promised land. Described by The emulate Parkers’ swing-based style and knack for New York Times as “astounding, something to be improvisa(cid:415) on while dressed to the nines. sensed as well as seen,” this spiritually-charged work is a rapturous blend of modern dance and Phases: Flight Time (on April 25) West African idioms. Choreography: Alvin Ailey, 1980 Music: composed by L. Mizell; performed by Donald Byrd Revela(cid:415) ons (on April 25 & 26) Costumes: A. Chris(cid:415) na Giannini Choreography by Alvin Ailey, 1960 Ligh(cid:415) ng: Chenault Spence Music: African American Spirituals Phases is Alvin Ailey’s startling, classic jazz dance Decor and Costumes redesign: Ves Harper and Barbara Forbes which was choreographed at the height of his Ligh(cid:415) ng by Nicola Cernovitch ar(cid:415) stry. The ballet is divided into fi ve sec(cid:415) ons, each composed by a signifi cant African American jazz musician. 4 | About Revela(cid:415) ons (excerpts from the autobiography of Alvin Ailey) The Inspira(cid:415) on for Revela(cid:415) ons Revela(cid:415) ons began with the music. As early as I can remember I was en thralled by the music played and sung in the small black churches in every small Texas town my mother and I lived in. No ma(cid:425) er where we were during those nomadic years, Sunday was always a church-going day. With profound feeling, with faith, hope, joy and some(cid:415) mes sadness, the choirs, congrega(cid:415) ons, deacons, preachers, and ushers would sing black spirituals and gospel songs. They sang and played the music with such fervor that even as a small child I could not only hear it but almost see it. I tried to put all of that feeling into Revela(cid:415) ons. Crea(cid:415) ng the Dance The opening part of Revela(cid:415) ons was about trying to get up out of the ground. The costumes and set would be colored brown and earth color, for coming out of the earth, for going into the earth. The second part was something that was very close to me—the bap(cid:415) smal, the purifi ca(cid:415) on rite. Its colors would be white and pale blue. Then there would be the sec(cid:415) on surrounding the gospel church, the holy rollers, and all that church happiness. Its colors would be earth tones, yellow, and black. The fi rst version of Revela(cid:415) ons was quite long, an hour and fi ve minutes, and it had three sec(cid:415) ons. The fi rst was called “Pilgrim of Sorrow.” I took all the songs dealing with black people’s sorrow and put them in this sec(cid:415) on. The middle sec(cid:415) on was to be wading in the water. Songs such as “Honor, Honor” had all the extraordinary words. I was moved by what spirituals say as words, as metaphors. So I found these short songs for the middle sec(cid:415) on. There were quite a few songs for the last sec(cid:415) on, “Move, Members, Move.” The whole ballet was a gigan(cid:415) c suite of spirituals. I poured in just about everything, every beau(cid:415) ful spiritual I had ever heard. SchoolTime Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  | 5 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater students. Today, over 3,500 dance students from For over 50 years, Alvin Ailey American every part of the world receive training there. Dance Theater has brought African American This diverse group of students contributes to a cultural expression and the American modern mul(cid:415) cultural richness that is unique among dance dance tradi(cid:415) on to the world’s stages. schools. Mr. Ailey founded his company in 1958. In 1974, Ailey formed the Repertory Ensemble, Over the next 10 years, he created approximately now called Ailey II as a way for talented students to 20 ballets, among them Revela(cid:415) ons (1960). make the leap from studio to stage. He ensured that the company’s repertory also included works by dance pioneers and emerging The company has a long-standing involvement choreographers. Over the past 50 years, the in arts educa(cid:415) on, including a unique na(cid:415) onal company has produced more than 180 works by program called AileyCamp, launched in 1989. 77 choreographers. Performing for an es(cid:415) mated AileyCamp brings underserved youngsters to a 20 million people in 48 states, 68 countries and on full-scholarship, six-week summer day camp that six con(cid:415) nents, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater combines dance classes with personal development, has earned a reputa(cid:415) on as one of the most popular crea(cid:415) ve wri(cid:415) ng classes and fi eld trips. The Berkeley/ interna(cid:415) onal ambassadors of American culture. Oakland AileyCamp at Cal Performances is now in its twel(cid:332) h year. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center was founded in 1969 with an ini(cid:415) al enrollment of 125 6 |