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Ailey dance masterpiece 'Revelations' used as educational tool

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Published  January 25, 2024 10:50am EST
Good Day Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Learning from Alvin Ailey's 'Revalations'

'Revelations' has become the most-viewed modern dance work of all time and remains the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's signature piece. It’s also made an enormous impact in public schools, something a group of Atlanta students is learning first-hand.

ATLANTA - When dance pioneer Alvin Ailey choreographed "Revelations" and presented it to the world in 1960, he unquestionably changed history. 

In the nearly 65 years since, "Revelations" has become the most-viewed modern dance work of all time and remains the signature performance piece of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. But it’s also made an enormous impact in public schools, something a group of Atlanta students is learning first-hand this week.

Students at Atlanta’s Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy are the latest to take part in the "Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach" program, in which former Ailey dancer and Master Teacher Nasha Thomas uses "Revelations" as a language arts, social studies, and dance educational tool. The residency program was created in 1999, and allows students to explore Ailey, his life and work, and the way Revelations connects to their lives and communities. 

The four-day residency at Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy began Monday and concludes today — just as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater return to the Fox Theatre stage as part of its 65th Anniversary Tour. The company will perform four shows at the Fox, opening this evening and concluding with two shows on Saturday. "Revelations," of course, will be performed as the finale for all four shows, reaching new audiences and extending its incredible legacy.

Tickets for the Atlanta engagement start at $32 and are available for purchase here. Meanwhile, we spent the morning at CSKYWLA, getting a look at how "Revelations" is impacting the future leaders there – click the video player in this article to check it out.