Guest post: featuring Ailey-dancer Kirven James Boyd
Hi Guys!
The following post is written by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, featuring their own dancer Kirven James Boyd. Enjoy!
Kirven James Boyd in “Sinner Man,” also Ailey’s 2011-12 season poster image. Photo by Andrew Eccles.
..was founded by Alvin Ailey himself who received his training from Lester Horton and pursued dance with the Ballet of Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham dance company.
Outside of rehearsal, I’ve sometimes checked Ailey’s Facebook page and have read fans’ comments about our season poster. I’m very appreciative of all of the kind words people have left. To be honest, I was shocked when I learned that I would be the featured dancer on the poster. I’ve been fortunate to have been invited to the marketing shoots since my first year in the Company and I’m always excited to see what will come of the images taken.
One of the pillars of American Modern Dance, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company has had an incredible impact on American society as a whole. Designated to be the “Cultural Ambassador to the World” by President John F. Kennedy, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for around 23 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents promoting the uniqueness of the African American culture and the importance of preserving our American cultural heritage.
Kirven James Boyd, photos by Andrew Eccles.
Kirven James Boyd, a dancer at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater since 2004, has had the privilege of being a cultural ambassador by performing at the White House in tribute to Judith Jameson and around the world. In this interview, Kirven gives us his take on this upcoming season at the City Center under newly appointed artistic director, Robert Battle.
“Right now we’re rehearsing Arden Court by Paul Taylor and Home by Rennie Harris, both of which are premieres for the Company. This experience is one of many reasons why I wanted to be a part of Ailey. We get to work with so many choreographers; it challenges us to forget what we know and become something different. If we fully commit to that, then we learn a great deal about ourselves as artists and people”.
Kirven James Boyd, with Rachael McLaren. Photos by Andrew Eccles.
This article was originally published by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company on their home-pages. All photographies are the property of the Alvin Ailey Dance company, and may not be further used without permission.
