Alvin Ailey is one of the most prominent names in dance. Ailey II, originally founded as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, is a dance company that was founded by Ailey. Their performance as part of the Lyceum Series at Tuskegee University was spectacular. The show was broken into three parts: Circular, Sketches, and, the well-known Alvin Ailey original, Revelations. Each had its own theme and color associated with it. Circular was blue. Sketches of Flames was red. Revelations was yellow.

It’s hard to choose one specific part that could be labeled as a favorite, whether it was the fieriness of Sketches of Flames with its Spanish infused dancing or the beauty of the “Wade in the Water” performance in Revelations.

It was heartwarming to see Alvin Ailey’s legacy continue through his protégés and a new generation of dancers. It was also good to see so many children at the event. There was a group of girls sitting next to me and as the performance went on they became more and more enthused by the show. By the time Revelations started, they were mimicking the dancers. These dancers were probably inspired by Alvin Ailey and others when they were young and by them living out their dream they are able to plant a seed of inspiration into future dancers.