Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Extended Residency Pilot Program Spring 2008
In the winter/spring semester, artist/instructors from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater taught a three-week residency to under-served middle and high-school students at three St. Louis public schools and two community centers: Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, McKinley Classical Jr. Academy, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club in St. Louis, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys & Girls Club in East St. Louis. The artist-instructors were Darius Williams, who taught all three weeks; M'bewe Escobar, who taught the first two weeks, and Theara Ward, who taught the third week.
The residency classes followed the Revelations curriculum developed by the Ailey company, which includes cross-curricular connections to language arts, music, and African-American history, as well as dance creation and technique. Each student received a study guide created by Dance St. Louis and based on the Revelations curriculum.
Photos (left to right): Students at Central VPA with Darrius WIlliams; Students at McKinley CJA with Theara Ward