Judith Jamison epitomizes the phrase “poetry in motion.” If you’ve never seen her perform, watch the clips in the video below as she discusses her role as dancer, choreographer and artistic director with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the legacy of its founder.
Jamison transitioned on Saturday at the age of 81 after a brief illness. Born in 1943 in Philadelphia, she paved the way for other Black ballerinas, first stepping into ballet slippers when she was 6 years old.
Through dance, we’re as close to God as we’re going to get — until he calls us home.”
— Judith Jamison
As Ailey’s muse, Jamison starred in two of his most popular pieces, “Revelations” and “Cry.” After 15 years with the troupe, from 1965 to 1980, she performed in “Sophisticated Ladies” on Broadway and as a guest artist in companies around the world. She also began doing more choreography and started her own company, The Jamison Project.
When Ailey developed AIDS, he asked Jamison to succeed him. After she returned as artistic director in 1989, the company soared artistically and financially.
The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater will dedicate its 2024-25 season of nationwide performances to the memory of Judith Jamison. Donations to the Jamison Women of Ailey Fund are also being encouraged.
Judith Jamison dances in one of her signature performances, “Cry,” for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey choreographed “Cry” as a tribute to Black women and birthday gift for his mother in 1971. (Photo: Fred Fehl, The New York Public Library Digital Collections, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, 1972)
