By Ashley Grossman
Exquisite! That is the only word to describe the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The National English Honor Society sponsored a trip on February 9, 2014, to the stunning theater to enjoy the entertainment of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Teachers Ms. Tracy Kaminer and Mr. Brandon Sloan led the students.
From the moment you walk into the center, you are completely immersed in an enormous building that fills you with amazement and interest. The moment your foot touches the bright red carpet, you cannot help but smile because the whole building lights you up. I have to mention the incredible chandeliers that illuminated the ceiling; they were absolutely perfect in every way. I would go again just to see them.
Amazingly enough, the Alvin Ailey Dancers were just as beautiful as the John F. Kennedy Center itself. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. This talented group is one that celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage. Each dance touched and affected you in a different and special way.
Student Micah Peregrino commented, The dances put me on an emotional roller coaster ride from making me deeply reflect on man’s origins in Africa to the advances in modern dance punctuated with tiny bits of comic relief.” Every dance was different. These dances ranged from ballet all the way to modern with every move executed perfectly. Alvin Ailey, the founder, once said, “I believe the dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people, and indeed, it was.
Our next trip to the Kennedy Center is already scheduled–to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream on March 23! This performance comes from the director of War Horse.