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The River (Ailey)

Name: The River (Ailey)
Description: Mark Morris’s *The River* (Ailey) is a large-scale ballet set to music by Philip Glass and Steve Reich, depicting the 1954 migration of African Americans from the South to northern cities through intricate choreography and ensemble work.

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description The River (Ailey) Overview

Mark Morris’s *The River* (Ailey) is a large-scale ballet set to music by Philip Glass and Steve Reich, depicting the 1954 migration of African Americans from the South to northern cities through intricate choreography and ensemble work.

help The River (Ailey) FAQ

Who created The River?

Alvin Ailey choreographed The River to an original score by Duke Ellington. American Ballet Theatre gave its world premiere at Lincoln Center in 1970.

What does The River represent?

The ballet uses a river's movement toward the sea as an allegory for birth, life, death, and rebirth. Named sections include Vortex, Lake, Falls, and Giggling Rapids.

What style of dance is used in The River?

Ailey combines classical ballet structure with modern dance and jazz-inflected movement. The approximately 32-minute ensemble work can shift from lyrical partnering to muscular, rushing group passages.

Was The River originally made for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater?

No. Ailey and Ellington created it for American Ballet Theatre in 1970, while Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater added it to its repertory in 1981.

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