Let's dance

Fri, Sep 16th 2016, 10:40 AM

Ailey II's dancers have been described as spectacular beings and it's this company of dancers who are renowned for merging the spirit and energy the United States' best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of outstanding emerging choreographers that will be coming to Bahamian shores next week. Among the dancers that are performing with the junior company of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be Courtney Celeste Spears, whose likeness is the face of Ailey II this year.

Ailey II will showcase its new works program that has been a hit with audiences so far this season at the Atlantis next weekend.

Spears, a Baltimore, Maryland native who is in her second year with Ailey II which is under the artistic direction of Troy Powell, is beyond excited to take to a Bahamian stage with a program that she says showcases their versatility as artists. The excitement about performing in The Bahamas is two-fold for Spears as she is a young lady with strong Bahamian roots. Spears, is the granddaughter of Andrea Sweeting, president of Sister Sister (Breast) Cancer Support Group.

"I'm beyond excited," said Spears, in an advance of her company arriving in The Bahamas in an interview with The Nassau Guardian of the upcoming Saturday, September 24 performances -- a 2 p.m. matinee and the gala performance at 8 p.m.

Ailey II's new works performance is expected showcase a piece by Kyle Clark called "I Am the Road" set to House music which makes for an upbeat and funky routine; there is "In and Out" by Jean Emile which will have comedic aspects to it; "Gemeos" by Jamar Roberts which tells the story of two siblings' differences and personalities; and "Something Tangible" by Ray Mercer, a physical piece with a lot of movement -- jumps and turns and features a range of emotions.

"We train in a lot of different styles -- ballet, contemporary and modern -- so our new works piece happens to be one of my favorite programs because I feel like it's a show that caters to everybody, and all people in the audience. The show is going to be wonderful and cater to so many audiences and the different people in the audience," said Spears.

Spears who spent many of her school breaks in The Bahamas during her formative years said she never imagined she would be able to "come home" and share such a high level of dance with Bahamians.

"Mr. [Alvin] Ailey's dream was to create a modern dance company that celebrated the African American experience that celebrated the beauty of dancers of all skin color all coming together to share this art form, so this is his dream to see this idea of unity spread across the world. I'm just happy that I have a home that I love as much as The Bahamas to share that with. Ailey II has never been to Nassau, so for me I'm happy to be a part of something bigger than myself that has a vision of that."

Founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, the company embodies Ailey's pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people. Under the direction of Sylvia Waters from 1974 to 2012, Ailey II flourished into one of the most popular dance companies in the U.S. combining a rigorous touring schedule with extensive community outreach programs.

With Powell now at the artistic director helm, Ailey II continues to thrive as he brought a fresh dimension to the company.

"I was not born in Nassau, but I was at home every summer, Christmas and break that I could have as a child, so it feels like home. The island colors are running through my veins. It's definitely a huge part of who I am and the values that I've learned there with my family.

"The good, authentic, old-school Christian island values that I learned while in Nassau definitely shaped me into the woman that I am, and to be able to come home for that is very humbling, and very full circle for me. It's and honor honestly for me to be able to be a part of something like this. If Ailey II was coming to Nassau without me I would still be ecstatic, because I think exposure for the arts culture there is important. I will be an emotional mess all next week," said Spears.

The dancer said bringing Ailey II to The Bahamas was "a great accomplishment." She said the massive undertaking to make it happen began last year after she made contact with Robert Bain, director of Dance Bahamas School and the National Dance Company of the Bahamas and Spears' grandmother and the committee.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience
If you miss Ailey II's performance, Bain says you will miss a "once-in-a-lifetime experience." He says it will be one of those instances where if you don't attend, you will be saying you should have gone.

"These dancers are extremely good and they're getting great reviews everywhere they travel in the world and I think we should experience that," said Bain who has spent more than three decades in dance. He began his training at the Vera Allen School of Ballet in Grand Bahama, and then The Dance Theater of Harlem, New York.

In the company's brief stint in New Providence, Bain said they hope to get as much as possible out of the company's personnel while they are here.

The company kicked off its season in July with performances in France, moved on to Spain, before returning to American soil performances and are now preparing to touch down on Bahamian soil.

Spears and the company are expected to arrive on Wednesday, September 21. On the Thursday they are expected to meet Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling before visiting E.P. Roberts Primary School at 10 a.m. for an outreach program.

Ailey Arts In Education and Community Programs brings dance into classrooms and communities in order to impact the lives of people throughout the world. Programs include special performances, lecture-demonstrations, technique classes, and curriculum-based residencies.

"They [Ailey Company] will go into the boondocks and try to educate people about the arts through the Ailey Foundation, and Alvin Ailey himself... his work, so part of their job is to also educate, and we're hoping this process will start something with the kids at E.P. Roberts," said Bain.

The company members will also host a workshop on Friday, September 23 at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to which all schools with programs are invited to experience a lecture and demonstration.

"It's a very short time, but we're trying to get as much out of it as we possibly can and we hope that what we can get out of it will be of lasting value," said Bain.

In actuality, he said Ailey II's performance is critical to the country as the dance scene is at a critical crossroads.

"The dance scene in terms of what it used to be is at the graveyard right now. It isn't in the hole yet, but it's at the graveyard," said Bain.

"Persons aren't really interested in dance because they don't understand the value of it. Nobody will support something, or be a part of something that they don't understand. But any country in the world... any culture, appreciates the arts period, because it has an effect on the country. For a developing country especially it is unbelievable in terms of building the self-esteem of its people -- the discipline. It has a value that persons don't understand."

Bain said in decades past, families saw the importance of dance and the discipline that came with it and its long-term effect. Decades after a dancer stopped dancing, he said they could be singled out because of the way they carry themselves -- which he said is about their confidence level and their respect for the arts.

"We've lost a lot because of the lack of support that we need, but in my little corner I'm saying let's see what I can do to try to change this, and hence we have Ailey II, and hopefully it will be a continuous thing that we can do every year. It's very costly, but also very necessary and we hope we can keep this in the face of people."

Concern for the arts
Even though Spears is not a Bahamian, Bain said the Ailey II dancer is concerned about the arts environment in the country of her mother's birth. He said she did not know him, but contacted him and expressed how she felt.

"In her mind and spirit she wanted to do something here when the time came, so that's how that really started. She reached out to me and we started the process. We hopefully want to raise the level of dance, how people see it, and also use this opportunity to expose this new generation, because as far as dance is concerned in this country it's changed a lot [over the decades].

"We're dealing with a different generation -- which we understand, but also have to do things to accommodate them as well. What we hope will happen from this particular concert in addition is to start educating the dancers coming up. Eventually I will have to replace myself and everybody else and so we need to start that process now. It's not late, but we should have done that a long time ago, but we need to start thinking about replacing ourselves, and educating the new generation of Bahamian dancers."

Bain said the dance scene in the country has to change, just like the rest of the world. "I always tell my students The Bahamas ain't no different from anywhere else in the world, and we're just as smart as, just as talented as, and so we can achieve the same things. I would like to see something mushroom from this whole experience."

Funds raised from Ailey II's performance next weekend's will go towards assisting with educational funds for dancers of the National Dance Company of The Bahamas, and to assist with the Sister Sister (Breast) Cancer Support Group.

Spears who began taking dance lessons at an early age said she learnt that dance is a "beautiful language" and is something everyone can relate to and connect to each other.

"I want people to come to the show and takeaway some things that they can use within their own lives and their personal selves. Mr. Ailey was always big on seeing people on stage, but I think he wanted people to be able to see themselves, and actually relate to people on stage and be able to connect with them within their own personal stories."
She wants people to leave Ailey II's performance inspired.

"At Ailey II we're all between the ages of 20 and 24, so we're all very young still in our dance careers and so for the youth it's great. For me personally, even though I'm a part of the company, I'm inspired by my company members every day because they're all so young, but they're also so disciplined, so focused and so dedicated to our craft and our art form. When I first saw Ailey productions for me to see such well-rounded and sound, sophisticated young people on stage, and a beautiful company was so inspiring. To see such young-hearted, young-spirited, young adults and make their mark on the world was very inspiring."

Her back story
She said people should keep pushing at what they love to do and continue to share their spirit in whatever their craft is.

For Ailey II's dancers, and Spears herself, it just happens to be dance.

Spears said her mom, D'Andrea Cary tells the story of having given birth to a little girl and wondering what to do with little girls -- her lightbulb moment -- you put them in ballet classes so they could become dainty and little ladies

"She told me she came home one day, went to Payless and had bought the ballet shoes and leotard for me for ballet classes. She said I put them on and started running around the house and said I know about ballet. She said 'Courtney you've never taken a ballet class.'

"And she said all the little kids who were dropped off for the first day of class were crying and attached to their moms, and I was like bye, you can go, I'm ready for the first day of ballet. Ever since then I have never looked back. I always say that dance was my saving grace, because it's the only thing that I've ever known that I've wanted to do, and that's such a blessing."

Spears said many people are talented, but simply don't know what their true passion is and what they want to do. She said for her it's blessing waking up every morning and knowing exactly what she wants to do with her life and what calls her.

"Ever since I started as a kid I never stopped. I kept training. I always knew I loved dancing."

She initially went to a small local studio in Columbia, Maryland. Around eighth grade she enrolled Baltimore School for the Arts, which the likes of Jada Pinkett Smith, the late Tupac Shakur and fashion designer Christian Siriano attended. It was while there she said her passion for dance solidified and she realized it was not a hobby. It was there she said she realized she could make dance a career and attend college for the craft. That was when her focus honed.

After graduation she moved to New York City to enroll in the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor's of Fine Arts Program in Dance where she continued to train dance wise at the Ailey School, the training ground for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and attend Fordham University simultaneously.

The recent communications graduate said for four years she was basically running five blocks between Ailey and Fordham daily.

"I would go to ballet class at 8:30 a.m., run to Fordham, take a communications class, go back to Ailey take another dance class, go back to Fordham, take another academic class, then have rehearsals, and between all the rehearsals, and dancing -- studies and finals, because you're a full Fordham student and a full Ailey student, so it was a lot, but I loved school and loved learning, and didn't want to stop my education and didn't want to stop dancing."

Her days at Ailey II remain as frenetic. Dancers warm-up between 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon with a full ballet class; from noon to 6 p.m. they're rehearsing straight through with five minute breaks every hour every weekday. They have weekends off. It's a routine they kept up for two-and-a-half months throughout the summer, then they went on the road, and it's about hopping on the bus, driving for eight hours for a show, hopping on a plane to another show and doing it all over again.

The pace is one Spears thrives on. As it's her passion she said she loves what she does and as such the pace she has to keep said it doesn't feel like work.

As for being the face of Ailey II this year, Spears said it's been interesting to see her likeness posted all over social media.

"I'm not shy necessarily, but I'm kind of shy when it comes to my work, unless I'm on stage, and then I'm my most comfortable self. On stage is where I'm most comfortable, but it's an honor for me to represent this organization. For them to use my image is an honor and a humbling experience -- for them to believe in me that much to think that my face could hold a message. The company is filled with so many beautiful dancers that we all are just honored to be here.

The fact that you think Ailey II and you see our faces and our names it goes back to being humbled and honored to be attached to such a beautiful organization that is so much larger than yourself, that it's a whole message, a whole vision that we -- myself and all the dancers get to be a part of. It's an honor and we're all very grateful for it."

Tickets for Ailey II are $75 matinee; $175 VIP for the gala performance and $125 general admission. Tickets can be purchased at Dance Bahamas School, Nassau Street.

AILEY II AT THE ATLANTIS

When: September 24
Where: Atlantis Theatre
Shows: Matinee 2 p.m., gala performance 8 p.m.
Tickets: $75 matinee; $175 VIP gala performance and $125 general admission.
Box office: Dance Bahamas School, Nassau Street.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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