2011 Press Releases

When: Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm
Where:   Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 16^th & Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64108
Cost: $20.00 – $90.00 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday matinée performances; $175.00 – $500.00 Saturday evening Gala 2011 tickets

Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA Presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), the official second home of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in five public performances Wednesday, November 16 through Saturday, November 19, 2011 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Under the new artistic direction of Robert Battle, the Company will feature Kansas City premieres as well as works new to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  Every performance will celebrate five decades of Alvin Ailey’s timeless masterpiece Revelations. This enduring classic fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul using African-American religious music ~ spirituals.

The performances are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, November 16 ~ 18 at 7:30pm, and Saturday’s matinée is November 19 at 2:00pm.  Ticket prices for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday matinée performances are $20.00 – $90.00.  Members and groups of 10 or more save 25%. Rush tickets are available for students with valid ID two hours prior to performance for $9 per student.

Saturday evening November 19, Gala 2011 begins at 5:30pm with KCFAA’s signature suppers in private residences and live venues.  The performance at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts starts at 8:15pm and is followed by an After Party in Kauffman Center’s Brandmeyer Hall.  Gala 2011 helps support the organization’s year-round programs for youth.

Tickets to Gala 2011 range from $175 to $500. Call 816.471.6003 x114.

For tickets for all other performances, please visit the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts box office at 16th & Broadway Monday through Saturday 10am ~ 6pm and Sunday 11am ~ 4pm, or call 816.994.7222 or visit www.kauffmancenter.org. For Group Sales call 816.471.6003 x100. Event information is at www.kcfaa.org

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm
Where:   Wyandotte High School, 2501 Minnesota Avenue, KCKS 64102
Cost:  Free Admission
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA AILEYCAMP FREE FINAL PERFORMANCE

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – Tyrone Aiken, Executive Director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), is pleased to present the Final Performance of the 2011 AileyCamp students.  It will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm at Wyandotte High School, 2501 Minnesota Avenue, in Kansas City, Kansas.  Admission is free, and families are encouraged to attend.

“These students have put in an extraordinary amount of work and dedication into their classes and in preparation for this Final Performance,” said Mr. Aiken.  “AileyCamp is where the spirit of Alvin Ailey really comes alive – with the students.”  The first AileyCamp began in 1989 in Kansas City, Missouri, and in 2001 in Kansas City, Kansas.  This is the first year that we have additionally partnered with Topeka Public Schools; more than twenty Topeka students are participating in AileyCamp Kansas.  This summer AileyCamp will be held at ten sites throughout the United States.

The innovative six-week summer day camp is built upon the philosophy that the skills needed to learn dance are effective tools for developing self-esteem in young people through self-discipline, critical thinking, and cooperative learning skills.  AileyCamp is open to middle-school students, and consists of dance classes in jazz, tap, modern and ballet.  The classes are taught by professional faculty from around the country, and many of the Group Leaders were once AileyCampers themselves.

“The instructors are relevant role models who nurture and assist in the development of the whole child,” said Mr. Aiken. “Students are encouraged to not only develop their artistic interests, but also to address their academic, social and domestic challenges.”

Additional workshops in creative writing, percussion, and personal development complement the dance classes. Throughout the summer, students explore their creativity, learn to master their bodies, foster critical-thinking skills and strengthen their respect for themselves and others.  Community service activities, field trips and family events round out the experience for the Ailey Campers.

The Final Performance will showcase the youngsters’ accomplishments in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, percussion and creative writing.

The public is cordially invited to attend this free performance!

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: Friday, June 24, 2011
Where: Attucks School Parking Lot, SE corner of 18^th & Woodland
Cost: Free Admission
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA TO HOLD NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – Tyrone Aiken, Executive Director of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), cordially invites the 18^th & Vine Historic Jazz District neighboring community to the fourth annual KCFAA Block Party on Friday, June 24, 7:00pm.  Neighbors, KCFAA members, and AileyCamp families are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot dogs, chips, and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages at the southeast corner of 18^th & Woodland in the Attucks School Parking Lot.

Entertainment will include KCFAA’s AileyCamp The Group and appearances by local artists.  Also offered is face painting and a Chalk Walk, with kids and parents creating colorful street paintings.  There will also be a chance to share personal Ailey stories and reflections on video for KCFAA’s oral history project.

After dark, the full screen motion picture Karate Kid will be shown, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.  Trust and friendship are developed between their two teacher/student characters as they deal with issues of bullying and the mourning of a loss.

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey looks forward to seeing you for a free evening of summer fun in celebration of their offices having been located in the 18^th & Vine Historic Jazz District since 2007!

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When:  Camp Dates – Monday, June 20 through Thursday, July 28

Where:  Camp – F. L. Schlagle High School, 2214 North 59^th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66104
Cost:  Free Admission
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA AILEYCAMP OPENS

 KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – Tyrone Aiken, Executive Director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), announces the opening of AileyCamp’s 11th year in Kansas on Monday, June 20, at F. L. Schlagle High School, 2214 North 59^th Street, KCKS 66104. This year AileyCamp Kansas has been expanded to include thirty Topeka USD-501 students in addition to Kansas City, Kansas USD-500 students.

AileyCamp is an innovative six-week, summer dance camp for middle-school boys and girls.  Daily dance classes are complemented with creative communications and personal development workshops.  Throughout the summer, students explore their creativity, learn to master their bodies, foster critical-thinking skills and strengthen their respect for themselves and others.

Dance classes in jazz, tap, modern and ballet are taught by instructors who have trained at leading institutions including The Ailey School in New York City, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The School of American Ballet and Kansas City Ballet.

“We are so grateful for the consistent commitment and invaluable support of this program, which provides relevant role models who nurture and assist in the development of the whole child,” said Mr. Aiken.  “Students are encouraged to not only develop their artistic interests, but also to address their academic, social and emotional challenges.”

Field Trips and Family Events round out the AileyCamp experience, and provide a wide range of arts, cultural and entertaining experiences to further reinforce the goals of this urban camp.  The next family and neighborhood event is the KCFAA Block Party on Friday, June 24, at 7:00pm.  Neighbors, KCFAA members, and AileyCamp families are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot dogs, chips, and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages at the southeast corner of 18^th & Woodland in the Attucks School Parking Lot, KCMO.  Entertainment will include a Chalk Walk, music, dancing, and an after dark full screen motion picture will be shown: The Karate Kid.

Paula Chappell-Lang, Kansas Site Director and Master Teaching Artist in Residence, noted that many Campers return to AileyCamp as group leaders or instructors in the spirit of giving back to the community.  Others are successfully engaged in the Arts or have taken on entrepreneurial adventures as adults.  “This requires cultivating discipline and self-confidence,” said Ms. Chappell-Lang. “The students learn that they can open other doors, and that they don’t have to pursue only avenues that they are familiar with.  They receive personal development tools that allow them to create a different outlook, and they learn that there are ways other than anger to deal with a situation.  Attending AileyCamp is truly setting the stage for life.”

Five years after the birth of KCFAA, Alvin Ailey personally requested that the organization establish an intensive summer dance program.  Mr. Ailey made his last public appearance at an AileyCamp event prior to his untimely death in December of 1989.  Mr. Ailey’s successor, dance legend Judith Jamison, continues to support Alvin Ailey’s belief that “dance is for everybody.”

AileyCampers range from eleven to fourteen years of age, with 80% of the students female and 20% male.  On average, they are 75% African-American, 15% Hispanic, and 10% Caucasian, Asian American and Native American, and are representative of every public school district in the Greater Kansas City Area – the only city with two AileyCamp sites (there are now AileyCamps in ten other U.S. cities). Each program, AileyCamp Missouri and AileyCamp Kansas, accepts up to 100 students, totaling 200 summer participants.  There is no fee for participation, and dance leotards, T-shirts, and shoes are provided at no cost to the student.

The Final Performance for families, friends and sponsors brings 180 vibrant young people from both AileyCamps together for a moving presentation on stage.  The students will showcase their unique talents and skills they learned over the summer.  The AileyCamp Final Performance is Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm, location to be announced.  Admission is free.

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: Camp Dates – Monday, June 20 through Thursday, July 28
Final Performance – Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm

Where: Camp – F. L. Schlagle High School, 2214 North 59^th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66104
Final Performance –  Paseo Academy Theater
Cost:  Free Admission
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA Receives Grant from NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – Tyrone Aiken, Executive Director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), cordially invites funders, school board members, and volunteers to an Open House celebrating AileyCamp’s 11th year in Kansas.  The Open House is Wednesday, June 29, 8:30am at F. L. Schlagle High School, 2214 North 59^th Street, KCKS 66104.

AileyCamp is an innovative six-week, summer dance camp for middle-school boys and girls.  Daily dance classes are complemented with creative communications and personal development workshops.  Throughout the summer, students explore their creativity, learn to master their bodies, foster critical-thinking skills and strengthen their respect for themselves and others.

Open House attendees will observe the second week Camp sessions, including dance, creative communications, and personal development classes.

Dance classes in jazz, tap, modern and ballet are taught by instructors who have trained at leading institutions including The Ailey School in New York City, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The School of American Ballet and Kansas City Ballet.

“We are so grateful for the consistent commitment and invaluable support of this program, which provides relevant role models who nurture and assist in the development of the whole child,” said Mr. Aiken.  “Students are encouraged to not only develop their artistic interests, but also to address their academic, social and emotional challenges.”

Field Trips and Family Events round out the AileyCamp experience, and provide a wide range of arts, cultural and entertaining experiences to further reinforce the goals of this urban camp.  The next family and neighborhood event is the KCFAA Block Party on Friday, June 24, at 7:00pm.  Neighbors, KCFAA members, and AileyCamp families are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot dogs, chips, and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages at the southeast corner of 18^th & Woodland in the Attucks School Parking Lot, KCMO.  Entertainment will include a Chalk Walk, music, dancing, and an after dark full screen motion picture will be shown: The Karate Kid.

Paula Chappell-Lang, Kansas Site Director and Master Teaching Artist in Residence, noted that many Campers return to AileyCamp as group leaders or instructors in the spirit of giving back to the community.  Others are successfully engaged in the Arts or have taken on entrepreneurial adventures as adults.  “This requires cultivating discipline and self-confidence,” said Ms. Chappell-Lang. “The students learn that they can open other doors, and that they don’t have to pursue only avenues that they are familiar with.  They receive personal development tools that allow them to create a different outlook, and they learn that there are ways other than anger to deal with a situation.  Attending AileyCamp is truly setting the stage for life.”

Five years after the birth of KCFAA, Alvin Ailey personally requested that the organization establish an intensive summer dance program.  Mr. Ailey made his last public appearance at an AileyCamp event prior to his untimely death in December of 1989.  Mr. Ailey’s successor, dance legend Judith Jamison, continues to support Alvin Ailey’s belief that “dance is for everybody.”

AileyCampers range from eleven to fourteen years of age, with 80% of the students female and 20% male.  On average, they are 75% African-American, 15% Hispanic, and 10% Caucasian, Asian American and Native American, and are representative of every public school district in the Greater Kansas City Area – the only city with two AileyCamp sites (there are now AileyCamps in ten other U.S. cities). Each program, AileyCamp Missouri and AileyCamp Kansas, accepts up to 100 students, totaling 200 summer participants.  There is no fee for participation, and dance leotards, T-shirts, and shoes are provided at no cost to the student.

The Final Performance for families, friends and sponsors brings 180 vibrant young people from both AileyCamps together for a moving presentation on stage.  The students will showcase their unique talents and skills they learned over the summer.  The AileyCamp Final Performance is Wednesday, July 27, 7:00pm at Paseo Academy Theater.  Admission is free.

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: May 17, 2011

Where: Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, 1714 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Cost: N/A
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA Receives Grant from NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

$25,000 grant awarded to AileyCamp and AileyCamp The Group

May 24, 2011 – Kansas City, Missouri – Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, announced that Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) has been awarded a grant of $25,000 to support AileyCamp and AileyCamp The Group. KCFAA is one of 1,145 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations awarded a grant as part of the federal agency’s second round of fiscal year 2011 grants. In total, the Arts Endowment distributed more than $88 million to support projects nationwide.

An independent agency of the federal government, the National Endowment for the Arts advances artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, “NEA research shows that three out of four Americans participate in the arts. The diverse, innovative, and exceptional projects funded in this round will ensure that Americans around the country continue to have the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts.”

Michael Joy, KCFAA Director of Artistic and Educational Programs, said, “Each year 200 urban youth embark on a journey of self-discovery through creative self-expression in AileyCamp. The program lets them realize that empowerment is a result of the ability to choose.  Camp is a support system at this crucial point in their lives, and provides information and encouragement for their decisions to help them be more independent.”

AileyCamp is an innovative six-week summer dance day camp for 200 middle-school students that began in 1989 in Kansas City, Missouri and in 2001 in Kansas City, Kansas.  AileyCamp was designed to reach underserved youth, using jazz, tap, ballet and modern dance to develop self-esteem, self-discipline, critical thinking skills, creative expression and academic motivation. Each year a final performance marks the conclusion of AileyCamp. Founded in Kansas City and developed in collaboration with The Ailey School in New York City, AileyCamp has become a national model replicated in ten cities across the United States.  The program begins June 20, 2011 and is free youth because of donor support.

AileyCamp The Group was established to give AileyCamp alumni an opportunity to continue the dance experience year-round until they graduate high school. The Group meets bi-weekly during the school year, and presents a final spring performance to showcase their talents.  This sponsored  program is provided to all participants at no cost.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.  To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visit www.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: May 16 – May 21, 2011

Where: Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, 1714 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Cost: N/A
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

Urban Bush Women to Rehearse at KCFAA

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is currently hosting a week-long rehearsal for Urban Bush Women (UBW) from May 16 – May 21, 2011 at the KCFAA studio in the historic Jazz District, 1715 East 18th Street, KCMO 64108.

The seven-member company of Urban Bush Women was founded in 1984 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, who currently directs the troupe.   She has choreographed more than thirty works for her dancers as well as works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, including C# Street–B♭ Avenue by composer Michael David Murray and Shelter by Junior Wedderburn. Her innovative use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change, challenging of assumptions about body types, and styles of movement have led many to consider her a vanguard of dance.

In a January, 2011 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ms. Zollar commented on the style of gritty storytelling intrinsic in her works and the transitions from rage to joy by saying, “That’s the human condition, but particularly within African-American culture, we laugh inside of sorrow.  Life is about finding joy.  Even in the worst situations, it’s about finding moments of joy and moments of beauty.  For me, comedy and sorrow go hand in hand.”

Ms. Zollar.is originally from Kansas City, Missouri and was a graduate of The Conservatory of Music and Dance at UMKC.  The purpose of the residency at KCFAA is to research and create a new work Visionary for the troupe.  Research will include the use of  Jazz and drill team observation.

For more information, call KCFAA at 816.471.6003.

The mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships. KCFAA’s vision is a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives. For more information, please visit www.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 7:00pm

Where: The Gem Theater, 1615 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Cost: Free!
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Presents
Annual Spring Concert

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is pleased to present our Annual Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 4. Coordinated by Michael Joy, Director of Artistic and Educational Programs, AileyCamp The Group and the Second through Sixth Grade Programs will perform.

The doors open at 6:30pm and the Concert begins at 7:00pm.  The performance will be held in the historic Jazz District at the Gem Theater, 1615 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.  Admission is free to the public; seating is limited!

The Second through Sixth Grade Programs meet weekly at KCFAA studios to study dance elements as well as percussion, nutrition and fitness. AileyCamp The Group was established to give graduates of the six-week summer AileyCamp program an opportunity to continue their dance experience year-round. Program elements of classical ballet and modern, jazz, African and social dance are evident in their performances.

The mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships. KCFAA’s vision is a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives. For more information, please visit www.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 7:00pm

Where: The Gem Theater, 1601 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Cost: Free!
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Presents Setting the Stage

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is pleased to present Setting the Stage on Wednesday, February 23, 7:00pm.  The performance will be held in the historic Jazz District at the Gem Theater, 1601 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.  Admission is free to the public.

Setting the Stage is a visual journey through African-American dance history that takes place during Black History Month. This multi-media story of African-American dance is interwoven into the broader tapestry of history, and gives insights into the legacies of African-American pioneers in modern dance in American history.  Setting the Stage is performed by talented local and national artists demonstrating the varied dance styles since the Middle Passage against the backdrop of a large-screen narrated slide presentation.

Setting the Stage was developed and choreographed by Tyrone Aiken, KCFAA Executive Director, and inspired by the photo documentary Classic Black, which was originally presented at the Lincoln Center to commemorate African-Americans in classical dance prior to 1970.  Dance artists include Chlo’e Able, who has performed with Wylliams/Henry Dance Theatre, Michele Cox, who has performed with New York’s Opus Dance Company, Miyesha McGriff, who has performed in Kansas City Ballet’s Nutcracker for nearly fifteen consecutive seasons, and Whitney Rickets, who has performed in several Starlight Theater musical productions.  All dancers have attended The Ailey School in New York City.

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey is the only official second home of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II.The mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships. KCFAA’s vision is a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives. For more information, please visit www.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When: January 24 – February 4, 2011
Where: Paseo Academy of the Fine and Performing Arts, 4747 Flora, KCMO 64110
Cost: N/A
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

KCFAA Conducts Two-week Residency at Paseo Academy

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is currently conducting a two-week residency at Paseo Academy of the Fine and Performing Arts.  Teaching artist L. Hassan Blandford, who serves as Director for the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS)/Ailey School High School Dance program in New York City, is giving classes in Ballet, Composition/Choreography to students in the dance department. Hassan has been a part of the KCFAA family for five years providing ballet instruction for the AileyCamp Summer program.

Blandford will also choreograph a ballet for the students’ performance at Paseo’s year end dance recital, Kaleidoscope. In an effort to connect young people to important Kansas City cultural and historic institutions and landmarks, he will chose a Kansas City artist, institution, or work of art as inspiration for the creation of the ballet.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lionel Hassan Blandford began his performing arts training at the age of nine, performing with local theater groups in the community and NYC Kids on Stage. He began his dance training at F.H. La Guardia High School (The Fame school), and within two years  he was accepted into the School of American Ballet, where he  studied for three years and also had the opportunity to work backstage with the New York City Ballet. Upon graduation Hassan entered The Juilliard School under the direction of the late Benjamin Harkarvy. Hassan has worked professionally with The Atlanta Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet and Donald Byrd the Group.  He is the Ballet Master for the Company of Dance Arts (CODA) in Red Bank, New Jersey, and Director for the PPAS/Ailey School High School dance program.

Michael Joy, KCFAA’s Director of Artistic and Educational Programs, notes, “I believe Hassan recognizes the needs and challenges of today’s young dancer. He understands the market and the training necessary for a productive and lengthy career, and is focused on ensuring that students receive correct information and that their needs are met. Having Hassan as one of our teaching artists for the KCFAA@Paseo program will provide dance students at Paseo Academy an opportunity to connect with the intense training, both academically and technically, needed to pursue careers as professional dancers.”  Joy oversees the project with input from the KCFAA@Paseo Planning Committee.  Members include KCFAA Art Education Committee members, and Paseo Academy faculty, staff, parents, and students.

Initiated in the fall of 2006, this project was designed to have a lasting impact on the students at Paseo Academy. The purpose of the residency is to bring professional performing/teaching artists to Paseo to work with their talented students.

Teaching Artist Latra Wilson also conducted a two-week residency last September and Michele Cox will conduct an upcoming one February 4 through March 9, 2011.  The artists all have Missouri connections, two of which are UMKC Conservatory of Dance graduates. These talented artists have a passion and commitment for working with inner-city high school populations.  They also serve as role models for the students at Paseo, helping them see their potential and inspiring them to achieve their goals.

For more information, call KCFAA at 816.471.6003.

The mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships. KCFAA’s vision is a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives. For more information, please visit www.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.

When:  Thursday, January 13^th, 2011 7:00pm
Where: Gem Theater, 1601 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Cost:  Free
Contact: Glory Ann Penington,
Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
816.471.6003 x11
gloryann@kcfaa.org

For Immediate Release

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Presents Ailey Trio 

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is pleased to present Ailey Trio on Thursday, January 13^th, 7:00pm.  The performance will be held in the historic Jazz District at the Gem Theater, 1601 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.  The performance is best enjoyed by children age five and older;admission is free to the public.

Ailey Trio is comprised of three dancers from the internationally acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT).  Featured dancers include Guillermo Asca, who has been with the Company since 1994, Demetia Hopkins, who graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. program in dance and performed for two seasons with Ailey II, and Marcus Jarrel Willis, who studied at The Ailey School as a fellowship student and joined the Company in 2008.

More than 3,000 school children will be reached by Ailey Trio performances at fourteen school and community centers throughout greater Kansas City during the week of the public performance.

Led by Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, AAADT performs for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. Choreographer Robert Battle has been named Artistic Director Designate, to succeed Judith Jamison upon her transition to Artistic Director Emerita in June, 2011. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance.

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey is the only official second home of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is in residence at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts November 14 – 20, 2011; Gala 2011 is Saturday, November 19.

The Mission of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) is making dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

The Vision of KCFAA reflects the personal vision of Alvin Ailey:  a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.  For more information, please visitwww.KCFAA.org, or call 816.471.6003.