Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey

Ailey, Alvin; Bailey, A. Peter

ISBN 10: 155972255X / ISBN 13: 9781559722551

Published by Birch Lane Pr, 1995

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New Hardcover! Pristine unmarked pages, may have very slight warehouse wear, no remainder marks, still a great buy straight from warehouse, sealed in plastic, exact artwork as listed, Seller Inventory # 044220129062

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Synopsis: Discussing the private life of a pioneer choreographer, an in-depth portrait notes how his father's absence, racism in the dance world, and the Katherine Dunham Company affected his work in such ballets as "Revelations" and "Blues Suite."

From Publishers Weekly: Though choreographer Ailey (1931-1989), founder and artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, lived for 30 years in the public eye, the details of his life and character have remained largely mysterious, glimpsed only in such acclaimed signature works as "Revelations" (1960). The African American dancer, brought up in small-town, segregated Texas, was born to poverty. In his autobiography, he remembers "branches slashing against [his] child's body that is glued to his mother's body as they walk through the mud in bare feet, going from one place to another." Ailey reveals the feelings of inferiority that plagued him throughout his life, from his brief but promising sortie as an actor to his ultimate success in the dance world. He also tells of his single, disappointing conversation with his father, Alvin Ailey Sr.; his mother's rape; his own mental breakdown in 1980, precipitated by the death of his friend and colleague Joyce Trisler; and his descent into drug dependency, leading to his hospitalization. Important people in his life discussed here include Carmen de Lavallade, Maya Angelou and Lester Horton. Ailey's homosexuality is handled with reserve. Coauthor Bailey is a journalist with the Richmond [Va.] Free Press. Photos not seen by PW.
- Free Press. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey
Publisher: Birch Lane Pr
Publication Date: 1995
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: New