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A dancer in a hot pink ensemble. They are jumping mid-air with their hands above their head.

New York, NY

Opening Night Gala

Dec 4

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Date

Dec 4

Location

  • New York City Center
  • 131 West 55th Street (between 6th & 7th Avenues)
  • New York, NY

Time

7PM Dinner and dancing to follow at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 W 54th Street
Buy Gala Tickets

Honoring Jody Gottfried Arnhold, a luminary in dance education.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New York City Center, December 4 – January 5, for the Company’s 66th season celebrating the lineage and legacy of AILEY that continues to open doors and break new ground. This season’s Opening Night Gala will honor educator and advocate Jody Gottfried Arnhold for her unwavering commitment to accessible dance education for all and her support of AILEY’s mission.

The evening will feature the 25th anniversary return of Ronald K. Brown’s Grace, a beloved piece in the Ailey repertoire, accompanied by a one-night-only performance by Tony® and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Leslie Odom, Jr. and concluding with Alvin Ailey’s indelible Revelations, accompanied by a live choir.

Proceeds from the Gala support the creation of new works, scholarships for talented students at The Ailey School, and AILEY’s innovative educational programs for children.

Programs, casting, and prices are subject to change without notice.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Co-ChairsRaina & Jack Pitts
Dr. Danielle Robinson & Reverend Dwayne McClary
Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach
Joan & Sandy Weill
Pamela D. Zilly & John H. Schaefer
Vice ChairsAnthony S. Kendall
Anthony A. Lewis
Honorary CommitteeWes Gordon
Carolina Herrera
Indré Rockefeller
AILEY VisionariesAgnes Gund
American Express
Morgan Stanley 
Stephen Meringoff 
AILEY InnovatorsBank of America
Bloomberg Philanthropies
United Talent Agency
SupportersSarah Arison
Byron Pitts and Mary Beth Mandanas
The Harkness Foundation for Dance – Etta Brandman & Joan Finkelstein 
Victoria Lasdon and Donald J. Rose, M.D.
Spirits Sponsor
Diageo Logo
 Listings as of August 27, 2024

 

Download a copy of the Save the Date

Ailey's 2022 Opening Night Gala. A wide shot of a grand ballroom. There are tables with arrangements and flowers, images of dancers projected on the walls, and a band warming up in the background.

Ailey's 2022 Opening Night Gala. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

A room full of people dancing in a ballroom. There is a pink tint to the picture due to lights from the stage.

Guests dancing at Ailey's 2023 Opening Night Gala. Photo by Pete Monsanto.

A ballroom with five different images of dancers projected onto the wall. There is a bar with glasses at the bottom of the image. There is a crystal chandelier at the top of the image.

Ailey's 2022 Opening Night Gala, Ziegfeld Ballroom. Photo by Donna Ward.

A group of dancers on stage, alternating men and women. The men are in black pants and white button down shirts. The women are in yellow dresses with hats.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey's Revelations, Ailey Spirit Gala 2022. Photo by Donna Ward.

People dancing in a grand ballroom. There are two women in the middle of the image. They are clapping their hands and smiling. The woman slightly in the front of the image has a black dress on with many silver necklaces.

Guests Dancing at Opening Night Gala. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

A man on stage in a black suit. He is the lead singer of a band and he is smiling at the crowd.

Elan Artists performing at Ailey's 2023 Opening Night Gala. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

A group of people dancing in a ballroom. There is a man with grey hair and a tuxedo in the middle smiling and dancing.

Guests dancing at Ailey's 2023 Opening Night Gala. Photo by Pete Monsanto.