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A woman in an orange dress tilts to the side with one leg in the air and head looking towards the ground.

Repertory

Divining

COMPANIES

  • Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
  • Ailey II

CHOREOGRAPHER

  • Judith Jamison

WORLD PREMIERE

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 1984

AILEY II PREMIERE

2023 (excerpt)

MUSIC

Monti Ellison & Kimati Dinizulu

ORIGINAL COSTUMES

Masazumi Chaya

COSTUMES

Andy Kay

ORIGINAL LIGHTING

Chenault Spence

LIGHTING

Timothy Hunter

RUN TIME

17 Minutes

Judith Jamison's first choreographic success displays the musical sophistication and complexity of movement that marked her as a promising dancemaker. African polyrhythms lend the work an air of mystery and mysticism, while the title suggests a search or quest. The piece is set to the music of Kimati Dinizulu and Monti Ellison and builds on a variety of dance idioms from throughout Africa to create a pulsating, strikingly modern work.

Created in 1984, five years before Ms. Jamison’s ascent to artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The New York Times gave special praise to her “invention of movement shapes and movement quality that give [Divining] a fascinating originality.” 

A dancer is performing on stage, standing in a wide stance with one arm reaching upward and the other hand on their chest. They are wearing a colorful, patterned costume. The stage is lit with a spotlight on the dancer, and the background features dynamic blue and black lighting patterns.

Ailey II's Maya Finman-Palmer in Judith Jamison's Divining Photo by Christopher Duggan

Solo dancer on stage with a green-striped background.

Photo by Nir Arieli

Dancers on stage in a vibrant performance, wearing multicolored costumes. They form a line with arms raised, creating a dynamic visual. The background is illuminated with dramatic red, orange, and blue patterns, enhancing the energetic and lively atmosphere of the scene.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Judith Jamison's Divining Photo by Paul Kolnik

Four dancers bend over touching one hand to the ground while standing on one leg with the other leg kicked up to the sky.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's C. Monteiro, B. Pererya, G. DeVore-Stokes, and S. Figgins in Judith Jamison's Divining Photo by Paul Kolnik

videos about Judith Jamison's Divining

Ailey II in Divining

Judith Jamison's Divining

Behind the Scenes of Judith Jamison's Divining

Funders

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's production of Divining was made possible with generous support from Michele & Timothy Barakett, The Red Moose Charitable Fund, and The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey - Sara & Bill Morgan New Works Endowment Fund. Support for this production was also provided, in part, by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

A group of dancers in flesh tone dresses look up and reach their hands to the sky

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Hero Credit: Photo by Nir Arieli

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