A group of dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs in white costumes in front of a large black circle on a white background, all holding onto each other in a line.

Repertory

EN

COMPANIES

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

CHOREOGRAPHER

Jessica Lang

WORLD PREMIERE

Lincoln Center, 2018

MUSIC

Jakub Ciupinski

COSTUMES

Bradon McDonald

LIGHTING

Nicole Pearce

SET

Jessica Lang and Nicole Pearce

ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER

Kanji Segawa

REHEARSAL ASSOCIATES

Patrick Coker, Rachel Secrest

RUN TIME

21 minutes

Bessie and Arison Award-winner Jessica Lang made her AILEY debut with her 100th ballet, EN, a deeply personal reflection on the universal themes of passing time and returning to our roots. The title—from the Japanese word meaning circle, karma, and fate—is underscored by Jakub Ciupinski’s haunting score and the illuminated scenic elements that evoke an otherworldly atmosphere for Lang’s lyrical dance. Her choreography demonstrates a breathtaking range of influences, including interests in visual art, theatrical lyricism, the geometry of the human body, and the nuances of bodily gesture.

EN by Jessica Lang

The Making of Jessica Lang's EN

The Making of Jessica Lang's EN Part 2

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Jessica Lang's EN Photo by Paul Kolnik

Dancers on stage, with one dancer being lifted high in the air by a group of others. The background features a large, glowing circular light and a hanging spherical lamp. The dancers are dressed in light-colored costumes, creating a dramatic and ethereal scene.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Jessica Lang's EN PHoto by Paul Kolnik

Five dancers performing on stage. Two dancers on the left are reaching out with arms extended. In the center, two male dancers are lifting a female dancer in a horizontal position. All are in white outfits. The background features a large black circle with a glowing white edge and a smaller illuminated circle above.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Jessica Lang's EN Phot Paul Kolnik

A dancer in a white outfit is performing in front of a large black circle with a glowing white edge. The dancer is in a low, crouched position with one arm extended to the side and the other arm bent, creating a dynamic pose. The stage background is dark, highlighting the circular backdrop.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Kanji Segawa in Jessica Lang's EN Photo by Paul Kolnik

News & Press

"EN, an exploration of time, moved the dancers across the stage like a vortex. The set design, by Ms. Lang and Nicole Pearce, indicates night and day, dawn and dusk. A moon hovers above the dancers, while a larger orb, placed center stage, glows with the help of Ms. Pearce’s lighting. It first radiates a silvery-white light, but as the piece progresses, more colors are added and replaced—yellow, green, lavender—creating the effect of an eclipse. References to time wash over the stage. When the moon, a large bulb of sorts, lowers, the dancers push it back and forth like a pendulum, and the minimalist electronic score, by Jakub Ciupinski, echoes throughout the theater like it’s ticking off moments or minutes. EN does have a painterly quality: The dancers conjure brush strokes as they glide across the stage."
–Gia Kourlas, The New York Times

"Filled with percussive passion, precision, and resonance. En—a new work with choreography by Jessica Lang, with the dancers spinning and gyrating in white outfits to a haunting drumbeat—was a particularly head-spinning treat."
–Michael Musto, NewNowNext

Funders

_{The creation of}_EN_{was made possible with leadership support from Melinda & Paul Pressler and Denise Littlefield Sobel.}

_{Generous support was provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.}

Two dancers in front of a screen that looks like a lowering orange sun. They are wearing big hats and have church fans.

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Hero Credit: Photo by Paul Kolnik