Isba

Isba, a word invented by Alvin Ailey, shows the choreographer’s affinity for ritual. A sweeping, romantic ballet centered around a couple’s courtship and marriage, this tender story containing African tribal influences is framed by George Winston's piano score, Autumn. Swirling skirts, swiveling hips, and arms outstretched to heaven fill the stage as a regal couple in virginal white is juxtaposed with tribesmen and priestesses in vivid shades of pink and teal. The rhapsodic ballet ends in a festive finale that combines turns and jumps of balletic virtuosity with sensuous movement derived from both modern and African dances.