A man kneels on on knee in front of a woman in arabesque

Repertory

Sonnets

COMPANIES

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

CHOREOGRAPHER

Rodney Griffin

WORLD PREMIERE

New York City Center, 1982

MUSIC

John Dowland

COSTUMES

Bud Santora

LIGHTING

Chenault Spence

RUN TIME

22 Minutes

“Two loves I have of comfort and despair,
Which like two spirits do suggest me still...”
– William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 144

Rodney Griffin created Sonnets especially for Dudley Williams, who originally danced the role of the Poet. Set to Elizabethan lute music, this sensual yet playful ballet revolves around an emotional triangle involving a mysterious Dark Lady who comes between two male lovers, the Poet and the Friend.

A man and a woman crouch down on the ground

Donna Wood and Dudley Williams in Rodney Griffin's Sonnets Photo by William HIlton

Two men face each other doing high kicks

Ronald Brown and Dudley Williams in Rodney Griffin's Sonnets Photo by Ruby Washington

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

Support Ailey

Every donation to AILEY, a non-profit organization, furthers the pioneering vision of our founder, Alvin Ailey, to deliver dance back to the people.

Donate

We use cookies to improve your experience and to help us understand how you use our site. By accessing or clicking any link on our Web site, you give consent for us to set these cookies.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.