Sweet Bitter Love

In a bittersweet moment, two lovers at a crossroads reveal their passion. This poetic and poignant narrative by modern dance icon Carmen de Lavallade is infused with the classic and moving ballads of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.  

Sweet Bitter Love was originally a solo that de Lavallade choreographed for herself after being inspired by Roberta Flack's performance of her song. "I decided to add the lover into the duet that I was creating for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater so we would have both the male and female points of view," de Lavallade explained. "I was also motivated by this good old English film Brief Encounter about a lady and a doctor who have this amazing spiritual connection while riding on a train. They realize they must break it up even though they would have been happy together because they matched so intensely. That's what makes it so sad and heartbreaking. They found each other too late in their respective lives. That was the kind of feeling I wanted to give the dancers so that they would then be able to work their individual stories into the ballet. They each have to tell their own story."