The Joan Weill Center for Dance Photo by Christopher Duggan
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Extension, and Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs share a home at The Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue) in Manhattan.
This beautiful glass-encased building—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City—houses 16 climate-controlled studios with sprung floors, pianos, sound systems, and state-of-the-art acoustics; the fully equipped, 275-seat Ailey Citigroup Theater; physical therapy facilities; the Ailey Boutique; student and faculty lounges; and administrative offices for the entire Ailey organization.
Located in New York City's midtown west area, the Ailey Studios are easily accessible by public transportation.
The Ailey Citigroup Theater Photo by Al Crawford
Horton with Amos Machanic at Ailey Extension Photo by Whitney Browne
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Solomon Dumas, Samantha Figgins, and Constance Stamatiou in Alvin Ailey's Revelations Photo by Glyn Stanley
Things to do at Ailey
Take a Class
Move your body in one of Ailey Extension’s non-competitive drop-in classes. The Extension offers a wide variety of dance and fitness classes suitable for all experience levels, from absolute beginners to professional dancers. Classes are led by world-renowned instructors at The Joan Weill Center for Dance and online.
See a Performance
Witness the thrilling immediacy of dance at one of our seasonal performances. Throughout the year, Ailey II, The Ailey School, and Ailey Extension perform at the Ailey Citigroup Theater at The Joan Weill Center for Dance. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II also perform at various locations around New York City, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s annual New York City Center season, as well as on tour nationally and internationally. Learn more about upcoming performances.
Bring a Group
Gather your friends, co-workers, and family for an exclusive and custom class with Ailey Extension at the Ailey Studios. We work with you and your budget to design a class tailored to your group's interests. Groups of 10 or more also save on tickets to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater or Ailey II in New York City. We'll help you find the best seats. Whether you are looking for a corporate team-building activity or a quintessential AILEY experience with your friends, we can help you organize the perfect group outing.
Rent Our Space
Organize your next studio rehearsal, audition, performance, cocktail reception, wedding, film screening, or other gathering at the Ailey Studios—the perfect place for your next big event. Our versatile, state-of-the-art facilities are available for rent at The Joan Weill Center for Dance in the heart of New York City.
FAQs
Not sure where to park? Looking for accessibility information? Check out our FAQs below.
AILEY does not have a dedicated parking garage. However, there is a Rapid Park (411 West 55th Street) next door to the Ailey building.
Currently, we are not offering public tours. However, if you’d like to plan a group visit to the building, our group visits coordinator will assist you in scheduling a private tour.
AILEY is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive space at The Joan Weill Center for Dance. Please see the list below of accessibilities and accommodations at the Ailey Studios:
- There is a ramp to access the front entrance of the building on 9th avenue. Stairs are available on the 55th street side of the building.
- There are two manual front doors operated by our security team and a revolving door.
- Certified service animals are welcome. Pets are asked to stay outside.
- The Ailey Citigroup Theater and all studios are accessible by elevator and are wheelchair accessible.
- All elevators have braille on their buttons identifying individual floors as well as a spoken voice to identify the floor when the doors open.
- Restrooms and water bottle-refilling stations are available on the lower level
(LL), performance entry level (PE), ground floor, 5th floor, and 6th floor. - Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available on the ground floor and performance entry level (PE). Doors to those restrooms are wave-activated to open on both sides.
- Baby changing stations are available in the men’s restrooms on the ground floor and performance entry (PE) level and the women’s restrooms on the lower level (LL).
- Showers and locker rooms are available on the lower level (LL).
- AILEY provides access to a public a Wi-Fi network for visitors.
- If you require a specific accommodation to attend an Ailey Extension class, please email [email protected] or call 212-405-9500.
The Joan Weill Center for Dance is a mask-optional environment. While masks are still encouraged, they are not mandatory for students, faculty, musicians, or staff. We continue to monitor case levels, prioritizing the safety of our community. In the event of another COVID-19 surge or a new variant of concern arises, our guidance will adjust accordingly.
Yes! AILEY offers private classes with Ailey Extension at the Ailey Studios and you can also see a performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater or Ailey II in New York City with a discount on tickets of 10 or more.
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.