Anderson bought her beloved farm in Danbury, CT, with her husband, Orpheus Fisher. Despite her reverence and Fisher being able to pass as white, the couple still encountered racism while attempting to buy the farm. The couple persevered and expanded their purchase to 100 acres ...
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The National Marian Anderson Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania houses a collection of Anderson's beautiful couture clothing, accessories and shoes. "One of the things that Marian was able to re-imagine about her life and about her style was being introduced to the European fashion scene," said ...
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In 1919, Marian Anderson traveled to Chicago for a six-week opera course. Decades later, the city's lasting impression on her was heard through her rendition of the spiritual folk song, "Crucifixion," which evoked memories of the racial unrest she saw during her time there.
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Marian Anderson was billed as a contralto, the lowest possible female voice, even though she could also sing the high notes of a soprano. "I believed that Marian Anderson was not classified as a soprano is because that would mean that she would be the ...
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Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's enigmatic career has captivated audiences for decades. Writer Tom Casciato dissects Dylan's most recent installment of the Never Ending Tour and the artist's evolving persona. Bob Dylan was 47 in 1988 when he began playing a relentless schedule of live dates, now ...
Journalist and former professional dancer Juan Michael Porter II shares an intimate perspective on Alvin Ailey's transformative career, finding inspiration in Ailey's hidden battle with AIDS. Alvin Ailey is internationally hailed as a choreographic genius. Looking at his Black-culture-rich masterpieces, it is easy to understand ...
Khalia Campbell shares her day-to-day life as a dancer in the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. 1. In broad strokes, what does a typical workweek look like for you from Monday to Friday? During the work week, I have rehearsals from 12-7 p.m. Following rehearsals, ...
Alvin Ailey is one of the most important choreographers in the history of modern dance. In 1958, at just 27 years old, he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey’s vision was of Black bodies unshackled and overflowing with feeling: Confidence… sorrow... joy… pride… ...
Journalist Kayla Stewart reflects on Alvin Ailey's lasting impression on American culture. On the stage of the New York City Center, there’s a slight rumbling that emerges from the stage, almost as if it knows the floors will soon be shaken to their core. Black ...
In this outtake from "Ailey," former Ailey dancers recall how Alvin Ailey worked hard to raise money for the company. There was a "burden that was on him to keep us all working and to make sure that [his] dancers [felt] cared for and loved," ...
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