Ailey II

Saturday, February 27, 2027

Doors 6:30pm, Show 7:30pm · Tennessee Williams Theatre

Ailey II is the junior company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and calling it a training ensemble undersells it considerably. Founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, it exists to pair the strongest early-career dancers in the country with choreographers who are themselves still building their reputations. The result is a company with the technical polish of a major troupe and none of the caution — these are dancers with everything to prove, performing work that hasn’t yet settled into repertory.

Photo by Nir Arieli and Danica Paulos, courtesy of Ailey II

Sylvia Waters, chosen by Alvin Ailey himself as founding artistic director, led the company through its first thirty-eight seasons and built it into one of the most popular touring ensembles in American dance. Francesca Harper directs it today. Recent programs have included Rena Butler’s In Session and Judith Jamison’s Divining, mixing new commissions with pieces drawn from the Ailey legacy.

The company tours widely but doesn’t often come this far down the Keys. Dance Magazine has called Ailey II second to none, and The New York Times has described an evening with the company as its own distinct experience, separate from the parent troupe. Subscription packages covering the full 2027 season are available at a 15% savings.

Schedule subject to change. Information courtesy of Tennessee Williams Theatre — visit twstages.com for tickets and complete details.