Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to New York City Center from December 3 to January 4, 2026, for a five-week holiday engagement that promises to set a new standard under the company’s newly appointed Artistic Director, Alicia Graf Mack. Known for her visionary leadership and deep connection to Alvin Ailey’s legacy, Graf Mack leads the company into an era that blends cherished classics with exhilarating world premieres.
The season features five world premieres, including Jazz Island by Maija García, Embrace by Fredrick Earl Mosley, a new work by Matthew Neenan, Song of the Anchorite by Jamar Roberts, and The Holy Blues by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar in collaboration with Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro. In addition, audiences will see the company premiere of Medhi Walerski’s Blink of an Eye and a new production of Judith Jamison’s A Case of You. The season also honors Alvin Ailey’s touchstone work Revelations, performed with live music during the Opening Night Gala and throughout opening weekend.
Opening Night Gala festivities celebrate AILEY Board Chair Daria L. Wallach with an all-live music program featuring five-time GRAMMY Award-winning jazz artist Samara Joy. The evening includes Walerski’s Blink of an Eye, Jamison’s A Case of You, and the company’s beloved Revelations, offering a blend of contemporary premieres and the inspiring legacy that has defined the company for decades.
Graf Mack said, “This monumental season draws deeply on Alvin Ailey’s legacy rooted in celebrating the resilience of the human spirit, while extending its truth and bold virtuosity to reflect this moment in time and our hopes for the future. Each new creation shares the utterly distinctive voice of its choreographer.”
The season also welcomes three new company members—Donnie Duncan Jr., Mason Evans, and Sebastian Garcia—and features Jawole Willa Jo Zollar as AILEY Artist in Residence, fostering creativity that resonates with Alvin Ailey’s vision and participatory values. Programming includes All New, Ailey Classics, and an Ailey & Jamison Tribute, as well as Family Matinee performances culminating with Revelations and post-performance Q&As.
Following the New York engagement, the company embarks on a 20-city U.S. tour through May 2026, bringing its vibrant blend of innovation and tradition to audiences nationwide. Tickets start at $45 and go on sale September 9 through the New York City Center box office or online at ailey.org and nycitycenter.org.