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21 quotes by Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an African-American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. He is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th-century concert dance. His company gained the nickname "Cultural Ambassador to the World" because of its extensive international touring. Ailey's choreographic masterpiece...
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Dance is for everybody. I believe that the dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people.

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One of the worst things about racism is what it does to young people.

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The creative process is not controlled by a switch you can simply turn on or off; it's with you all the time.

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One of the processes of your life is to constantly break down that inferiority, to constantly reaffirm that I Am Somebody.

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It will take very sophisticated marketing to achieve our aim of bringing more black people into the theater.

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I am trying to show the world that we are all human beings and that color is not important. What is important is the quality of our work.

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Racism tears down your insides so that no matter what you achieve, you're not quite up to snuff.

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Choreography is mentally draining, but there's a pleasure in getting into the studio with the dancers and the music.

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Money is a never-ending problem.

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Sometimes you feel bad about yourself when there's no reason to.

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I always want to have more dancers in my company.

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Lena Horne is the sweetest and most adorable woman in the world.

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No matter what you write or choreograph, you feel it's not enough.

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