Alvin Ailey in Boston

With fluid skirts, tight pants, phenomenal dancing, and historical significance, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has it all; this past Sunday, a handful of students had the chance to see the company perform at Wang Theater in Boston.The group of Exonians, many of which are dancers themselves, were accompanied by the Director of the Dance Program, and Dance Instructor Allison Duke to see the show in Boston. The school also provided students with the chance to purchase low-priced tickets and a bus service. “I decided to go because I'm a dancer and watching other dancers inspires me to work harder,” prep Grace Stinson said. “Also the tickets were super discounted so it was really a great opportunity.”Since its humble beginnings in March 1958, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, led by Alvin Ailey, has grown to immense proportions, performing for an estimated 28 million people across 48 states, 71 countries, and 6 continents, according to their website.The company was initially created for African American dancers, due to the fact that they were not allowed to join the majority of dance companies. Currently, the company still maintains a mainly African American cast, with only a few exceptions. Each dance, choreographed by Alvin Ailey and various other more recent but talented choreographers, is inspired by past historical experiences. He created 79 of his own ballets over the course of his lifetime, all still performed in the present.The company has been on a North American tour starting late April, and, since then, traveled to Davis, CA, Dallas, TX, Newark, NJ, and Boston, MA. The next available opportunity to see the group perform will be in New York, NY from June 12-16.Lower Kimberly Dawes has seen the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform in the past, however she “could not pass up the opportunity to go and see them again.” This showing’s program included four dances: Grace, From Before, Strange Humors, and Revelations.Stinson was thrilled with the performance; the show brought her a unique perspective on dance. “I really loved the way the dancers melded technique and artistry flawlessly, and I was amazed by their strength and control in the way they moved,” Stinson said. “Overall it was a great experience that really helped me think about dance a new way.”She adds that many of the people concluded that Strange Humor, choreographed by Robert Battle, was their favorite dance, or in the least, the most interesting. Amidst the powerful dancing and resilient movements, all students were struck by the performance, the dances evoking certain strong emotions.“My favorite was Revelations,” Dawes said. “It's the last third of the show. Revelations was choreographed by Alvin Ailey in 1960 and the company always performs it. Revelations is an umbrella name for about 5 short pieces.”Dawes continues, “They are very powerful and tear jerking. Revelations is their history in dance. It's beautiful to watch. It's a classic that will never get old and will always have the same punch every time I watch it.”