Alvin Ailey Biography Overview Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alvin Ailey Biography Overview - Research Paper Example The research paper "Alvin Ailey Biography Overview" presents the description of Alvin's way to success. Having graduated from high school in the year 1948, Alvin went to the University of California with the intention of becoming a teacher but his interest in dance soon came back, particularly after he came across the Lester Horton Dance Theatre giving a dance. Horton’s highly theatrical modern dance style and his apparent interest in Native American dances and culture greatly attracted Alvin and he thought of changing his course from teaching to dance. He won a scholarship and enrolled for technique and dance composition classes with Lester Horton. He also got employment with Horton’s stage crew and danced with them. In the year 1951, seeking a more stable career, Alvin enrolled for a major in Romance languages in San Francisco State College. While there, he got to dance with a touring company and soon realized that what he really wanted was dance regardless of how ris ky it was compared to the dependable and stable teaching career. He rejoined the Los Angeles’ Lester Horton Dance Theatre and Lester Horton died suddenly in the year 1953, leaving the company without a director. They asked Alvin to choreograph some dances. He taught at Horton Dance School but later got an opportunity of dancing in a concert in New York and moved to the East Coast. In the year in 1954, Alvin went to New York to dance in the Broadway production of ‘House of Flowers’ with a partner called Carmen DeLavallade and in the year 1958.