Key Dates- Company Development (finance, economy and premises)

Question 1

1958

Answer 1

Ailey was struggling to finance the company and couldn’t always afford to keep his dancers on full time. They would often do 6-8 week stints then disperse to work in Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s until they had enough money to start another project with him.

Question 2

1958-1960

Answer 2

The company travels on what Ailey calls “the station wagon tours” where the dancers, set, costumes and anything else they needed all had to fit in one wagon.

Question 3

1960s (premises)

Answer 3

“I want a home for my company. A place where they can work. I want them to get rehearsal salaries so they don’t have to go to any other jobs” -Alvin Ailey, I want to be a father figure 1969
Ailey wanted to look after his dancers but was unable to do so.

Question 4

1960s (touring)

Answer 4

AAADT performing night after night of one night stands that were in venues that weren’t always suitable. “They just saw the stage. It’s in an old movie house and full of splinters” -Alvin Ailey, I want to be a father figure 1969

They physical set and costumes were often very minimalist as the company couldn’t afford anything elaborate.

Question 5

1960

Answer 5

Company premises was at 51st Street YWCA’s Clark Centre.

Question 6

1969

Answer 6

Company premises was at Brooklyn Academy of Music as well as having their first season at the Billy Rose Theatre in Manhattan.

Question 7

1980-1990

Answer 7

Dance in America had chance to grow due to economic growth, lowered taxes and reduced unemployment meaning that people could afford to spend more money on luxuries such as watching dances and shows.

Question 8

1988

Answer 8

Ailey had fallen in to a deep depression and just before his death the company began to fall in to financial ruin again.

Question 9

1989

Answer 9

Company premises was West 61st Street

Question 10

1991

Answer 10

Thanks to the directorship of Judith Jamison, the company is out of financial deficit allowing for a more stable financial future.

Question 11

1993

Answer 11

AAADT perform at the televised inaugural gala for President Bill Clinton. This was viewed by 80 million viewers and was featured on the Phil Donahue Show reaching 18 million viewers. This created a lot of publicity and exposure leading to more money.

Question 12

1995

Answer 12

Judith Jamison and the company featured in a very successful American Express advert campaign which Advertising Age called “the campaign of the decade”
This created additional funding through being in the advert and also increased the popularity of AAADT leading to increased ticket sales.

Question 13

1998

Answer 13

A two CD box set containing the music of Revelations and other Ailey favourites is released.

Question 14

2002

Answer 14

AAADT perform Jamison’s “Here…Now” (2002) which was commissioned by The Salt Lake Organising Committee, at the Olympic Arts Festival.

Question 15

2005

Answer 15

AAADT performs at the Stars of the White Night festival in Russia. They were the first modern dance company presented at the legendary Mariinsky theatre in St Petersburg.

Question 16

2005

Answer 16

AAADT become the resident company at the purpose built Joan Weill Centre for Dance. The largest purpose built dance facility containing 12 studios, a studio theatre and meeting rooms. It is located in NYC.

Question 17

2005-present day

Answer 17

Studios and meeting rooms are rented out which provides even more revenue for the company. For theatre performances the rental rate is roughly $3,500

Question 18

2007

Answer 18

The AAADT is featured on the Opera Winfrey show and the seasonal opening of the Ellen DeGeneres Show. This creates a huge amount of publicity and again boosts ticket sales.

Question 19

Current time

Answer 19

You can now support or sponsor dancers and the company and there are incentives for doing so.

AAADT have an annual budget of $6.7 million and the annual national mean for dance companies is $1.6 million.