III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 490 

Recognizing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 50 years of service 

to the performing arts. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 31 (legislative day, MARCH 13), 2008 

Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. SCHUMER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

SEPTEMBER 23 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 

50 years of service to the performing arts. 

Whereas the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) 

is widely recognized as one of the world’s premier modern 

dance companies; 

Whereas AAADT is dedicated to promoting the uniqueness of 

the African-American cultural experience, to preserving 

the heritage of modern dance, and to bringing modern 

dance to people around the globe; 

Whereas, over its 50-year history, AAADT has performed for 

an estimated 21,000,000 people in 48 States and in 71 

countries on 6 continents; 


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Whereas AAADT tours more than any other performing arts 

company in the world; 

Whereas AAADT’s signature work, ‘‘Revelations’’, has been 

seen by more people around the globe than any other 

work of dance; 

Whereas AAADT performs works by both emerging and established choreographers from throughout the United 

States and the world; 

Whereas AAADT’s home in New York City, The Joan Weill 

Center for Dance, is the largest facility dedicated exclusively to dance in the United States; 

Whereas Alvin Ailey, founder of AAADT, received the United 

Nations Peace Medal in 1982; 

Whereas President George W. Bush recognized AAADT and 

Artistic Director Judith Jamison with the National 

Medal of Arts in 2001, making AAADT the first dance 

company to be so honored; 

Whereas AAADT has performed for United States Presidents 

and foreign leaders throughout the company’s 50-year 

history, including performances in 1968 for President 

Johnson, in 1977 at the inaugural gala for President 

Carter, in 1993 at the inaugural gala for President Clinton, and in 2003 at a state dinner honoring President 

Mwai Kibaki of Kenya; 

Whereas, over the years, AAADT has brought the culture of 

the United States to audiences around the world with 

performances at such historic events as the Rio de Janeiro International Arts Festival in 1963, the first Negro 

Arts Festival in Dakar, Senegal, in 1966, the fabled New 

Year’s Eve performance for the Crown Prince of Morocco 

in 1978, the Paris Centennial performance at the Grand 


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Palais Theatre in 1989, 2 unprecedented engagements in 

South Africa in 1997 and 1998, the 1996 and 2002 

Olympic Games, the 2005 Stars of the White Nights festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the 2006 Les e ́te ́s de 

la danse de Paris festival in Paris, France; 

Whereas AAADT annually provides more than 100,000 

young people from diverse cultural, social, and economic 

backgrounds with the opportunity to explore their creative potential and build their self-esteem through its 

Arts in Education and Community Programs, which includes 9 Ailey Camps in cities across the United States; 

Whereas Ailey II, the junior company to AAADT, reaches 

more than 69,000 people each year through its inspiring 

performances and outreach activities while touring to 

smaller communities in more than 50 North American 

cities; and 

Whereas the Ailey School, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, provides the highest quality 

training consistent with the professional standards of 

AAADT, including a Certificate Program, a Fellowship 

Program, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program 

in conjunction with Fordham University: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes and commends the Alvin Ailey 

3 American Dance Theater (AAADT) for 50 years of 

4 service as a cultural ambassador of the United 

5 States to the world, by bringing world-class Amer6 ican modern dance to an estimated 21,000,000 peo7 ple around the globe; 


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1 (2) recognizes that AAADT has been a true 

2 pioneer in the world of dance by establishing an ex3 tended cultural community that provides dance per4 formances, training, and community programs to all 

5 people while using the beauty and humanity of the 

6 African-American heritage and other cultures to 

7 unite people of all ages, races, and backgrounds; and 

8 (3) recognizes that Ailey II, the prestigious 

9 Ailey School, and the extensive and innovative Arts 

10 in Education and Community Programs of AAADT 

11 train future generations of dancers and choreogra12 phers while continuing to expose young people from 

13 communities large and small to the arts. 

Æ 


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