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MASAZUMI CHAYA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS WITH ALVIN AILEY(r) AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

by ExploreDance staff
November 16, 2002
New York City Center
130 West 56th Street
(Audience Entrance is on West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues)
(Entrance for Studios and Offices is on West 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues)
New York, NY 10019
212.247.0430

Featured Dance Company:

Alvin Ailey Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
405 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 405-9000
www.alvinailey.org

MASAZUMI CHAYA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS WITH ALVIN AILEY(r) AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

(New York, NY - Nov. 15, 2002) On Tuesday, December 10, during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's (AAADT) annual New York season at City Center, the Company will honor Masazumi Chaya, its esteemed associate artistic director, for his 30 years with The Ailey. The evening will include a performance of Billy Wilson's The Winter in Lisbon and Alvin Ailey's The River and Revelations. Former AAADT dancers including Desmond Richardson, Elizabeth Roxas and Aubrey Lynch as well as guest artists from Pennsylvania Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Prague Ballet, Ballet Florida and the Teatro Alla Scala will join the Company in performing The River, a ballet Mr. Chaya has restaged for dance companies around the world. Artistic Director Judith Jamison and the entire Ailey organization will salute Mr. Chaya for his unwavering commitment to The Ailey, his dedication to the artform and to bringing dance to audiences worldwide.

"Masazumi Chaya is an extraordinary man whose talent and dedication are matched only by his modesty," says AAADT Artistic Director Judith Jamison. "If you ask Chaya what he does here, you'll never get the whole picture because he's so self-effacing, he'll never let you know how unique and invaluable he truly is. In order to understand what a treasure Chaya is to me and to everyone associated with the Ailey organization, you have to listen to the people who work with him every day. Our heartfelt admiration tells the real story. He is a consummate artist, a lifelong friend, a generous spirit with a sense of humor beyond compare. Chaya is one of the most glorious purveyors and historians of Mr. Ailey's works. He is the glue that holds everything together."

Born in Fukuoka, Japan, where he began his classical ballet training, Mr. Chaya has been an invaluable part of the Ailey organization. After performing with the Company for 15 years, he was a revered rehearsal director. In 1991, in recognition of his incredible devotion to Mr. Ailey, his remarkable talents and unique contributions, Judith Jamison asked Mr. Chaya to become the associate artistic director. In this capacity, he has been a treasured asset to the Ailey organization and has acted as an ambassador for the Company, staging Mr. Ailey's works on numerous dance companies worldwide. Over the years, his intimate knowledge of the Ailey repertory, his innate artistry and his boundless enthusiasm have been invaluable to the Company. Mr. Chaya is being honored this year for his creative vision, his guidance and his strength.

AAADT has been seen by an estimated 19,000,000 fans in 48 states and 70 countries on six continents. Thanks to Mr. Chaya's contributions, the Company continues to be a trail-blazing leader in concert dance whose "phenomenal popularity is unmatched by any other company in the world. " (The New York Times)

Philip Morris Companies Inc., which has supported dance for 30 years, is the national sponsor of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey's New York season is sponsored by AOL Time Warner Inc.

The 2002-2003 tour is sponsored by Philip Morris Companies Inc., which has been supporting Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for more than 20 years. "As a long-time funder and advocate of the performing arts, Philip Morris is honored to have sponsored every U.S. tour of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater since 1982," said Jennifer Goodale, director of corporate contributions, Philip Morris Management Corp. "Philip Morris' support to Alvin Ailey is an investment in the cultural vitality of our communities, enabling people all across the country to be inspired, educated and enlightened by dance."

Philip Morris Companies Inc. has been involved with numerous cultural activities in New York City for more than four decades. The qualities that guide the successful growth of its businesses - innovation, creativity and diversity - have also served as the cornerstone of the company s cultural giving. Philip Morris' cultural program focuses on contemporary and multicultural visual and performing arts and the company is recognized worldwide as a leading supporter of the arts.

The Philip Morris family of companies is the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of consumer packaged goods. The principal operating companies of Philip Morris Companies Inc. include Kraft Foods Inc., Philip Morris International Inc. and Philip Morris U.S.A. For more than four decades, the Philip Morris companies have supported programs and charitable organizations nationwide and have provided philanthropic assistance to communities around the world. For more information about Philip Morris' programs and philanthropy, visit the company's web site at www.philipmorris.com/media.

TICKETS

Tickets are on sale now; prices range from $25 to $90. To order, please call City Center CityTix, (212) 581-1212 or, outside of New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut, the toll-free number (877) 581-1212. Order online at www.alvinailey.org or www.citycenter.org. City Center is located on West 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Ailey DanceChance student tickets may be purchased for $10 (cash only) between 12 noon and 6 p.m. on the day of any Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday evening performance from December 5 - January 5 (except December 31), subject to availability. Tickets must be bought in person at the City Center box office, and the purchaser must possess a valid student ID. Limit one ID per person; one ticket per ID.

Evening performances, Tuesday through Saturday, are at 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening curtain is at 7:30 p.m. The MasterCard International Family Matinees are on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.; Sunday matinees are at 3:00 p.m.

AT&T is the sponsor of The New Works Fund.

The Family Matinee series is sponsored by MasterCard International.

Citigroup provides major support for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation's arts-in-education programs.

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