Tag: ailey ii

Ailey II Standout Caroline Theodora Dartey on Beyoncé, Bad Habits, and Why She Doesn't Need to Dance "Pretty"

With effortless extensions, sky-high leaps, and equal parts elegance and strength, Ailey II company member Caroline Theodora Dartey is impossible to miss onstage. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Dartey actually started out training in rhythmic gymnastics, where she earned both national and international titles. She later took up dance, training at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, […]

"What I Learned from My First Pro Dance Job"

Landing your first professional dance gig is a dream come true—and a huge learning opportunity. We talked to four young dancers about what they’ve learned from their first jobs, and how those lessons have strengthened their careers. Booking a Gig Isn’t the End of the Story Kessie Brawner (photo by Vince Trupsin) Shortly before graduating […]

Catching Up with Ailey II’s Gabriel Hyman

You may remember meeting Gabriel Hyman in 2015, when he was a student in The Ailey School Summer Intensive Program. He had a lot of wisdom back then, offering up some great advice on dealing with injuries (which still holds true today!). It should come as no surprise, then, that Hyman’s now dancing with Ailey […]

You Must See Nir Arieli's Stunning Dance Photos

Dancers are some of the greatest photographic subjects around (for obvious reasons). They know their bodies, how to pose and captivate audiences—all of which translate into consistently stunning images. But Nir Arieli’s photo series, “Flocks,” showcases some of our favorite dance companies in a completely new context: without motion. Arieli has been photographing a number […]

Exciting Things Ahead for Ailey II's Annellyse Munroe

It’s been a little over a year since Ailey II member Annellyse Munroe graced the February 2015 cover of DS with two of her fellow company members, Samantha Barriento and Shay Bland. It was immediately clear that the talent runs deep in Ailey II, and the year that lay ahead would bring a ton of incredible challenges and […]

Ailey II.0

It’s the last hour of an exhausting, all-day Ailey II rehearsal. Troy Powell, the company’s artistic director, has just called for a five-minute break. But the dancers, busy fine-tuning Powell’s lyrical The External Knot, don’t even pause. Instead, their voices lower, and they continue working out the difficult choreography on their own. So much for […]

February 2015: Ailey II

Our Ailey II cover girls, Shay Bland, Samantha Barriento, and Annellyse Munro, have proved their natural stage presence can easily carry over to the camera. Watch them navigate a photo shoot in our behind the scenes footage.