Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey will celebrate its 32nd year as the official second home of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, and KCFAA’s commitment to offering arts programs to underserved youth, with a Sept. 30 gala.
The magical night will begin with distinctively Southern interactive cuisine stations and cocktails at the Muehlebach Hotel. Guests will proceed to the Folly Theater for a performance featuring Ailey II and Mr. Ailey’s masterpiece, “Revelations,” and return to the Muehlebach for desserts and dancing.
Bunni Copaken, a well-known Kansas City arts advocate and longtime KCFAA supporter, will receive the organization’s coveted Janet K. Miller award to recognize her dedication at the gala.
“Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey has been my ‘daily Ailey’ commitment to the arts for 32 years,” Copaken says. “Its three-pronged mission is unique nationally. First, to ‘bring dance to the people,’ Alvin Ailey’s charge when he selected Kansas City as his second home, by presenting annual performances of the Ailey companies. Next, to transform young lives — 28,000 in Kansas City are impacted annually in 11 educational programs, which translates to more than a million kids exposed to Ailey’s philosophy since 1984. And, finally, to unite the Kansas City community as a model for cross-cultural and interracial leadership.”
Tyrone Aiken, KCFAA Chief Artistic Director, notes the Gala’s significance in aligning with the organization’s mission. “The Gala is not only an important meeting place for folks to discover something about modern dance and to discover something about Kansas City, it’s a great opportunity to experience an evening of incomparable dance showcasing some of the world’s best dancers,” he says.
Alvin Ailey, an African American activist and choreographer, founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) in New York City in 1958. Ailey’s relationship with Kansas City first blossomed when he brought his dance company to perform in 1968. As Ailey became committed to his goal of a second home for his group, Kansas City quickly rose to the top of the list of potential options — and in 1984, it was made official.
KCFAA will present Alvin Ailey II in three public performances from Thursday, Sept. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Folly Theater, with a matinee and evening performance on Oct. 1.
For more information about Gala 2016, to secure sponsorship or to purchase tickets, visit www.kcfaa.org/gala2016, call 816-471-6003 or email .