Judith Jamison

What a beautiful evening honoring the legendary dancer, Judith Jamison, at The National Arts Club! A brilliant artist and incredible career.

Judith Jamison joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1965 and quickly became an international star. Over the next 15 years, Mr. Ailey created some of his most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour-de-force solo Cry. During the 1970s and 80s, she appeared as a guest artist with ballet companies all over the world, starred in the hit Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies, and formed her own company, The Jamison Project. She returned to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1989 when Mr. Ailey asked her to succeed him as Artistic Director. In the 21 years that followed, she brought the Company to unprecedented heights. Ms. Jamison is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, among them the Kennedy Center Honor, a National Medal of Arts, and was listed in "The TIME 100: The World's Most Influential People." As a highly regarded choreographer, Ms. Jamison has created many celebrated works. In 2004, under Ms. Jamison’s artistic directorship, her idea of a permanent home for the Ailey company was realized.