Alvin Ailey World Premier of Jamar Robert's ODE

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is performing at their home here at City Center through Jan. 5th.  Last night's world premier ODE is the work of Ailey's First Resident Choreographer, Jamar Roberts.  Roberts is a beloved, long-time member of the dance company.  Artistic Director Robert Battle has encouraged Roberts to pursue his passion for choreography and wisely designated Roberts as Ailey's Resident Choreographer.  Jamar's first work for the company was "Member's Don't Get Weary" ('16).  Roberts was honored that year with the Bessie Award for exceptional achievement by independent dance artists.  ODE is set to the music of legendary jazz pianist Don Pullen.  Pullen's immense body of work & numerous styles including modern and free jazz make his music difficult to pigeon-hole.  In this piece, Pullen's sophisticated composition transitions fluidly from smooth to sharp syncopation.  Roberts virtuoso musicality embodies the unpredictability of Pullen's music with an ephemeral as well as percussive aesthetic.  The dance begins with a male dancer lying, motionless in front of a very colorful floral scenic design on a black background.  The uniform costuming by Roberts is stunning.  The dancers are bare chested with free-flowing golden trousers.  The prone dancer is joined by 5 other male dancers.  The dancers gracefully intertwine evoking a joyful imagery of Matisse's "Dancers".  One man falls and a 2nd attempts to raise him but he too succumbs to the ground.  The middle section projects frantic, startling images of victims of gun-fire. The 3rd section bookends the piece with a melancholy, gracefulness with the revelation of dancers paying homage to those who have died.  The backdrop now appears as floral funeral arrangements.  ODE is both elegiac and mournful.  It's inspiring and horrifying.  It's a powerful work for its artistry and for its ode to victims of gun violence.  "I think art has power.  I think it has power to bring things to light and have people see the world in ways that they may not have seen.  And dance does it without words.  And I think that that is one of the most beautiful things about this art form that we don't use our words, but everybody knows exactly what the feeling is."  (J Roberts)  There are alternating casts comprised of all male or all female dancers.  ODE is the good, the bad the ugly in mankind.  Still, it conveys the preciousness of life and inspires for the best in humanity.