First lady Michelle Obama recently hosted the first ever White House event honoring the art of dance. She dedicated it to highlighting Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, an icon in the dance world and considered one of the greatest choreographers in the country. Jamison will step down next year, after 20 years of running the company following founder Alvin Ailey’s death in 1989.
The dance event, included youth workshops, and performances by members of the Alvin Ailey and Paul Taylor Dance companies, the Washington and New York City Ballet, America’s Best Dance Crew’s season-two champions Super Cr3w, and students from numerous dance schools across the country.
Damien Woetzel, member of President Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, said the event is the first of many more, and is also part of a new dance series at the White House designed to honor and educate.
