Ailey Performs Alonzo King's Work "Following the Subtle Current Upstream"

Join us at New York City Center as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Alonzo King’s work Following the Subtle Current Upstream. This piece investigates the deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit. Described by King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King’s movement—abstract but steeped in meaning—sets the dancers in a constant flow to eclectic scores by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.

Interested in learning more about the history of Alonzo’s classic work Following the Subtle Current Upstream, which has been performed nationally and internationally by major dance companies? Read about the ballet’s story, and watch archival footage, on our BLOG.

Photography: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Dancers: James Gilmer and Coral Dolphin rehearsing Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream | © Grace Kathryn Landefeld