Judith Jamison
Choreographer / Artistic Director
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater
New York, NY USA
“It's okay to have doubts and to be scared, but get to your core...What truth are you trying to say in your life?”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationJudith Jamison
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Says she learned about pageantry and art in church, as well as how to have the tenacity to get up every Sunday and go, even when she didn't want to.
Remembers her first dance recital at six years old; when she heard the applause, something clicked.
When she was 10 years old, she was already taking adult-level dance classes.
Went to Fisk University, where she got a physical education degree; while there, she was discovered by Agnes de Mille.
Her first major performance role was at the Met-says, "nobody gets their first gig at the Met, but that was me."
Afterwards, she couldn't find any roles for African-American women, so she had to spend months working at a fair.
After losing a part at an audition, she met Alvin Ailey, who invited her to come dance with his company.
Her career paved the way for female African-American dancers; she was the first African-American to appear on the cover of Dance magazine.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Choreographer / Artistic Director
I create art through dance and am committed to asserting the prominence of the arts in our culture.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Acting & Theatre
Art
Being Creative
Interviewed By
Washington, D.C. - New York City
While in Washington, D.C., the Roadtrippers head over to the International Child Art Foundation's headquarters to meet with its founder, Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq. He tells them about the importance of nurturing creativity in young minds. Then the team moves on to the popular D.C.-based restaurant Busboys and Poets to speak with its owner, Andy Shallal. The Roadtrippers hear about learning from failures, and they leave feeling uplifted. From there, they fly back to Chicago to pick up the Green RV from the mechanic to hit the road to New York. In New York City, they meet with dance legend Judith Jamison and catch a performance at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Central Park.
