Alvin Ailey dance legend Jamison remembered: 'She could hold the audience in the palm of her hands'
HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- The New York dance community is mourning the loss of a Giant in the industry following the death of former Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performer and director Judith Jamison.
She died this weekend at the age of 81.
On Monday, the mood was heavy inside company headquarters, yet there was a sense of gratitude among dancers and leadership, knowing they crossed paths with greatness.
"Her deep, deep faith really gave her wings and it also gave her roots and provided that for all of us," Rehearsal Director Ronni Favors said.
Former Ailey dancer and current rehearsal director, Favors first met Jamison in 1976 while performing at Lincoln Center.
"I ran off stage and she said, 'Brava!' And that was my introduction to Judith Jamison," Favors said.
Jamison joined the world-renowned dance company in 1965 and become one its most celebrated members.
After Mr. Ailey died in 1989, Jamison felt it was her duty to carry out his mission to educate, entertain and uplift.
"At the end of a performance when people go crazy and they're applauding or they're just, they're stunned, that's when I get you," Jamison said, in a November 2023 interview.
WATCH: Alvin Ailey Dance Theater pays tribute to artistic director Judith Jamison for 65th anniversary
Jamison will be remembered as a captivating performing and generous soul.
"She created representation and she made a path wide enough for other people to walk through too and be able to see themselves," Favors said. "She could hold the audience in the palm of her hands with her words, not only her movement but just with an eye movement or a pithy remark."
The company will dedicate its upcoming run at City Center starting Dec 4 to Jamison.
"It's full of energy and light and laughter. This makes me happy," Jamison said.
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