Alvin Ailey dance couple reveal their love story on stage, at home
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The new season of Alvin Ailey's run kicked off earlier this month, and we've got a look at a pair of dancers who are not just partners on stage, but also at home.
Glenn and Linda Sims are married, which has a profound impact on their relationship and stage presence.
"We're together all the time, so it's like the mother and the child's heartbeat together," Glenn said.
The end result of their pairing is something powerful for audience members.
"I can't touch you, so the only way I can do that is through our energy and our souls," Linda said.
They're able to make that deep connection with the audience because Linda and Glenn, both veterans with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, are also husband and wife.
"You have to be cognizant of not only my wife, but my friend," Glenn said.
They met on the job while they were both in their 20s. Glenn fell hard for Linda, though she admits it took her some time to cozy up to him. But while on tour in Germany, they went dancing at a Salsa club, and that's when Linda started having feelings for Glenn.
"I was like, I think I like him," Linda said. "He could dance to my music. I was getting down."
Still, they kept their romance a secret, not knowing how Judith Jamison, director at the time, would take the news.
"We were waking down fabulous European streets, shopping streets, and we wanted to hold hands," Glenn said. "But we were afraid people would catch us."
They eventually came clean, to Jamison's delight, and said "I do" on January 5, 2001, unknowingly, on Alvin Ailey's birthday.
Like every married couple, they have their ups and downs, but they say they've learned to keep their two worlds separate.
"It's like I have complete control over my emotional state at that time," Linda said. "Even though I can kill him, I have to work."
They're now performing more duets, with Glenn the new face of Ailey.
"I was like, I look like a superhero," Glenn said.
The dynamic duo is a rare and special pairing.
WEB EXTRA: Alvin Ailey dance couple reveal their love story
