Codarts Rotterdam@The Ailey School

May 19th to 26th, Codarts Rotterdam, University of the Arts, joins forces with The Ailey School for an immersive week-long program. On May 23rd & 24th, the two will give public performances at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. General admission is $20, for students with a valid ID it is $10. You can find the ticket link here,

The Project

Fifteen dancers from each school will participate in classes, workshops, discussions and two joint public performances at Ailey Citigroup Theater, presenting a myriad of works from 8 different choreographers representing both institutes. The project is designed to provide an environment for students and faculty members to cultivate creativity, deepen technique at the highest professional caliber and develop performance skills, while reconnecting two renowned modern dance institutes on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Past exchanges were initiated by the Ailey School’s former director, Denise Jefferson and Codarts Executive Board Member and former director of dance, Samuel Wuersten. Melanie Person, the Ailey School’s current director immediately seized the opportunity to reestablish the connection with Codarts Rotterdam, when this project was proposed. With the project Codarts Rotterdam@The Ailey School, both institutes are committing to build a lasting and interactive relationship to benefit young dancers enrolled in their respective programs.

Caroline Harder (head of dance at Codarts Rotterdam):
“Participating in this project is most meaningful for the Codarts dancers and participating faculty members on many levels. The Ailey School’s unique and visionary approach to dance informs us in a way, which is complementary to ours and allows us to widen our perspective. This project is an excellent opportunity for all participants to expand their networks and build friendships.”

Melanie Person (director the Ailey School):
“It is of the outmost importance that the dancers of The Ailey School have the opportunity to meet and work with fellow dancers on an international scale. Codarts Rotterdam is a leading European program with an excellent track record. The Ailey students and participating faculty members are excited to be able to connect with our colleagues from the Netherlands.”

Choreographies by:
Jiří Kylián, Ton Simons, Stephen Shropshire, Cayetano Soto, Kristina and Sadé Alleyne, Bradley Shelver, Elizabeth Roxas, and Marcus Willis.

Codarts Rotterdam

Codarts is a Rotterdam-based international university providing high-level professional arts education in music, dance, and circus arts. The university has about 1,000 students, of 50 different nationalities, and around 340 faculty and staff members. There are three Codarts buildings at key locations in the inner city of Rotterdam.

The dance department of Codarts (formerly Rotterdam Dance Academy) was founded in 1931 by modern dance pioneers Corrie Hartong and Gertrud Leistikow. It has since developed into one of the leading institutes for contemporary dance in Europe. Codarts offers Bachelor degrees for contemporary dancers and dance teachers as well as Master degrees in dance therapy and choreography. The BA dance program is a combination of intensive studies in various dance and improvisation/composition techniques, artistic practice, related theory, and reflection.

Apart from the dedicated Codarts faculty a wide range of guest teachers and guest choreographers is regularly invited to Rotterdam, linking the Codarts students to an active professional (inter)national dance field. Many of the guest teachers and choreographers are alumni. Codarts dance students regularly perform nationally and internationally. They conclude their studies with an internship at one of the many Codarts affiliated companies and projects.

Graduates from Codarts can be found all over the world in successful careers in their respective fields. Codarts is embedded in an international network of dance artists and companies.

The Ailey School

The Ailey School is the official school of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

In 1969, Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in Brooklyn, New York with an initial enrollment of 125 students. Guided by the belief that dance instruction should be made available to everyone, Mr. Ailey joined forces with Pearl Lang in 1970 to establish the American Dance Center in Manhattan. In 1982, The Ailey School and its programs received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Dance and continues to flourish under the co-direction of Tracy Inman and Melanie Person.

A prestigious faculty of dance professionals trains over 3,500 students annually in our full-time Professional Division and Junior Division Programs for aspiring dance students. Under the direction of Troy Powell, the school’s junior company in residence, Ailey II, serves as a bridge between the School and the professional dance world.

In November 2004, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Ailey School moved to their permanent home, the Joan Weill Center for Dance – the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world. Located in midtown Manhattan, at 9th Avenue and 55th Street, the Joan Weill Center for Dance includes state-of-the-art dance studios, a flexible performance space with seating for up to 275 people, a library, costume shop, physical therapy facilities, lounges, and administrative offices for the entire Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.

Codarts Rotterdam@The Ailey School is made possible with the generous support of:

– The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York
– The City of Rotterdam
– The Netherland-America Foundation
– The Kylian Foundation
– The Dansfonds Corrie Hartong
– The Ailey School
– Codarts Rotterdam