Chair Williams on de Lavallade and Ailey's early partnership and California years
Chair Williams delivers remarks on her two resolutions honoring Carmen de Lavallade and Alvin Ailey, describing how they met in high school in Los Angeles, how de Lavallade brought Ailey to Lester Horton's dance classes, and their early years dancing together in Horton's racially integrated company.
Finally, let me say a few words about my two resolutions honoring the lives and work of Carmen de la Valade and Alvin Ailey.
It is fitting that these two resolutions be voted on together because it is likely that there is no Alvin Ailey without Carmen de la Valade.
After they met in high school in Los Angeles, Miss de la Valade took young Alvin to her dance classes at Lester Horton Studio.
He loved watching her in class and eventually Lester Horton asked young Alvin if he would like to take classes as well.
He enthusiastically agreed and the rest is history.
Lester Horton, who pioneered the modern Horton technique that is still danced by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and is taught in the Ailey School, had a small racially integrated company where Mr.
Lavallade and Mr.
Ailey first danced together.
After Mr.
Horton's untimely death, the two young dancers took over the company and tried hard to make it work, which was very difficult.
When New York City beckoned, they left California together to come dance on Broadway.