I Wanna Be Ready

On March 30, 1958, the dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) launched his company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, at a performance in New York City that forever changed the face of American dance. He was 27 years old.
In honor of the Company’s 60th anniversary, Matthew Rushing - a 25-year veteran of the Ailey company - performed the iconic solo “I Wanna Be Ready” from Mr. Ailey’s classic work, Revelations. Filmed in Rogers, Texas, where Mr. Ailey was born and lived as a young child, Mr. Rushing’s performance features live accompaniment by five local singers.
Mr. Ailey said that one of America’s richest treasures was the African-American cultural heritage -“sometimes sorrowful, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful.” Revelations is a tribute to that tradition, born out of the choreographer’s “blood memories” from his early childhood.
As Jennifer Dunning wrote in her biography Alvin Ailey: A Life in Dance, “Sunday mornings were spent in fervent song and prayer at the tiny Mount Olive Baptist Church on a dusty, unpaved road across from the railroad tracks. The one-room, white-frame building is one of the few landmarks of Alvin’s childhood still standing in Rogers.”
Like Mr. Ailey’s enduring masterpiece Revelations, the company he started six decades ago is more than just popular; it has become a cultural treasure, beloved by generations of fans.
Learn more at AlvinAiley.org
#AlvinAiley #Dance

[@cogic1996]

Rogers Tx...Where I grew up.. The Church where I attended and the House I was raised and the Seed Gin where I played and worked for countless hours. Thank you Cousin Alvin for letting God use you in your Art..What a Mighty God we Serve.

[@lindarichter1068]

astounding; Thank you Alvin Ailey and Company!

[@landcmg]

Revelations is arguably the greatest dance work in the history of American art.

[@DrHilliman]

I couldn’t agree more. Creative genius that transcends time. 🙏🏾 It invokes tears and raw emotions every time.

[@presterjohn1697]

Without question.

[@presterjohn1697]

@@DrHilliman I'm 6'4 250 lbs brother and yes I wept tonight while witnessing Revelations live. Been that way for the past 25 years.

[@mizanthrope7664]

I'm not remotely religious, but Revelations is the most moving and spiritual piece of performance art I've ever seen. Alvin Ailey usually tours California sometime near my birthday, and seeing them was the gift I always gave myself. I hope all their amazing dancers are healthy and safe.

[@presterjohn1697]

Matthew Rushing is now creative director.

[@frostyfrances4700]

You might not be remotely religious in the classic sense; but I figure anyone who responds to this mightiest of art works is coming from a place very suitable to my God. I stopped worrying about dogma a long time ago. It's also my notion that God, looking on the heart, is just as pleased with a secular agnostic or atheist with a good heart. That's all that really matters, and a lotta people gonna wake up surprised when they cross Jordan.

[@LGnLA]

❤❤❤❤

[@donalde8055]

Dancing for the Lord by men is rare but I love to see it....I sure God does too.

[@bjmuhammed4154]

I'm Blessed for the past 23 Years to have seen at least One Show every year and to introduce others to this Cultural & Spiritual Cornerstone of Black Excellence... 60 Years & Rising, Ase'O

[@spceinadreamroom]

I always see Dudley Williams dancing when I hear this song. Matthew looks wonderful here too. Such a beautiful piece of work.

[@aalbert1557]

Ailey returns 🙏🏵️🧡💙💚💛🖤💜❤️🥀☮️🙏

[@Shabbydenise]

This was performed in my Grandfather's church he started many years ago.

[@dknippify]

Wow -- thrilling. What a great idea to stage the dance in the settings that the choreographer grew up in. But even more than that, they are the settings of regular people in their day to day lives -- So much meaning in that. I love it. Thank you. And great work by Matt Rushing and the singers. Fabulous!

[@organicgardenmamavictoriab2768]

Wow gives me chills

[@simonerae1451]

Absolutely beautiful. Why am I just seeing this? Ugh.

[@BabsBrooklynPilates]

Matthew Rushing is one fabulous dancer.

[@amarisb8169]

I dance and I’ve always wanted to be apart of the company in 6years. I’m 12 btw

[@fannishmarcia]

You go for it! Best wishes for a long dance career!

[@bjmuhammed4154]

Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan Young Queen... All Things Are Possible

[@landcmg]

Dream it, do it! Work hard, keep your eyes on the prize, and you can do amazing things. Never stop dancing.

[@laureng6001]

Work hard, sweat, commit. A former dancer to an aspiring one..... you can do it.

[@prittyugly86]

Get ready!

[@AllisonWithGodMinistries]

Beautiful

[@narviawilliams2340]

May the Heavenly Father 🔱 in the name of Jesus 👑 continue to bless the Alvin Ailey dancers who are still dancing for the Lord 👑 and those Alvin Ailey dancers who have retired. I like Matthew Rushing and Dudley Williams dancing to this dance piece. May the Lord 👑 rest Alvin Ailey's soul. The Lord 👑 really used Alvin Ailey to bring out the old Southern Baptist churches that my grandmother, when she was alive used to talk about. I'm a Seventh Day Adventist now, but I will never forget what I was taught. When my mother was alive, my daughter when she was little, and myself was blessed to see the Alvin Ailey dancers doing Revelations.

[@susanhughes8761]

Chilling!

[@justanotherti4790]

Wooo! I was not ready for all of this. He can dance his tail off. The dance was poetic. And the singers were outstanding. They were looking at him dance to their singing and it seemed as if they were being careful to catch all the nuances of his movement. This here is one fine poetic piece of art and I love it.

[@freeorbit1618]

Oh-my-goodness- my wish come true! As a contemporary ballet lover I am thrilled that someone documented the perfection of Mr Rushing in this particular piece!! After seeing his performance live, everyone else that followed after lacked the magic combination of executing the movement in it's fullness and the artistic choice/feeling for the texture created by elongated movement and short, sudden freezing of the movement (well, everyone with always surprising exception of Mr Roberts that is a great storyteller and knows how to execute the movement fully and has a feeling for the texture). So perfect! So touching! Amazing singers! Those ladies are powerful. I do prefer the stage performance, though, because the camera should be still when a great dancer is performing. All those camera cuts are suitable for movies where actors can't dance. And with all that said, Mr Rushing looks great on camera and I love this short.

[@goldiamays7171]

Great,

[@voraciousreader3341]

Wow....gorgeous singing, gorgeous dancing....thrilling!

[@OliviaApplewhite]

Wow----a breath taking rendition. Been listening to the Revelations album a lot these days.

[@narviawilliams2340]

Matthew Rushing of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company is beautiful! ! These people of the Lord 👑 singing this song is awesome! ! .

[@princepdj]

Matthew rushing has always provided us with great movement. Inspiring and powerful piece.

[@LGnLA]

Wow just WOW, beautiful & brilliant, tfs!!! 😢❤ AlvinAiley & MatthewRushing❤

[@Gladys915]

A treat! 👏👏👏

[@curiousgem610]

Beautiful Matthew❤️🙏🏽

[@fannishmarcia]

Soooo powerful! Adored the singers as well and saw the emotion on their faces as they sang. I have seen Revelations live many times and this was particularly thrilling. Thank you!

[@resah18]

OOH Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!!! This is so beautiful. Thank you so very much!

[@DoMyHair305]

Simply powerful and Matthew is one of my favorites. I was fortunate to see Dudley Williams perform this on his last tour with the company and it was powerful. Love this masterpiece

[@johnwakefield8570]

I would go on Saturdays .. the dance workout .. one of Alvin's original dancers leading .. " .. open your back .. open your back .. " .. holding it .. holding five then ten more .. .. then one day, I am sitting .. bleachers .. lower .. and Alvin about three up .. a huge presence .. emanating great sadness ..

[@lynnkintz2297]

I usually find dances that were set for theatre awkward and uncomfortable when put in the outdoors. But this video was well handled and excellent.

[@abbarana1398]

MY NAME is ABBA,..YES...AFTER that group,....ABBA.. MY favorite song!! I wanna be ready....Good Lord!! Show ME the WAY!!

[@killianmanning5414]

Matthew Rushing is a national treasure!!! as is Ailey!

[@kdavis5127]

That was good...well put together...interesting to watch..😎🙏👍

[@i.k.carter3320]

Incredible sister!

[@millapoledance3842]

Please put the original version on spotify !! love

[@amarisb8169]

Amazing! I went to the show in dc! You did so great!!!!

[@margueriteingenito4669]

ça pogne aux tripes / incredible and beyond beautiful

[@elisest.pierreceo5367]

Love this!

[@rakeishamonet3851]

AMAZING!!!!

[@NakiaHenry]

beautiful tribute. really beautiful.

[@angelasaunders3558]

Powerful

[@keez2daworld]

Creative.

[@abbarana1398]

YES!!!!!!!! THANK YOU MY LORD>JESUS!!!

[@LGibbs-sg8tz]

❤

[@aoicaseyjones6592]

🙏😭

[@SaphirSouenEstherG]

Shared on Google+ March 30, 2018.

[@deeproff1294]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@gabrielleconner519]

Yes

[@AiMAlekseiMishachenko]

Who sings this song? Who is the author?

[@prittyugly86]

I'm searching for the lyrics

[@LizinLouie]

[@IDEALEGACY59]

The Black people say, "Caught the Holy Ghost"

[@terogaskill8822]

P Pp

[@prittyugly86]

This made me want to be ready.

[@feleciathomas3122]

AMAZING!!!!

[@deboral.devaughn2285]

AMAZING!!!