Alvin Ailey is alive and well. That is the lasting impression one gets from “Ailey”, filmmaker Jamila Wignot’s vibrant and probing documentary portrait of one of the 20th Century’s greatest artists, the late dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. Ailey’s masterworks are still performed throughout the world. The dance company he founded more that 60 years ago, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, continues to thrive. But who was Alvin Ailey? What drove him? What tormented him? How did he loom so large for countless dancers but remain largely an enigma as a man?
In Ken’s deep dive “Top Docs” conversation with Jamila, she discusses the many challenges involved in understanding and visually representing Ailey’s life and legacy. How did she avoid the tropes and traps of the standard documentary portrait? How did she use archival footage in such a way to create a constant sense of movement? What did Bill T. Jones, a dance legend in his own right, say once the camera was turned off? And what were the keys to creating a film that would put the audience in “(Ailey’s) body so that you would be experiencing his life as he experienced it”? Experience our conversation with Jamila on Top Docs now and stream “Ailey”, which is part of PBS’ American Masters series, for free until February 8th at PBS.org.
Follow on twitter:
Jamila @jamilawignot
Top Docs @topdocspod
Hidden Gem: Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction
”King Coal” with Elaine McMillion Sheldon
”Children of the Mist” with Diem Ha Le
”Hidden Letters” with Violet Du Feng
”House Made of Splinters” with Simon Lereng Wilmont
Sundance 2023 Lineup Rundown with Basil Tsiokos
2023 Oscar Shortlist with Anne Thompson
”Impact Filmmaking” with Chris Temple
”What We Leave Behind” with Iliana Sosa
”Retrograde” with Matthew Heineman
”I Didn’t See You There” with Reid Davenport
”Sr.” with Chris Smith
”Bad Axe” with David Siev
”Good Night Oppy” with Ryan White
”All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” with Laura Poitras
”In Her Hands” with Tamana Ayazi & Marcel Mettelsiefen
”Is that Black Enough for You?” with Elvis Mitchell
”All that Breathes” with Shaunak Sen
”Last Flight Home” with Ondi Timoner
”Documentary Now!” with Alex Buono, Rhys Thomas & Seth Meyers
”Descendant” with Margaret Brown
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Multiverse Fancast
Cinema: A to B
I Finally Watched...
Kill James Bond!
Pod Meets World