Judith Jamison
Judith Jamison
Judith Ann Jamisonis an American dancer and choreographer, best known as the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDancer
Date of Birth10 May 1943
CityPhiladelphia, PA
CountryUnited States of America
dancer high indelible legs people though touched
People don't remember me for how high my legs went, even though they went up very high, and how many pirouettes I did. They don't remember me for that. They remember me and any other dancer because something touched them inside. It's an indelible memory on the heart and in the mind.
alive dance dancer dancers hit love miss soon
As long as there are dancers around who love to dance, there will be an Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. We miss him so much, but he's alive as soon as you see a dancer hit the stage.
blood continues dancers felt human jobs knew presence together worked
Alvin knew what I would do with it because we worked together for such a long time. It's part of my blood and part of who I am as a human being. Alvin's presence is felt by us all, even the new dancers who never worked with him. And if we do our jobs well, that continues the vision.
anyone companies dancers leeway pickup possible project rather taste
My idea for the Jamison Project was rather like a pickup company. The idea was to give the dancers a taste of the menu. Today, dancers need to try as many companies as possible without having a drop-dead loyalty to me or anyone else. They like to have the leeway to go their own way.
dance dancer threshold
Every dancer lives on the threshold of chucking it.
dancer black world
Maybe its a generational thing, but I never wanted to be the best black dancer in the world. I just wanted to be the best.
sacrifice thinking dancer
I haven't had a family, but I don't think of that as a sacrifice: my dancers are my family.
dancer silence looks
If you look at a dancer in silence, his or her body will be the music. If you turn the music on, that body will become an extension of what you're hearing.
strive
Strive for perfection. Nobody's going to be perfect on this earth. But strive for perfection.
choosing trying
I'm very smart when it comes to choosing dancers and trying to show the world that there's a whole lot of dancing going on.
life
I've had a really charmed life, you know. Things always come to me - they just do.
episodes happen love mood piece relationships
It's a mood piece about love and relationship, like a slice- of life- pie at 2 a.m. with episodes that happen quickly.
born catch everybody felt street wondering
At 10, I could walk down the street and see over everybody's head. I don't remember being little or having to look up at people. I think I was born 5 feet 10. It's not that I felt especially tall. I was wondering when everybody else was going to catch up.
full people
The world is full of ways for people to dance. Concert dance doesn't get its due.