Ailey

Chronicling the remarkable life and career of American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, Ailey (from director Jamila Wignot) paints a passionate, and at times tender, portrait of the artist told through his own words. Meanwhile, it follows Ailey’s dance company as it works tirelessly to produce a piece that celebrates the life of its founder.

Modern dance is perhaps the most difficult art form for non-patrons to align themselves with. Some viewers may immediately be turned off by the documentary’s subject matter, but it’s to the film’s credit that it succeeds in demolishing this barrier early on. Using a series of archival footage, interviews with those closest to Ailey and recordings of the artist himself, Ailey joins these dots in such a way that allows the dance sequences to speak louder than any talking head soundbite could. Every movement is consequently loaded with profound meaning, rooted deep in the dancer’s own life and community.

The documentary is at its most captivating when it touches upon how Ailey’s life experiences affected his art, whether that be memories of his mother, the loss of a dear friend or racial tensions. There is no shortage of powerful moments that showcase the choreographer’s genius, alongside demonstrating how dance could be a vehicle for his voice. The sections centred around the modern-day project serve to parallel moments in Ailey’s life and reinforce the undying power of dance. However, with no real climax or endpoint to this subplot, its inclusion leaves a little to be desired.

The main issue faced by this documentary is it bites off more than it can chew. There’s a lot of ground covered in a relatively short space of time, spanning everything from Ailey’s childhood, initial training and tours of the world, to eventual trouble with his mental health and the AIDS crisis. With no core focus to latch on to, the narrative briskly bounces through most of the runtime, stopping only occasionally for a second longer to take in the bigger moments. Had the filmmaker chosen a more solid foundation to centre the film around, this project could have been a more focused and engaging experience.

Alvin Ailey was an extraordinary character, who many outside the sphere of modern dance will have heard of. While this documentary pays tribute to the artist and his work, it ultimately crumbles under its breadth of scope.

Andrew Murray

Ailey is released in select cinemas and on-demand on 7^th January 2022.

Watch the trailer for Ailey here: