Troy Powell facts for kids
Troy Powell (born January 27, 1969, in Spanish Harlem), also known as Troy O'Neil Powell, is an American dancer, choreographer, and educator. He was a main dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and later led Ailey II, which is the company's second dance group.
Early Life and Dance Beginnings
Troy Powell grew up in Spanish Harlem. When he was nine years old, he met the famous dancer Alvin Ailey. Ailey visited Powell's school to teach a special dance class. This class was actually an audition for a scholarship to join the very first children's program at The Ailey School. Even though Troy had not had much dance training before, Alvin Ailey chose him for the program.
During his time at the school, Ailey became a mentor and a father figure to Troy. In 1987, Troy graduated from LaGuardia High School of The Performing Arts, where he focused on dance. The next year, he was invited to join Ailey II, which was then called the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble.
As a member of Ailey II, Troy danced in many different ballets. These included works by Alvin Ailey and other choreographers. People noticed his dancing, and one reviewer, Jennifer Dunning from The New York Times, said he danced "as if filled with the dance."
A Career in Dance
In 1991, Judith Jamison invited Troy Powell to join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Jamison had become the artistic director after Alvin Ailey passed away in 1989.
While with the main Ailey company, Troy traveled all over the world. He performed important roles in many famous ballets. Some of these included Ailey's Blue's Suite, The River, and the Sinner Man trio in Revelations. He also danced in pieces by other choreographers like Ulysses Dove's Episodes and George Faison's Suite Otis.
In 1996, Troy showed his own dance piece called Passages at the Ailey Gala. After this, he was asked to create a ballet for the main company. This new piece, Ascension, was first performed in 1998. Troy dedicated it to his mother's memory.
Troy also danced with other groups. He performed with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, which was started by his Ailey friends Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. He was also a special guest dancer with Batsheva Dance Company and Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
Leading Ailey II
In 2001, after dancing with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for ten years, Troy Powell joined The Ailey School. He became a master teacher of the Horton-technique and the main choreographer for Ailey II. He created many ballets for Ailey II, such as The Tyner Project, Fragments, and Ebb and Flow.
In 2003, he became the associate director of Ailey II. Then, in 2012, when Sylvia Waters retired, Troy Powell became the artistic director of Ailey II. He was only the second person to lead the company in its history. In 2015, Powell led Ailey II in their first solo season at the Joyce Theatre.
For the 2019 Ailey Spirit Gala, Troy choreographed a special ballet called Testimony. This piece told the story of his own journey through the Ailey organization, from being a student to joining the main company. He used students from The Ailey School, members of Ailey II, and dancers from the main company in his performance. Leading dancer Solomon Dumas played the adult version of Powell. Troy dedicated Testimony to Alvin Ailey, saying Ailey was "a lifesaver" who "gave me these two feet that I’m standing on."
Media Appearances
Troy Powell has also appeared on television. In 2010, he was a guest coach and choreographer on season 14 of America's Next Top Model. He taught the models how to pose in different dance styles. In 2012, he was a guest choreographer on the Polish version of So You Think You Can Dance. He taught the contestants choreography from his ballet External Knot.
